Doug Shand carried something very special with him as he walked the grounds of this 18th-century fortress last week.

The Shag Harbour, Shelburne County, man came to take part in the voluntary public archeology dig but to also make a donation to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, a commemorative medal marking the 1758 capture of the fortress.

Archeologists were agog when he presented the old medal to them.

"It's considered rare and we didn't have one in our collection," said Germaine LeMoine, a Parks Canada spokeswoman.

For his part, Shand said as a coin collector, he has a particular interest in the period from 1600 to 1760.

"But, most especially, I'm interested in anything having to do with Louisbourg," said Shand, who is area director of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association.

"This was a duplicate in my collection that I picked up at an auction in California."

The coin features the image of Admiral Edward Boscawen of England with the inscription ADML Boscawen Took Cape Breton and a depiction of ships in Louisbourg Harbour.

Fortress Louisbourg will house the medal in its permanent collection.

To read the complete article, see:Rare medal donated to Fortress (thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1198223.html)