Detecting Counterfeit Chinese Panda Coin - by SitterCat 

~~Guide Updated Feb 28, 2008.  Current Listings Updated Sept 20, 2008~~

This guide shows you how to detect many counterfeit Chinese Panda coins commonly encountered on eBay.  Protecting yourself from counterfeit Chinese Panda coins isn't too difficult.  You just need a little common sense, and a little bit of information.  So let's get started!

With few exceptions, on Chinese Panda bullion coins, you will find the following information:

• The country of issue, The People's Republic of China, written in Chinese.
  
• The weight and fineness of the precious mental content (e.g. .9995 1 oz Pt, 1 oz Au .999, 1 oz Ag .999.  Platinum, Gold, and Silver)
• The denomination and face value.

The exceptions are as follows:
Only the 1982 Gold Panda has no denomination and face value.  It does have the weight and fineness, but written in Chinese.
The 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 Silver Pandas do not state the precious mental content.  They do have the denomination and face value.

How to Spot Counterfeit Chinese Panda Coins:

Many of the fake Chinese Panda coins on eBay do not have the denomination and face value.  Apparently it is not against Chinese laws to produce such imitations if the denomination and face value are omitted, as they would not really be legal tender "coins" under Chinese law.  This explains why the majority of the counterfeit Panda Coins are without the denomination.  Such imitations can at best be called privately minted medals (not coins), but their intention to deceive is clear.

Practically all fake Panda coins will have the appropriate precious metal stamps (1 oz Ag .999 or 1 oz Au .999).  They will be made of some cheap base metal, then silver or gold plated.  Occasionally one can find fake Panda coins that were incorrectly plated.   

Let's look at some examples of counterfeit Chinese Panda coins commonly encountered on eBay.

Example 1.  Counterfeit 2006 1/10 oz Gold Panda coin

Below is a somewhat fuzzy picture of a counterfeit 2006 1/10 oz Gold Panda coin.  The strike quality is good, the detail level is good, and the gold plating is also good.  It is missing the face value and denomination (which should be above the small panda).

     (counterfeit)

Example 2.  Counterfeit 1983 1/10 oz Gold Panda coin.

Example 3.  Deceptive Counterfeit 2005 1 oz Silver Panda

Below is a picture of a very deceptive 2005 counterfeit Silver Panda.  This counterfeit has the denomination and face value!!

     (counterfeit)

The easiest way to spot this counterfeit is to look at the design details.  Counterfeit coins often lack the sharp details of the genuine coin.

First, look closely at the denomination area

      (counterfeit)

The digit 1 is very weak.  It is so weak that it nearly blended in with the Panda's paw.  Now look at the digit 0.  It is very sharp, and frosted.  This is not a result of a weak strike.  This is actually a problem on the counterfeit die.  (A weak strike would have affected the entire coin, not just the digit 1.)

Second, look at the some of the other design details.

     (genuine)

Notice how much detail is on the panda's paw (looks furry).  The bamboo sections are clearly divided.

Example 4.  Fake 2006 Gold Panda

     (counterfeit)

Common Characteristics of Fraudulent Listings:

Almost always, the counterfeit panda coin listings will have the following characteristics:

1. Fuzzy picture.
2. Coins have no denomination/face value.
3. Excessive shipping cost (sometimes combined with a low Buy It Now price).
4. Seller has a low feedback score.
5. Many sellers offering the same few items, often using the same few stock photos!
6. An entire collection of gold and silver panda coins are offered for one low price.
   

Exceptions to the Rule:

• Counterfeit Panda coins with denominations certainly do exist.  Example 3 gives you one way to detect a higher quality counterfeit.
  
• Fraudulent listings with sharp pictures are also becoming more common. (But as always, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.)

What Else to Look For:

• Know the design, especially on the side showing the Temple of Heaven.  Counterfeit coins generally have the incorrect styling of numbers for the year, incorrect spacing between the Chinese words, and/or incorrect styling of the words.
• Some counterfeits have the incorrect number of posts near the bottom section of the stairs.
• Genuine Silver Pandas dated 2003 and later have diagonally reeded edges //////.  Genuine Silver Pandas dated 2002 and earlier have vertical reeded edges ||||||.  Some counterfeit Silver Pandas dated 2003 and later still have the vertical reeded edges, which is a dead giveaway.
• There are still other ways to spot a counterfeit Silver Panda.  If after reading my Guide, you still need some help, you can email me at sittercat@gmail.com.  I'll do what I can to give you an assessment. Contacting me via my gmail account is far better than by eBay's internal message system, as the system sometimes do not permit me to respond.
  

One More Thing:

Thank You: 

Current Listings of Fake Chinese Panda Coins:

Oct 12, 2008

120316843128 - This listing is supposedly for a 2005 1 kg Silver Panda coin.  Red Flag 1 - The coin has no face value and no denomination.  Red Flag 2 - The coin is under weight. The seller stated clearly the item weighs 14.515 once (while the coin is stamped 1 kg Ag .999).  One kilogram is 35.274 oz (and 32.15 Troy oz).  The item is underweight by about 45%.  You can be pretty sure this is made of some base metal, then silver plated.

Sept 20, 2008

220281267495 - This listing is for a 2002 silver panda medal.  This seller states up front that the item is not a genuine coin, but a .999 silver round.  This item is stamped 1 oz Ag .999, but the description states the item is closer to 20 grams.  One ounce of silver should weight 31.1 grams, so this item is under weight by about 1/3.  Are you willing to be short changed by 1/3 on a transaction?  Seller states the item is tested for silver content.  REALLY?  Panda listing?  I don't think so... I smell a rat!

220281266782 - This listing is for a 1984 silver panda piece.  The seller is clever to claim this to be a .999 silver bullion round, and not a genuine silver panda coin.  The listing title states 1 oz, but the description states the weight is closer to 20 grams.  One Troy Ounce = 31.1 grams.  There is no way to verify the silver weight and content of this silver round short of buying it and then testing it.  But seeing how it is so severely underweight by almost 1/3, I would recommend a healthy dose of suspicion.  I suspect this item is really made of base metal, then silver plated.  By the way, a genuine 1984 silver panda is not .999 silver, but only .900 silver.  The Temple of Heaven side of this item is wrong; it should not have a big circle enclosing the Temple of Heaven.  And oh, this item is missing the face value and denomination.

Feb 28, 2008

220205696173 - This listing features a counterfeit 2003 One Kilogram Silver Panda coin.  For the record, a genuine 2003 1 kg silver panda coin has a face value of 300 Yuan.  It will have the inscriptions 1Kg Ag .999, and has a mintage of 4000 coins.  The counterfeit version offered in this listing has the inscription 1Kg, and no face value.  Note that it does not state one kilogram of what metal.  Of course you'll be getting base metal, and not even one kilogram of it!  The seller claims the coin to be number 2816 of 3000, but who knows if really 'only' 3000 of such counterfeits were made. 

Feb 18, 2008

October 14, 2007

160165220559 - Well, it took literally all of 5 seconds to find yet another listing of fake gold panda coins on eBay today.  The seller is offering ten gold panda coins on eBay, and this is just one listing.  This is for a 2003 1/10 oz gold panda.  I chose this listing as an example because of the good picture quality.  A genuine 2003 1/10 gold panda coin has a face value of 50 Yuan.  The one being offered in this listing has no denomination, no face value.  The item is merely a counterfeit; gold plated over base metal.  Folks, you're buying fakes coins with real money. 

August 25, 2007

140151785840 - This listing is for a year 2000 silver panda.  It is one of the more frequently counterfeited silver pandas around.  This one is a guarantee fake, as it lacks the face value and denomination.  Oh, don't think you're getting silver either.  It's just silver plating over base metal, and it will be under weight.

330158197464 - Our next contestant is also a year 2000 silver panda.  This one is a little different, in that it is a copy of the year 2000 commemorative issue (instead of the normal variant).  Again, you know this one is a fake because it is missing the face value and denomination. 

August 5, 2007

270151861346 - Well, this week must have been Fake Gold Panda Coin Week.  This is a listing for a counterfeit 2006 1 oz gold panda. 
What is the easiest way to spot a fake panda coin?  If it lacks the face value and / or denomination, it is definitely a fake.  The funny thing about this listing is this:  The picture shows a certificate of some sort next to the gold coin.  That certificate states a genuine 2006 1 oz  gold panda coin has a face value of 500 Yuan.  Yet you won't find this 500 Yuan anywhere on the coin! 

270146279285 - This listing is also for a 2006 1 oz gold panda.  Again the item is a definite fake because it lacks the face value and denomination.  Unfortunately for the buyer, he never read this guide, so he ended up paying $660 for a worthless counterfeit.  Don't let this happen to you!

July 30, 2007

330151679594 , 330151679730 , 330151679950 , 330151680094 , 330151680327 , 330151680724 , 330151680985
These are all by the same seller, based in Hong Kong (part of China).  Each listing is for a lot of 10 identical silver plated panda coins (dates vary from 2001 to 2007, depending on the listing).  The seller explicitly states these are silver plated, so everything is kosher, right?  WRONG!

If someone explicitly tells you he's going to rip you off, is that okay with you?  These are high-quality counterfeits.  Most of them have the number 10, but not the Chinese word for Yuan.  Thus, these are still strictly speaking silver plated privately minted medals with the number 10 on them.  But the intention to deceive is so obvious. 

Fact: If you buy a worthless counterfeit today, it will remain a worthless counterfeit tomorrow.  It will always and forever be a worthless counterfeit.  It will not suddenly become valuable someday.  I suggest you save your money and buy real coins instead.

July 27, 2007

330149513910 , 330149264522 , 330149025178 - These three listing are for the same thing: a 25th Anniversary Silver Panda Set.  Surprisingly, this was listed by a Power Seller.  The coins all looked correct, the Certificate of Authenticity looked correct, the box also looked correct, and shipping from China is reasonable.  What's not to like?  For starters, the seller used (stole) someone else's images.  The rightful owner's name is superimposed on all of the pictures!  That's a red flag.  It means you can't trust anything you see in the listing at all.  No Power Seller should ever need to steal images.  Next, this so-called Power Seller has a low feedback rating (currently 97.4%, which is below Power Seller standards), and has racked up an incredible 18 negative feedbacks in one month.  That's another red flag.

What should a buyer do?  When in doubt, move on. A reputable seller is just a click away.

July 19, 2007

110150996613 - This listing is for a set of 25 gold Panda coins, identical to 260135354858 below.  All are fake, as none have the face value or denomination.  The seller has numerous other fake Panda coins listed this week.  Don't fall for it!  The sell has already pick up two negative feedbacks from two very angry US based buyers.  Many thanks to greenfieldsofhope for bring this seller to my attention. 

110150318396 - This is a listing for a set of 50 counterfeit Panda coins (gold plated and silver plated).  All coins lack face values and denominations.  I have to hand out a Dumb and Dumber Award for this seller.  Excessive shipping charge is a dead giveaway for fraudulent listings (Dumb).  Now get this: The so called certificate of authenticity (final image of the listing) is for gem stones, not Panda coins!  As of July 24, 07 eBay canceled all of this seller's items!

July 6, 2007

June 19, 2007

June 17, 2007

250130720406 -  This is a set of fake gold panda coins.  The seller is based in China with a low feedback score.  The starting bid is $1.66, but get this... the shipping cost is $115, and insurance is an additional $5.  All fake panda coins, as all of them are missing the face value and denomination.

June 9, 2007

270129237077 -  This is a 2005 5oz counterfeit panda coin.  It is a high quality counterfeit in terms of strike and details.  It has the inscription  5 oz AG .999.  However, it is missing the all important Face Value and Denomination.  The genuine coin would have 50 Yuan near the big panda's hind paw. Most likely this was silver plated over some sort of base metal.  Unfortunate this listing ended with a buyer.

May 19, 2007

290115686417 -  This is a set of five counterfeit panda coins.  All of them lack the Face Value and Denomination.  The big panda coin says "1 kg".  But 1 kilogram of what?  You can be sure it isn't 1 kilogram of silver!  Listing ended with a buyer paying over $180.  Poor soul.

180087468316 - This is a set of two counterfeit panda coins.  The design was copied from the design of 2003, yet one of them has a date of 2005.  One is gold plated (with the 1 oz Ag .999 stamp), the other is silver plated.  Look closely at the pictures and can you guess what is missing?  The Denomination!  The seller was alerted but kept the listings up anyway, and it did find a buyer.

160086876074 - This is a counterfeit year 2000 Panda coin.  The package comes with all the C.O.A. you'd ever dream of, but that doesn't mean a thing.  The item is a counterfeit because..... drum roll please....  it has No Denomination!  Listing ended with no buyer.  The China based seller have re-listed this item three times since and still no buyer.  How wonderful.  Perhaps this Guide is working!

Feb 05, 2007

Updated Jan. 27, 2007

All of the above listing have been reported to eBay.  Whether eBay will take any action is beyond my control.
If you encounter a fraudulent Chinese Panda coin listing, please report it to eBay. 

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