German Coin from 1748 Discovered in Rural Amapá

A regular walk through the dense vegetation of the interior of Amapá, Brazil, led to the discovery of a piece of European history in the Amazon rainforest. Agronomic engineer Mailon Gomes Vilhena was using a metal detector when a sharp audio signal led him to a forgotten fragment of the past: a German coin minted in 1748, unearthed just a few meters from Lake Bom Nome in the rural municipality of Amapá.

The find took place on May 10, 2025, but details were only recently disclosed. After clearing away the compact layer of soil covering the metallic item, Vilhena identified 18th-century numismatic engravings. Following detailed research to confirm the origin of the piece, the historic date and inscriptions were verified, showing that the coin featured the marking Pfen III, a reference to the Pfennig used in Germanic states during the colonial era of the Americas.

The presence of a nearly 300-year-old Germanic artifact on the banks of a remote lake raises questions about river dynamics and the movement of international vessels that explored the coast and waterways of the region between the 17th and 18th centuries. Vilhena, who has practiced detectorism as a hobby for four years using a Minelab Vanquish 440 device, notes that the local geography has shifted significantly over time.

"I believe that a large river used to flow through there and that timber exploration took place in those woods, as I have already found materials used in the construction and repair of boats. It may well have functioned as a waystation where boats from different countries stopped to carry out maintenance," Vilhena analyzed, pointing out that the region also frequently yields fragments of other ancient materials indicating multiple phases of human occupation.

The preservation of historical heritage recovered from Amapá's soil remains a central topic of discussion among researchers and hobbyists. While Vilhena intends to consult with historians regarding the artifact, he has chosen to keep the coin under his temporary custody while advocating for local memory preservation initiatives within the municipality.

"My wish would be for the city hall of Amapá to have a mini-museum to encourage the population to exhibit historical findings locally, helping to unravel the city's own past. Automatically sending relics to other states robs us of our own history," he argued.

Detectorism requires strict adherence to protocols to protect the environment and avoid disturbing protected archaeological sites. Responsible practitioners typically collect metallic trash left in nature, refill excavations, and respect legal boundaries. Vilhena plans to return to the Lake Bom Nome area for further sweeps, convinced that the soil of Amapá holds far more than what is currently recorded in standard textbooks.

"The history of Amapá is not a closed book. It is one of the most mysterious frontiers in South America, the stage for secret routes and territorial disputes. Finds like this 1748 coin prove that the answer to our past is still engraved in the ground," he concluded.