Many individuals have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of treasure, especially if it is rumored to be hidden at a particular location. One such example is the 140-acre Oak Island in Nova Scotia, privately owned by the Blankenships and the Laginas. The Money Pit located here is believed to be a potential storehouse of treasure, luring curious minds for more than two centuries. Now, Rick and Marty Lagina may have found the answer to this riddle after years of strenuous effort...
The Island Has a Curse
It is said by local lore that the Oak Island treasure can only be found after seven people have passed away. Thus far, six individuals have perished in the quest for the treasure, with the first death occurring about a hundred years ago and the most recent death happening quiet recently. But that doesn't mean that the treasure hunters on the island have given up their search out of fear...
Their First Big Find
After investing heavily into Oak Island, Marty and Rick Lagina were rewarded with a TV show of their own, and it wasn't long before their first notable discovery was made: a Spanish copper coin estimated to have been manufactured in the 1700s. Unfortunately, the brothers had to go through two seasons without any major finds. Nonetheless, the wait was definitely worthwhile.
An Old Roman Sword
After much waiting and perseverance, Marty and Rick were eventually rewarded for their patience on Oak Island when they stumbled across a range of remarkable finds. During season three, the treasure seekers were able to uncover a Roman sword, suggesting the Romans ventured there centuries before, in addition to Portuguese carvings and artifacts with possible associations to the Aztecs.
A Map to More Treasure
When Researcher Zena Halpern identified an interesting item at the start of Season Four, Rick and Marty knew they were onto something. This handmade copy of a 1647 French map bore the words "hatch," "valve," and "anchor," and other details that lead them to believe that the treasure may have originated in Africa.
Another Ancient Find
The recent discovery of a piece of binding, which is believed to be associated with a book, has been one of the team’s most remarkable feats. Rick Lagina hopes that this could be a sign of some significant manuscripts located deep in the Money Pit, as several experts have attested to its being parchment. “If that really is parchment, it can only mean that there’s some sort of manuscript or document at great depths in the Money Pit,” he speculated.
Evidence of Searches On the Island
In 1897, a team uncovered a piece of parchment crafted out of animal skin, suggesting an eminent text exchange between Frederick Blair and William Chappell. It is assumed that the message originated in the 15th century, when only significant writings existed between regal figures and those of high social standing.
The Money Pit Has Taken Lives
Despite attempting to drill into a hoard of treasure chests full of gold coins in the early 21st century, the Truro company failed to retrieve them. Thus, the area where the gold was found became known as The Money Pit. Afterward, water had accumulated in the pit, and the Oak Island Association attempted to drain it a few years later, which resulted in the first recorded death connected to Oak Island.
Strange Methods to Strike Gold
Before the Laginas and their research team made their groundbreaking discoveries, Craig Tester proposed freezing the Money Pit as a method for easier excavation in an effort to unearth further hidden artifacts and perhaps even treasure. "I would do the freeze ring around the Money Pit," expressed Tester, adding, "I think if you go with a different type of method—you're dealing with water all the time—it might be expensive, but it sure is possible."
Joining Forces
In 2006, needing to further their own treasure-hunting efforts, the Laginas reached a serious point in their Oak Island journey where they made large investments in order to make their dreams come true. Part of this included the purchase of half of the company Oak Island Tours to join forces with the Blankenship clan, a longtime family of explorers who have already dedicated considerable amounts of time searching and navigating the area.
A Long History of Treasure Hunters
Marty remains confident that the evidence unveils a remarkable discovery: some extraordinary event took place on Oak Island centuries prior to what was originally assumed. While the earliest recorded exploration was in 1795, the recent findings may have changed things completely. “The evidence suggests that something quite odd did occur on this island prior to 1795,” he said. “Something happened here prior to 1795 and apparently much earlier, at least 100 years.”
The First To Find Treasure
Probably the very first account of any sign of treasure on Oak Island was at the end of the 18th Century. One young boy called Daniel McGinnis found a circular depression. With his friends Anthony Vaughn and John Smith, McGinnis dug a reported thirty feet into the ground. Eventually, they reached a hard surface that was seemingly impenetrable. This was the catalyst that started the Oak Island mystery and eventually led to an organized investigation less than a decade later.
Ancient Tablet
A few years had passed, and the Onslow Company tried to finish what Daniel and his friends started. Despite causing a flood from drilling, they found a mysterious tablet. It would take nearly a century before anyone was able to remotely translate the mysterious artifact. One professor believed that it read “Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” Since then, many researchers have drilled their way forty feet into the ground in order to look for the treasure.
Historical Theories
Over the course of its history, Oak Island has been the platform for some truly outlandish theories that have captured the imaginations of many. Since the first reported treasure hunters began to explore the island, some have speculated that Marie Antoinette’s jewels might actually be the treasure in question. Other wild theories include manuscripts that may have belonged to William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon are on the island. Although none of these theories have been verified, many still cling to them.
The Legacy of William Chappell
One of the most prominent researchers in the history of the Oak Island mystery is William Chappell. The man was originally part of the Oak Island Treasure Company and was one of the first people to find gold on the island; traces of it during an 1897 excavation. Chappell’s brother Renerick carried on the search with son Melbourne and nephew Claude. However, they struggled, not being able to locate the Money Pit properly. However, that’s not to say that Chappell didn’t find anything else…
Chappell’s Breakthrough
One discovery that Chappell could look back on with pride was an anchor flute which was found on the side of a tunnel. There was also an instrument that resembled a 250-year-old Acadian axe. Other notable findings included parts of an oil lamp, as well as a miner’s pick. Unfortunately though, after spending a hefty $40,000, Chappells Limited were forced to suspend their activities in 1932. Someone else would have to pick things up and carry on the Oak Island torch. But who?
Meet Gilbert Hedden
Shortly after Chappells Limited suspended operations, the Bethlehem Steel Company took over and it was Gilbert Hedden who was the new Money Pit enthusiast. He was convinced that it was pirate William Kidd who originally left treasure on the island. A few years later, Hedden purchased part of the island and hired a pumping company to start a full-fledged excavation. With everything prepared and ready to go, Hedden went to Oak Island the following year. But to what avail?
King George VI Recognized The Project
After a couple of failed attempts, Gilbert Hedden was in a position where the lack of substantial findings didn’t justify the huge financial investment he was putting into the project. Things weren’t going so well and in 1938, Hedden put his project to a stop. Nevertheless, Hedden felt like he deserved some sort of recognition for his efforts and managed to contact King George VI. The mystery of Oak Island had never reached such a high profile name.
The Golden Age of Piracy
One of the main reasons that Daniel McGinnis and his friends were champing at the bit to look at the dirt depression on Oak Island lies in a piece of history from before their time. Between 1690 and 1730 was the Golden Age of Piracy. It was during this time that many pirates were known to travel in and around Oak Island. Not only was it a “goldmine” for natural resources, but its vast space was perfect for these pirates to store any valuables.
The Shaft
Recent developments showed that a wood-lined shaft had been created by early researchers. Marty and Rick believe that it was constructed in 1805 by the people who originally discovered the Money Pit in the first place! However, this was just scratching the surface. The discovery of the shaft paved the way for a series of incredible findings that Marty and Rick could never fully anticipate. In total, Marty and Rick have discovered a staggering 600 artifacts since they first started exploring Oak Island.
Who Do These Bones Belong To?
One of the most impressive discoveries that Marty and Rick made was a human bone that they worked out actually belonged to someone of Middle Eastern ancestry! However, another bone that was found in the same hole was from someone with a European background. Marty expressed his excitement about the discovery and automatically thought of a potential connection to the Knights Templar. “The middle-eastern thing clearly supports the Knight Templar, and things like that,” he said.
Rick & Marty Have Answers
Marty and Rick Lagina have practically dedicated their entire lives to figuring out the truth behind the mystery of Oak Island. While many of those years have amounted to little success, it seems like their most recent treasure hunting endeavors have been their most fruitful. So much so that A&E! decided to document their story in the popular series The Curse of Oak Island. In recent seasons, the Lagina brothers have made some truly groundbreaking discoveries.
Traced To Childhood
The Laginas’ desire to unlock the truth of Oak Island’s supposed treasure can be traced back to their childhood. At just 10 years of age, Rick was already determined to pursue a career in treasure hunting, having made his first discovery. In his hometown of Kingsford, the young explorer found a big granite boulder. Excited by his discovery, he recruited his friends, as well as his brother Marty, to see what was beneath the rock. Despite there being nothing substantial underneath, their journey was truly underway.
With Help From Gary
One man who seems to have added a new level of excitement to Marty and Rick Laginas pursuit of Oak Island’s treasure is metal-detecting expert Gary Drayton. The Englishman is the type of guy who thinks outside the box while maintaining a traditional metal-detecting approach to finding treasure. Towards the end of Season Five of The Curse of Oak Island, Gary and the Laginas were working in Smith’s Cove, when they stumbled across something truly incredible.
The Cross
Rick, Marty, and Gary found a lead cross that may have just rewritten history. Gary believes that the cross, which has a square hole on its top, can be traced back to between the years 1200 and 1600, making it medieval. That’s not all though. They also discovered a mysterious stone, that simply had the letters “H” & “O” on them, and could be translated into the Greek letters Eta and Theta. It reminded Rick of a wall at a Templar prison he went to in Domme, France.
Connection To Knights Templar
If the connection between Oak Island and The Knights Templar is valid, then this could be a step closer to the truth behind the island’s mysterious artifacts. “If proof can be established that members of the Knights Templar successfully made their way to North America as many as seven centuries ago,” the narrator said. “It would change not only the history of a small island over the coast of Nova Scotia, it could change the history of the world – forever.”
Was It A Goddess?
Despite the mainstream assumption that the lead cross probably has connections to the Knights Templar, historian Zena Halpern has other ideas of its potential origins. According to her, the cross might not actually be a cross and could be depicting the Phoenician goddess Tanit. Moreover, the Templars may have discovered and begun to revere Tanit, who was a goddess of fertility and love. Pair up this information with the Middle Eastern bone, Zena believes that they might be connected!
Smuggling Gold
Another purpose for these mysterious crosses may have been more materialistic. The team proposed the theory that many pieces of lead, such as the crosses, would have been used to smuggle gold to other places. “This was how they smuggled gold. There was gold under this cross and the cross was covered with lead,” Jack Begley said. “So there’s a chance that they’re out in Smith’s Cove still.” This is another indication that such discoveries could be connected to treasure!
The Precious Stone
Probably the most stunning discovery that the Laginas recently made was that of a precious rhodolite garnet. They believe that the stone could be between 400 and 500 years old. Rhodolite garnets tend to be a raspberry color. “If it’s a ruby, even if it’s a semi-precious stone — this is treasure, as defined by the Treasure Trove License,” Rick said in an interview. “So, you know, I guess a pat on the back to all of us — we found treasure!”
Where Did It Come From?
While some have speculated that this is the type of stone that may have belonged to a Masonic Royal Arch High Priest, there are plenty of alternative possibilities as to where it could have come from. Gary Drayton believes that the stone could be at least 500 years old. Some potential origins of the gems could be traced back to the legend of Marie Antoinette. Also, such stones have been used by both the Egyptians and the Romans.
War-Era Treasure
One of the biggest reasons that researchers believe treasure could be on Oak Island is due to the many wars that happened such as the French and Indian War, as well as the Seven Years War. At some point, the Franco treasure was transferred from Fort Louisbourg to a vault on Oak Island. It was here that the treasures were hidden in a “money pit” for safekeeping. However, war prevented the French from ever returning and the treasure was lost forever…
Is This The Money Pit?
Ultimately, Oak Island has seen two centuries worth of attempts to find the treasure that may have been there in the first place. So many wild theories such as the Holy Grail, the work of Shakespeare and Captain Kidd’s treasure being stored here somehow, seem to still capture the imaginations of many. Despite all the speculation and debate, one thing is agreed upon by most: there is a money pit, that may have “money” in it. Somewhere…
Francis Drake’s Treasure
One theory that the Laginas and their team had about Oak Island was the idea of Sir Francis Drake arriving at some point in his life. They believe that Drake had the capabilities and engineering skills to build something similar to the Money Pit. Drake’s knowledge of coastal mining would stand him in good stead, with his team able to dig under the ocean bed. Maybe this could explain where the supposed flood tunnels came from.
Ship Log
As previously mentioned, many historians and researchers have found relics and pieces of information that have been left along the way by the enthusiasts who came before them. It seems like the same happened with the Laginas when a contact of theirs, Doug Crowell, stumbled across six pages of a ship log. “It has been agreed that a deep pit be dug, and treasure securely buried,” the log said. “The pit to have a secret entrance by a tunnel from the shore.”
Celebration Time
What is life without a little bit of celebration from time to time? With all this hard work that had finally paid off, it made sense that the Laginas and their dedicated team would deservedly look back at their recent findings with a great sense of pride. “A lot of this looks spendable,” Marty joked. After all the team gave each other high-fives, Dan Blankenship chimed in with a cheeky little insight, saying, “there IS treasure on Oak Island!”
Closer Than Ever
Whether a sixth season will happen is irrelevant. The most important thing is that, in light of their recent groundbreaking discoveries, Rick and Marty Lagina believe they are closer than ever to the treasure. This is especially true since they found a precious stone that has been registered as official “treasure” by the Treasure Trove License. Matty Blake, who appeared in the “Drilling Down” episode, said the following: “It’s like a lightning rod has gone off and they continue to keep making all kinds of discoveries.”
Roosevelt Explored Oak Island
During the 20th Century, many researchers passed through Oak Island to try and discover its hidden truths. In fact, Franklin D. Roosevelt himself was amongst those who went to explore. However, he gave up after a year and went on to pursue other dreams such as becoming the President. Just a few years later, another research team found a similar stone to the aforementioned one. Then, in 1938, Erwin Hamilton discovered a bunch of suspicious stones deep in the Money Pit.
Darkest Hour
The worst moment ever recorded in regards to human exploration of Oak Island, unfortunately, came in 1959. Robert Restall and his son were at the forefront of Oak Island’s deepest corners before losing their lives in an accident. After finding a stone with “1704” engraved on it, Robert died upon inhaling carbon monoxide. Robert Jr. tried saving his father, but also suffered the same fate. To make matters worse, two workers also died trying to save the father and son.
The Team
Make no mistake about it, Marty and Rick Lagina haven’t been able to achieve everything alone. With a little help from friends such as Dan and David Blankenship, as well as, Craig Tester, they have built a team with the knowledge and experience to take the Oak Island search to the next level. Craig is the brains behind the team’s drilling system. One thing is for sure, he is an indispensable part of Marty and Rick’s steady team.
Like Father, Like Son
Dan Blankenship is well versed in the lore of this mystery, having spent half a century drilling, digging and looking for the secrets of Oak Island. As far as he is concerned, it is too late for Dan to turn back, after relocating from Florida all those years ago in order to pursue his dream. Also, he has bestowed his knowledge upon son David. Despite having a serious accident about three decades ago, David is still healthy and as mobile as ever.
Mysterious Stone
It seems like the strange discoveries just keep on coming for Rick and Marty Lagina. Recently, the duo came across a strange looking stone. However, the most peculiar thing about it was the obscure carvings it had. “It looks like Roman numerals,” Craig Tester said, to which Marty followed up with, “It’s mysterious, and was found near the Money Pit. Anything close to the Money Pit needs to be investigated.” Yet the team were about to learn a bit more about the stone…
Belonged To Vikings?
After the team gave the stone a good clean and brought it to their lab for inspection, the results suggested big things. They hovered a green light over the stone and soon enough, the brothers had a decent idea of where the stone may have originally come from. They claimed that it “suggests an early Viking presence on Oak Island.” Of course, this is a theory that has been well documented through the island’s investigations. However, this only adds fire to the flame.
Strange Tubes
It wasn’t just strange stones that Marty and Rick found in recent times. When the team was looking around Smith’s Cove in a recent episode, they came across a strange pair of tubes. “What is that?” Rick asked. As he gave the tubes a closer look, it appears that they were, in fact, man-made and even archeologist Laird Niven confirmed this, describing the strange structures as “tube plates.” However, there was one more fascinating development that came their way…
Is That A Vault?
Seeing that right-angled objects are an indicator that man had a part to play in its creation, Rick and Marty Lagina were convinced that they stumbled across something huge when they found one. According to them, this strange object could, in fact, be the Chappell vault. This is one of the big mysteries that have plagued the Lagina’s minds for years and is believed to be full of gold, ancient artifacts and a variety of other valuables. Only time will tell…
Stunning Net Worth
Whatever new developments come their way in the foreseeable future, there is no denying that the Lagina brothers have made a killing ever since turning their lifelong dream into a popular TV show. Seeing that Rick Lagina owns a part of Oak Island and is doing wonders for the History Channel, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that his net worth is in the region $2 million! However, brother Marty is making a lot more, with his businesses giving him a $50 million net worth.