Description
From 1732 to 1743, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye (1685-1749) brought the era of exploration beyond the Great Lakes region, allowing New France to expand its western frontier—and its fur trade—to present-day Manitoba. While the exploration of the Saskatchewan and Assiniboine Rivers went largely unheralded in his time, La Vérendrye has since emerged as a figure who embodies the voyageur spirit, and is truly one of the great explorers in Canadian history. Mintage is limited to 1,000 coins. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Glen Green features a full-length portrait of the famous French-Canadian explorer and fur trader, Pierre Gaultier De Varennes et De La Vérendrye. The explorer is depicted in a campaign uniform, complete with a trimmed tricorn hat made of beaver fur, a sword beneath his capote and a military officer’s distinctive gorget at his neck. Moving along the rocky shores of Lakes of the Woods with a compass in hand, La Vérendrye uses the butt of his musket to steady an occasional step while his attention remains fixed on the horizon, in search of the fabled “great western sea.” Just a few steps to his left, a First Nations guide—one of the many whose advice and assistance was essential to the expedition—holds a hunting bow as he advises La Vérendrye, while a member of this expedition stands next to a canoe on the shore. In the background looms the outline of Fort St. Charles; built by the expedition in 1732, this key trading post is made visible by its palisades, with two of its four bastions standing out among the surrounding forest. Meticulous engraving enhances this historical snapshot, adding intricate details and textures to the period clothing in a manner that transforms this depiction into a fitting tribute to a historical figure, and a striking collectible piece of art.
An exquisite addition to any gold or historical-themed collection.
An exquisite addition to any gold or historical-themed collection.
