2023 Dragon Boat Festival Panda

FIRST RELEASE! New Series from China Honors the Dragon Boat Festival Panda!

This first release in a brand new series minted in Shanghai China honors one of China’s most important national holidays, the Dragon Boat Festival, with spectacular, perfect gold and silver proofs, in a variety of sizes. 

China’s Colorful Dragon Boat Festival

Dragon boat racing, which originated in southern-central China more than 2,500 years ago, has a rich history of ancient ceremonial and ritualistic traditions. The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, is a traditional and important celebration in China that is held each year during the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese Lunar calendar. Overall, the Dragon Boat Festival is a colorful and vibrant celebration that showcases the rich cultural heritage of China and other East Asian countries, and that is also associated with other themes such as health, fortune, and family unity.

What Exactly Is Dragon Boat Racing?

Dragon boat racing is a popular sport and cultural event—not only in China, but also in other countries around the world including the U.S., Canada, and Australia—that requires a combination of strength, speed, and teamwork. 

Dragon boats are long and narrow, decorated with dragon heads and tails at either end. They are typically crewed by 22 people, including 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a steerer who sits at the back of the boat and steers it with a rudder. The drummer sets the pace for the paddlers, who must work together to propel the boat forward. The steerer is responsible for keeping the boat on course, while the team as a whole must work to maintain speed and power throughout the race. 

The races are held on rivers or lakes—generally between 200 and 1,000 meters long—and are accompanied by music and the sound of the cheering of spectators. The sport is valued for promoting teamwork, physical fitness, and cultural exchange among participants from different countries and backgrounds.

The Legend of Qu Yuan

The Dragon Boat Festival is believed to have originated as a way of commemorating and honoring Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet and minister, and other patriotic figures who sacrificed themselves for the good of the country. According to the legend, Qu Yuan was deeply devoted to his country and its people, but was slandered by jealous government officials and banished by the king. In exile, Qu Yuan wrote many poems that expressed his love for his country and his sorrow at its plight. 

In 278 B.C., the state of Chu, which Qu Yuan served, was conquered by a neighboring state. Overcome with grief, Qu Yuan threw himself into the Miluo River in Hunan Province. The local people, who admired and respected him, raced out in boats to try to save him—but they were too late.

Cultural and Historical Traditions

The festival is also associated with several other traditions and customs, including hanging herbs, drinking realgar wine, wearing a sachet with fragrant herbs, and Tszuntszy, rice wrapped in reed leaves and tied with a red ribbon, considered the main holiday treat, cooked the evening before the festival, and offered to guests and relatives during it. 

Another well-known custom is the eating of zongzi, glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and stuffed with various fillings such as pork, beans, or nuts. According to the legend, in an effort to prevent Qu Yuan’s body from being eaten by fish, the people threw rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river. This is said to be the origin of the zongzi. The legend of Qu Yuan has become a symbol of patriotism and loyalty in Chinese culture.

And the Panda? What’s that All About?

Giant Pandas, which spend up to 14 hours a day eating and can reach 330 lbs., are increasingly known as a symbol of China, living nowhere else outside of captivity. The China Mint issued the first Panda design coins in 1982, and the series became instantly revered thanks to its beautiful, classic, one-year-only designs. And now the Dragon Boat Festival Pandas joins other festival Panda series including the Moon Festival Pandas and New Year Celebration Pandas. 

Why the 2023 Dragon Boat Festival Pandas Are Spectacularly Amazing

Two reasons: stunning high relief reverse design and proof finish. Each piece features stunning high relief imagery on the reverse that literally “floats” from the frosty proof surfaces like a sleek dragon boat!

The reverse of this release features a Chinese Dragon Boat with a youthful Panda bear in the background along with “Dragon Boat Festival” in Mandarin and English and the medal’s specifications. The obverse depicts the Hall of Prayers in China’s Temple of Heaven. This important symbol has graced many of China’s most popular and prestigious coins.

Each piece features a handsome proof finish that features frosted design elements and polished fields. Specially made planchets were used to not only help create the stunning contrast of this exotic design, but also to capture the high relief needed to help the vivid imagery “pop” from the surface.  

Struck in 99.9% Gold and Silver

You have your choice of individual Dragon Boat Festival Panda Proofs struck in 99.9% pure gold (888 grams, 88 grams or one ounce), and in 88 grams of 99.9% fine silver. Or you can combine gold and silver Pandas in a 3-Piece Set consisting of 88-gram gold, one-ounce gold and 88-gram silver proofs. 

Flawless First Day of Issue Releases

Through this exclusive release, you can secure the best of the best, and also the first of the best! Each gold and silver Dragon Boat Festival Panda comes certified by NGC as perfect Proof-70 (PF70) condition as well as First Day of Issue (FDI), meaning it was received by NGC for grading within the first 24 hours of the program’s release. These Dragon Boat Festival Pandas are perfect, and they’re fresh, coming from the mint on the very first day.

Lucky Low Mintages. Very Low.

Mintages for these Dragon Boat Festival Pandas are severely limited. Only eight 888-Gram Gold Dragon Boat Festival Pandas, 88 Five-Ounce Gold and just 188 One-Ounce Gold were authorized for production. And 888 88-Gram Silver Dragon Boat Festival Pandas were authorized for production for this worldwide release. Each mintage is an incredibly auspicious number according to Chinese folklore, which identifies the number “8” as the luckiest number, and associates it with wealth. With so few proofs available, however, only a lucky few will ever get the chance to own one of these outstanding proofs.  

Take a look for yourself to see why these gorgeous proofs will hold a revered spot in your collection.

2023 888-Gram Gold Dragon Boat Festival Panda PF70 FDI

• First Ever Dragon Boat Festival Panda Release
• Struck in 888 Grams of 99.9% Gold
• NGC-Certified as Flawless PF70 
• Certified FDI by NGC
• World Exclusive Release
• Only 8 Authorized
• Limited Availability

2023 88-Gram Gold Dragon Boat Festival Panda PF70 FDI

• First Ever Dragon Boat Festival Panda Release
• Struck in 88 Grams of 99.9% Gold
• NGC-Certified as Flawless PF70
• Certified FDI by NGC
• World Exclusive Release
• Only 88 Authorized
• Limited Availability

2023 One-Ounce Gold Dragon Boat Festival Panda PF70 FDI

• First Ever Dragon Boat Festival Panda Release
• Struck in One Ounce of 99.9% Gold
• NGC-Certified as Flawless PF70
• Certified FDI by NGC
• World Exclusive Release
• Only 188 Authorized
• Limited Availability

2023 88-Gram Silver Dragon Boat Festival Panda PF70 FDI

• First Ever Dragon Boat Festival Panda Release
• Struck in 88 Grams of 99.9% Fine Silver
• NGC-Certified as Flawless PF70
• Certified FDI by NGC
• World Exclusive Release
• Only 888 Authorized
• Limited Availability