0 products · 0 deals
Filters
No products match your filters.
Prices are fetched automatically and may not reflect current merchant prices. Currency conversions and tax treatment are approximate. Rankings are based solely on price. We are not a dealer and accept no responsibility for transactions with listed merchants. Past performance is not indicative of future results. This site does not provide investment advice. Full disclaimer
About 1g Platinum Coins
Gram-Weight Platinum Coins
A 1 gram platinum coin contains 0.032 troy ounces of 999 fine platinum (or 999.5 for some issues). At this weight, the coin is extraordinarily small and the metal content is worth only a few dollars at current platinum prices. The 1g platinum coin is primarily a product of the Chinese Panda programme, which switched from troy ounce to metric gram denominations in 2016. The 1g Platinum Panda represents the smallest denomination in a series that has been produced intermittently since 1987.
The economics of 1g platinum coins differ fundamentally from larger weights. The metal value is minimal relative to the manufacturing, packaging, and distribution costs. Premiums at this scale can exceed 50-100% of the metal content, making the purchase more about owning a small sovereign-minted platinum piece than about accumulating platinum by weight. For context, 31 individual 1g platinum coins would need to be purchased to equal one troy ounce, and the accumulated premiums would dramatically exceed the cost of buying a single 1 oz platinum coin.
The 1g format serves a specific market: collectors completing Panda sets, buyers seeking the absolute minimum entry point into sovereign-minted platinum, and the gift market (particularly in Asian cultures where precious metal gifts carry symbolic significance). For investors building platinum positions, even the 1/4 oz platinum coin format provides vastly better premium efficiency than accumulating gram by gram.
Platinum Pandas at the 1g weight carry particular collector interest because the entire Platinum Panda programme was produced intermittently (1987-1990, 1993-1997, 2002-2005) and is not currently in production. Any available pieces are secondary market coins with limited supply, adding a scarcity premium on top of the already-elevated gram-weight costs.
1g Platinum Coins: The Panda
The 1g China Gold Coin Corporation Panda Platinum Coin is the primary product at this weight class. The Platinum Panda programme has a complex production history, running intermittently across four periods: 1987-1990, 1993-1997, 2002-2005, with no current annual production. The 1g denomination corresponds to what was previously the 1/20 oz size before China switched to metric weights in 2016.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.000 g |
| Purity | 999 fine platinum (99.9%) |
| Diameter | Approximately 10 mm |
| Legal Tender | People's Republic of China |
| Manufacturer | China Gold Coin Corporation (CGCC) |
| Obverse | Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Temple of Heaven |
| Reverse | Giant panda (design changes annually) |
The Panda's reverse design changes every year, making each vintage a distinct collectible item. The obverse Temple of Heaven design has remained unchanged since the series inception in 1982 (gold) and carries through to all metal variants. The Platinum Panda is struck at 999 purity (three nines), which is slightly below the 999.5 standard used by Western sovereign mints for platinum. This purity still meets the tax exemption thresholds in most jurisdictions (Australia, NZ, and Singapore require 99%+; Canada requires 99%+).
One important caveat for US investors: Gold Pandas are generally not considered IRA-eligible, and the Platinum Panda's status is similarly uncertain. The IRS does not specifically list the Chinese mint as an approved foreign mint for IRA purposes. Buyers considering retirement account inclusion should verify with their custodian before purchasing.
The Platinum Panda's 999 purity (rather than 999.5) also means it does not meet the Canadian GST/HST exemption threshold of 99.5% for platinum, potentially attracting sales tax in that jurisdiction where a 999.5 coin would be exempt.