Archaeologists in Chile have uncovered a 16th-century silver coin, confirming the location of one of South America’s most infamous failed colonial settlements at the site of Rey Don Felipe - later known as Puerto del Hambre, or “Port Famine”.
Located on the north shore of the Strait of Magellan, Rey Don Felipe was founded in 1584 with around 300 Spanish settlers. According to historical accounts, the extreme conditions led to the settlers starving or freezing to death, and by the arrival of English navigator Thomas Cavendish in 1587, the settlement was mostly in ruins.
The coin, valued at eight reals and bearing the insignia of King Philip II, was found beneath what archaeologists believe to be the original foundations of the church. Historical records from the 16th century describe a ceremonial practice in which such coins were deliberately placed under the cornerstone of a settlement during its founding.
"It was found on a stone surface inside a small church structure, in the location indicated by historical sources," explained Soledad González Díaz, a researcher and project leader at Bernardo O'Higgins University.
The precise placement of the coin has provided a fixed reference point, allowing researchers to reconstruct the colony’s layout with remarkable accuracy, including the positioning of dwellings, storage facilities and defensive structures.
Archaeologist Simón Urbina noted, "This is not a standalone object. It interacts directly with written historical testimony, allowing us to connect narrative and landscape in a very concrete way."
The colony plan was determined using non-invasive methods and modern metal detection technology, enabling the team to identify subsurface anomalies without resorting to large-scale excavation.
“We detected a strong signal, but we didn’t know what it was until we carried out targeted excavations,” explained Francisco Garrido of Chile’s National Museum of Natural History.
The coin itself also carries global historical significance. Known as a “Real de a Ocho”, it was minted in Potosí, in present-day Bolivia, and circulated widely across Europe, the Americas and Asia, including China and the Philippines. Featuring the Jerusalem cross on one side and the royal coat of arms of Philip II on the other, it symbolises the economic and political reach of the Spanish Empire during the early modern period.