1987 Mexico 5 oz Silver Tohui Panda NGC PF 66 (Platinum Panda Design Struck on Silver Planchet)

1987 Mexico 5 oz Silver Tohui Panda NGC PF 66 (Platinum Panda Design Struck on Silver Planchet)

This 1987 Mexico 5 oz Silver Tohui Panda NGC PF 66 (Platinum Panda Design Struck on Silver Planchet) is an experimental silver round from the Mexican Mint. The 5 troy oz, .999 fine silver medal features a panda bear. NGC graded this proof medal as PF 66. As either an error or an experimental piece, this silver medal bears inscriptions that identify it as a 12 oz platinum round. The Mexican Mint was going to strike these for the 5th birthday of Tohui the Giant Panda born in the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City. However, the platinum round was never issued, and this silver medal is all that was made. Add something extraordinary to your collection with the 1987 Mexico 5 oz Silver Tohui Panda NGC PF 66 (Platinum Panda Design Struck on Silver Planchet)!

Experimental pieces have murky origins, and numismatists can only theorize about how they came to be. It is likely that when the Mexican Mint tested the dies for a 12 oz Platinum Panda design, they used a silver planchet. This would make sense because the mint would have had 5 oz silver planchets on hand, given that there are 5 oz silver official mint issues and no official issues in the 12 oz platinum size. Perhaps the mint just created the dies for the platinum panda, and tested them on a silver planchet, without going through the process of actually ordering and preparing 12 oz platinum planchets for production. After making this test piece, the mint decided against making the platinum panda issue, for reasons unbeknownst to us.

The obverse of the silver medal features a screw press, a design that pays homage to the first Onza coins. The reverse showcases a seated panda with a cub to honor the birth of Tohui the first giant panda bred in captivity outside of China who lived to adulthood.

Coin Features:

• Made with .999 fine silver and weighs 5 troy oz
• Struck by the Mexican Mint
• Graded by NGC as PF 66
• Proof finish
• Arrives in official NGC holder with the grading and medal details listed
• Obverse: Showcases a screw press machine. Inscriptions: “CASA DE MONEDA DE MEXICO”, “1987”, “12 ONZAS”, “PLATINUM PURO .999”, “OM”, and “PROOF”.
• Reverse: Features a seated panda cradling a panda cub in a grassy area. “Aniversario del panda”, “PRUEBA EN PLATA”, “999”, “50”, “Tohui”, “peso”, and “12 onzas”.

Whether this was a trial or error piece, the 1987 Mexico 5 oz Silver Tohui Panda NGC PF 66 (Platinum Panda Design Struck on Silver Planchet) is a wonderful and thought-provoking silver medal to add to your collection. In addition to this piece, you may also enjoy our selection of Chinese Silver Panda coins, such as the 2021 30 gram Chinese Silver Panda Coin, and Mexican Silver Libertads. Your order will be carefully packaged and shipped to the address you provide. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any concerns or questions about our products, your order, and/or our services.