10 euro – European Explorers: Jacques Cartier

As a part of their joint programme, European monetary institutions have selected Great Explorers for their theme this year. On this occasion, Monnaie de Paris decided to honour Jacques Cartier, a major French explorer who travelled to the New World on board his ship the "Grande Hermine", discovered Canada and was the first to map the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Jacques Cartier is depicted against a compass rose, calculating the distances of Canada on a globe. The words "Grands Explorateurs" appear along the edge next to the name "Jacques Cartier." The symbol of the European programme also appears on this side. The reverse features the Grande Hermine, Jacques Cartier’s ship, as if it was inserted in a compass. The name of the ship also appears on this side.