Peter Anthony: The 1991 25 Yuan 1/4 oz. gold Small Date Panda features the image of a Panda munching bamboo while sitting along the bank of a stream or river. After 1990’s brute this represents a reversion to the earlier cute bear theme. It is one of the five B.U. gold Pandas minted for the year. Like many Pandas from this decade the 1991 gold Large Date is seen far less often than most dates from the 1980’s.

There are two major varieties of the 1991 gold Pandas: Large Date and Small Date. The Small Date coins were struck at the Shenyang Mint. Perhaps the simplest way to tell the Small Dates apart from coins struck in Shanghai is that the numeral one in the date lacks a serif, or bar, at its base.

1991 is another difficult year in regards to red spots. Many, if not most, coins that have not been conserved have these. In ungraded coins the Panda’s head is the place most likely to show wear or rub. The fields are also areas for concern. On the Temple of Heaven side the fields, as usual, are susceptible to marks. The most prevalent grade is MS-69 but an MS-70 is not unheard of. A relatively modest number of these coins have been graded so far.

The 1991 25 Yuan Small Date gold Panda is part of three NGC Registry sets: "Gold 1/4 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State," "Gold 1/4 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State (Incl. Varieties)" and "Gold 1/4 Ounce Panda, 1983-Date, Mint State and Proof."