This 2004 Royal Canadian Mint commemorative silver dollar marks the 400th anniversary of the first French settlement in North America. The coin's reverse depicts a sailing ship alongside Samuel de Champlain’s original sketch of the settlement, while the obverse features Susanna Blunt’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. GST/HST exempt.

Île Sainte-Croix
Seeking to secure France's claim to the New World, Samuel de Champlain and Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts, explored the Atlantic coast in June 1604. They chose a strategic island in a New Brunswick bay located where three rivers met in the shape of a cross and named it Île Sainte-Croix. Construction wrapped up by late September, right before an early winter set in. Ice floes quickly trapped the colonists on the island, leaving them without adequate food or firewood. The harsh winter claimed the lives of 35 of the 79 men. While the survivors relocated the settlement the following spring, the historic impact of Île Sainte-Croix remains timeless.