The Boston Public Library has recovered a valuable, centuries old map compiled by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain.

The map was one of many stolen more than a decade ago. It was found by Ronald Grim, curator of the Library’s map centre as he poked about the collections of a New York City antique dealer. Price tag: $285 thousand dollars.

A man who served prison time for map thefts from several institutions, including Yale University, admitted to taking at least 34 from the Boston Library.

The 1612 Champlain map details the coast of New England, the Canadian Mari-times and the west end of the Great Lakes.