# The coin was part of a ceremony carried out by colonists more than 400 years ago.

*fintech · news · 2026-04-08 · Livescience.com*

## Key points

- A 16th-century Spanish coin was found at the site of Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe.
- The coin matches a 1584 written account describing a Christian ceremony at the colony's founding.
- The discovery validates the accuracy of Sarmiento de Gamboa's historical map of the settlement.
- Archaeologists confirmed the church's location, aiding reconstruction of the colony's overall layout.
- Evidence of other structures like huts and palisades remains unconfirmed and requires further excavation.

**Countries:** Chile, Spain

[Read the full story on Livescience.com](https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/americas/16th-century-silver-coin-discovered-near-strait-of-magellan-marks-the-spot-of-a-doomed-spanish-colony)

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