In the 16th century, Spain tried to control the Strait of Magellan by founding a city. It became a cursed settlement

Archaeologists have identified a 1584 silver coin that helps pinpoint Rey Don Felipe, the failed Spanish settlement in the Strait of Magellan.

Spain founded fortified outposts there under Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa to control a strategic route between the Atlantic and Pacific.

The colony suffered storms, disease, shortages, and conflict, and was eventually abandoned, becoming known as Puerto del Hambre.

The coin offers a rare physical clue to the site’s layout and location, improving understanding of this short-lived colonial project.