Champlain’s first habitation was a residence, warehouse and fort combined, complete with cannons, a palisade of wood stakes, a moat and a drawbridge. Within the year, it was a bustling enterprise where First Nations people came to trade furs for European goods. As ships sailed the ocean and canoes paddled up and down river, Kebec became a bustling maritime city, the third largest in North America. By the mid 1800’s, it was a major outlet for lumber and soon added wheat to its exports.
But the city’s unique character attracted more than industry. Two hundred years ago, wealthy tourists were already writing about this “masterpiece of art and nature” in their memoirs. Now as the only walled city in North America celebrates its 400th year, visitors have an enviable opportunity to literally step into the past and listen to the echoes of history from within its walls.
Specifications:
Face Value: 1 dollar
Mintage: 65,000
Composition: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
Weight (g): 25.175
Diameter (mm): 36.07
Edge: Reeded
Finish: Proof