The 400th Anniversary of Quebec City on coins and stamps

Quebec City was founded on July 3, 1608 by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who established a settlement at Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning “place where the river narrows”. Quebec City's Old Town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only walled city on the continent. It was built by both French and British armies, and is now a tourist district with small boutiques and hundreds of historical and photographic points of interest. The last time I went to Quebec City's Old Town, I visited a traditional glass-blowing workshop where I saw a craftsman at work producing decorative bottles.

To celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Quebec City, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a 2008 silver proof dollar coin featuring Samuel de Champlain with the habitation he built at the foot of Cap-aux-Diamants at Kébec. There's also a proof coin with selective gold plating on both sides available in the 2008 proof coin set.

The RCM has also struck a 2008 commemorative 2-dollar circulation coin. Its design features the encounter between Samuel de Champlain's vessel and the two shores of the St-Lawrence River, which are represented by two of a fleur-de-lys' petals.

Canada Post recently issued a 2008 commemorative stamp celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City, a joint issue with France's La Poste.

Mint: Ottawa

Year: 2008

Face value: 1 dollar, 2 dollars

Finish: Proof (dollar coin), brilliant uncirculated (Quebec City coin)

Composition: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper (dollar coin), Ring: 99+% Nickel, Core: 92% Copper, 6% Aluminium, 2% Nickel (Quebec City coin)

Size: 36.07 mm (dollar coin), 28.03 mm (Quebec City coin)

Weight: 25.175 grams (dollar coin), 7.3 grams (Quebec City coin)

Mintage: 65,000 (silver dollar coin), 60,000 (silver and gold dollar coin), 2,000,000 (Quebec City coin)