Peter Anthony: The 1997 5 Yuan silver Panda features the image of a young Panda on the bank of a stream. It is one of the most charming designs in the entire Panda series. Despite this attribute the coin has attracted little interest in the past. That may be partly due to general indifference to ½ oz. coins along with the ‘97’s rather large published mintage: 200,000. However, as with many other modern Chinese coins the authorized mintage figure is a poor guide to this coin’s scarcity. It is no easier to find the 1997 than the 1996 5 Yuan silver Panda although the average '97 grades a little better.