2010 $100 The Discovery of Hudson's Bay 400th Anniversary

More than a century after John Cabot, explorer Henry Hudson began his quest for the elusive northwest passage to Asia. After three failed attempts, Hudson sailed for Iceland in 1610. From there, he crossed Davis Strait into the treacherous waters explorers called the Furious Overfall (modern-day Hudson Strait). After months of turbulent, ice-filled water and jagged reefs, the strait opened up. Hudson believed he had reached the Pacific Ocean, but he was mistaken; the discovery was in a vast inland bay that looked deceptively like the open sea. The Spice Islands were still out of reach, but Hudson had far outdistanced his predecessors, and his discovery proved to be of immeasurable value to England's expanding fur trade.

Anyone who has ever admired the spirit and skill of early European explorers will be delighted to own this exquisitely crafted 14-karat gold coin. Superior sculpting makes it a veritable work of art, and its collectability greatly enhanced by its limited mintage of only 5,000 coins worldwide.

• Mintage: 5,000

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• 2010 $100 The Discovery of Hudson's Bay 400th Anniversary