Panda S10Y Mint State Coins (Including Varieties)
1996 LARGE DATE

Owner Comments:

The 1996 panda coins were stuck in both proof and BU quality. The proof coin did NOT include a “P” mark; however, the proof panda design differed from the BU panda design so it is easy to know which one is the proof version. The BU coin had 2 varieties – small and large dates. The large date was minted at the Shenyang mint, the small date at the Shanghai mint and the proof at the Shenyang mint. The small and the large dates both utilized a “serif” style 1.

Mintage of BU coins is unknown. The proof mintage is only 8,000 (the lowest known mintage of all the 10 Yuan silver Pandas) and makes this coin highly valued.

Comment:
Although the proof mintage of only 8000 is the lowest known mintage of all the silver pandas, there are some other varieties like the 1995 micro date and the 2000 mirrored ring that are assumed to have a lower mintage.