It looks like NGC has certified specimens of the 1995 half ounce Shanghai "large date" variety. Check out this EBay auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280874901209Also, I found the following specimen on the NGC certification site.
Certification Number 2759267-003
Notice that in both cases, the tree branch is bent, the panda's tummy is fatter and lower than normal, and the two leaf tips near the bottom overlay the branch.
So, unless NGC made a mistake on two separate occasions, this seems to be a genuine coin.
Is it just my thinking, or is this a fairly important variety among the pandas? It seems like a bona fide design change, not just a broken die or frosting error. What do the resident experts here think? :001_huh: