One of two very cute and cuddly Panda pieces acquired from a Chinese Mint represented at the ANA Show in San Francisco in 2005. Both the Great Wall and the Panda are uniquely emblematic of China and are considered national treasures. China has effectively used pandas as gifts to foreign zoos to stimulate deeper contacts and improve relations, as their gift of two Pandas to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. proved to be effective during the Cold War. China’s pride in this unique wildlife ambassador is currently now being matched by their efforts to restore the Panda’s threatened population. The latest inventory of the Panda population conducted by the Chinese government found the number of giant panda in the wild has increased from 1,100 in 1988 to more than 1,590 today. The present rapid growth taking place in China now promises both greater interest in these amazing creatures and some new challenges as people’s views of their native habitat change.