1982 is the Gold Panda's launch year and, because the reverse design changes annually, the very first entry in what's now a decades-long run of unique artworks. It's also from the pre-2001 era when the coin was sized in troy-ounce fractions rather than metric grams, and from before the series developed its well-known counterfeiting problem — meaning authenticity questions on a genuine 1982 example are less about modern fakes and more about basic age-related wear and provenance.
First-year Pandas carry real collector interest both for being first and for launching the entire changing-design concept. Because counterfeiting is a broader series issue, buy an older date like this one from a dealer experienced specifically with Chinese coins, and favor a graded example if the price is significant.
Log the year, your cost basis, and photos — and see it valued at today's spot price alongside the rest of your collection.
Start tracking freeIt's scarcer than modern common years due to age and original mintage, and carries real first-year collector interest, though it's not typically described as a dramatic key date the way the 1996 Silver Eagle is.
It's sized in troy-ounce fractions, not the metric grams used since 2001 — check the specific denomination before comparing it to a modern coin's weight.