When numismatists gather in Boucherville, Que., this July for the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA)’s annual convention, they will be greeted with, “Welcome to New France.” According to Yvon Marquis, the theme of this year’s July 9-14 convention is especially significant as 2024 marks the quincentenary (1524-2024) of European explorers’ toponymic designations of Acadia (originally Arcadie) and New France (originally Francesca). “New France was much more than just a period in history, more than just an immense territory, more than just a French colony; it was, in a way, a true region of France: it was the ‘France of America,’” Marquis writes in an article about the medal published in the May issue of the RCNA’s Canadian Numismatic Journal. “The year 1524 marks the beginning of the French epic in America, half a millennium ago. Welcome to New France!” Continue reading →
This year’s RCNA convention medal marks the quincentenary of European explorers’ toponymic designations of New France and Acadia.
