Head toward the East for more incredible investment coins from around the world.
Russia
Russia is so large, it can be classified as either Europe or Asia, but it really stands on its own. The 1 oz Palladium Ballerina is a unique and beautiful investment that, like its country of origin, truly is in a category by itself.
The Palladium Ballerina is made of .999 fine palladium, an unusual choice for precious metals investing. The coins were produced toward the end of the Soviet Union, from 1989 to 1992, and had a value of 25 Roubles.
The obverse of each coin shows a ballerina, which celebrates the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet based in Moscow. The ballet company was founded in 1776, making it one of the world’s oldest, and remains one of the foremost ballet companies in Russia.
The reverse shows the Soviet Union hammer and sickle and CCCP, an abbreviation for “Soviet Union” in Cyrillic.
Russian Highlights
- Russia takes up more than one-eighth of Earth’s inhabited land area, making it the largest country in the world. There are nine time zones!
- Russian palladium comes from Norilsk, the world’s northernmost city. Snow storms can last for up to 130 days of the year.
- Drinking is part of Russian culture, but not without side effects: some studies have found that more than half of the deaths in Russian towns are attributable to alcohol abuse.
- Kick back in a banya, a Russian hot steam bath in a communal area. You may want to enjoy some vodka with your borsch soup afterward.
China
One of the world’s most popular bullion coins is China’s Gold Panda. The panda serves as China’s animal ambassador and is a prized creature in zoos around the world. That popularity extends to precious metal pandas as well.
The Gold Panda has been produced annually since 1982, with a new design every year. Sizes range from 1/20 oz to 1 troy ounce, and each coin is legal tender.
The obverse shows the Temple of Heaven, a building famous in China as a cultural and religious icon.
The reverse changes every year, but always shows a panda, or sometimes a pair.
Pandas are also available in silver with the same design.
Because of their popularity, Gold and Silver Pandas are targets for fraud, making it particularly important that you buy your Pandas from a reputable dealer.
China Highlights
- Chinese is the world’s longest continuously used written language.
- The country is both the world’s largest importer and exporter of goods.
- Fossils show that early human ancestors inhabited China between 250,000 and 2.24 million years ago.
- While touring, take a moment to fly a kite; they were invented in China to frighten enemies in battle. You may also take up an interest in the No. 1 hobby, which is stamp collecting, or watch a cricket fight, where the insects battle one-on-one.
Do you collect Chinese Pandas or Russian Ballerinas? Why do you think they are so popular?
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