1996 pandas

[silvergaga]

Noticed the 1996 panda has a smaller date than the later pandas.

When did this change to a bigger date come about?

[Bluenitsuj]

I believe 1990 had a small and large date but will need to check my panda book when I get home 

[silvergaga]

I have been informed that 1997, 2002, 03 and 04 are all small dates 2005 onwards seems to be the change to large date.

[arphethean]

There is a limited amount of info on my panda collection thread regarding dates. 

 

I will get some more photos shortly to emphasise the changing design on the temple side, and the varieties of typeface of the date. 

In short, the frosted ring design with serif font dates that we are used to on the latest pandas goes more or less unchanged back to 2001, although from 2001 to 2004 the size of the date was smaller than 2005 on. 2000 had a frosted outer ring and mirrored ring versions. Prior to 2000, on every panda back to 1990 there are varieties in the date typeface, with "small date" and "large date" varieties. Collecting every variety is a fun challenge.

I am still missing 1 date variety: 1999 large date with serif 1 and 5 other varieties: 2001 D (small and large), 1989 mirrored fields, and 1993 frosted versions (small and large date). Although new more subtle varieties are still being recognised. Just now I learnt that 1996 has its own two new varieties... narrow and wide bottom. No idea what this means yet...!

[silvergaga]

Great info Sir, thanks for this.

[silvergaga]

After reading your thread, I bought a 5oz 2015 Panda to add to my collection. Great info on your thread for me to learn more.

[arphethean]

This series of photos shows the development of the temple design.

Up to 1991 there was no inner ring, like this

 

From 1992 to 1996 the temple and the writing shrunk to fit the inner ring.

This shows small date at the top (minted in Shanghai, slightly smaller mintage)

and large date (Shenyang) below

 

From 1997 to 1999 there are two distinct typefaces. The wider non-serif large date (Shenyang) above.

And the slightly more common narrow small date (Shanghai) below.

 

2000 was a one off design with two finishes in the ring. The very scarce mirror, above, and still scarce frosted ring below. 

 

2001 to 2004 has a smaller date within the now familiar borderless frosted ring, and in 2005 the font grew a bit, which is how the design has remained to the present. 

Edited October 8, 2023 by arphethean

[silvergaga]

Great photos and a nice lesson for interested parties, thanks for doing them for us.

[arphethean]

Another interesting change in detail I'd not appreciated before today, is that 2001 and  2002 are the only pair of years to share the same panda design. Otherwise there were new designs each year. BUT the temple side differs in that the flobulets on the stairs of the temple appeared in 2002. These were plain up until 2001.

[Petra]

😮🤔amazing details😮