The image on the Canadian ten-cent coin, the dime, is one of the most familiar designs in the country. Since 1937 the reverse of the dime has featured a sailing vessel under full sail, a tribute to Canada's seafaring heritage. The ship is widely believed to represent the Bluenose, a famous racing and fishing schooner built in Nova Scotia in 1921. The design was created by the Canadian artist Emanuel Hahn. The other side of the coin still carries a portrait of the reigning monarch, since Canada remains a member of the British Commonwealth.

The Bluenose was no ordinary boat. Launched from the town of Lunenburg, she was built both to work the rich fishing grounds of the Grand Banks and to compete for the International Fishermen's Trophy. In her very first season she won that trophy, and she went on to defend it against American challengers for almost two decades. Her speed and grace made her a source of national pride during the difficult years of the Great Depression, and her tall masts and broad sails became a symbol recognized far beyond the Maritimes.