Peter Anthony: The 1998 5 Yuan 1/20 oz. gold Large Date Panda is a standout coin in the Panda series. 1998 has become perhaps the most sought-after year for gold Pandas. All the coins from this year are key coins in their sets. In the wake of the Asian financial crisis demand for gold Pandas plummeted and many are reported to have been melted.

There are two major varieties of the 1998 gold Pandas: Small Date and Large Date. The 1998 5 Yuan gold Large Date is a Shenyang Mint coin. The two versions are not hard to tell apart; the numerals of the Small Date are much smaller than those of the Large Date. The total mintage for both varieties is 27,483. It’s clear that far fewer than that exist in B.U. condition today. The Large Date variety is much scarcer than the Small Date.

Most 1998 5 Yuan Large Dates are graded MS-69 or MS-70. Red spots are a commonplace problem on unconserved 1998 gold Pandas. The head, body and rock are the places most likely to show wear or rub.

The 1998 5 Yuan Large Date gold Panda is part of three NGC Registry sets: "Gold 1/20 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State," "Gold 1/20 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State (Incl. Varieties)" and "Gold 1/20 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State and Proof."