Season 13 Episode 3 Bombshell: Oak Island Crew Says They’ve Finally Reached the Mysterious Vault
In a jaw-dropping episode of The Curse of Oak Island Season 13 titled “Medieval Intentions,” the Lagina brothers and their team have unearthed artifacts that challenge centuries of historical narrative, suggesting European presence in Nova Scotia long before Christopher Columbus set sail.
The episode’s bombshell centers on Lot 5, where a remarkably preserved Roman coin was discovered and authenticated through XRF testing and CT scans. Analyzed by archaeometallurgist Emma Culligan and coin expert Sandy Campbell, the coin bears markings from the reign of Emperor Claudius II (268-270 AD), complete with a head bust and workshop inscriptions. Composed of copper, iron, calcium, silicon, and silver—hallmarks of ancient Roman alloys—this find marks the sixth Roman coin from the site, an unprecedented concentration in Nova Scotia.
“What the hell is going on?” quipped team members, echoing viewers’ astonishment. The coin’s elemental makeup mirrors traces of lead, tin, copper, and zinc found deep in the Money Pit’s solution channel, hinting at a direct link. Even more intriguing, it matches the composition of a Portuguese “piblatto” coin unearthed earlier this season, bridging a millennium and fueling theories of multi-era activity on the island.
The swamp, long a hotbed of enigmas, yielded sharpened wooden stakes—hand-carved with axes, not modern tools—dating from the 1630s to 1700s. Located just 180 feet from a 13th-century stone pavement, these stakes suggest an intentional pathway, possibly for transporting heavy valuables. “The metals will tell the story of this place,” said Rick Lagina, as the team speculates on engineered infrastructure predating known settlements.
On Lot 5’s shoreline, archaeologist Fiona Steele uncovered a pipe stem (1753-1800) and glossy 17th-18th century earthenware pottery, indicating habitation during a period when records claim the island was uninhabited. “Who was cooking here in 1650?” the team pondered, adding layers to the puzzle.
A tiny Venetian glass bead from the same area strengthens ties to the Knights of Malta, descendants of the Knights Templar. XRF confirms it matches other island beads, and historical links point to Isaac de Razilly, who established a French colony 15 miles away in 1632. If comparisons with Fort Point artifacts hold, this could prove Templar involvement in early North American expeditions.
Deep in the Money Pit, borehole J-58.5 revealed a 30-foot void at nearly 230 feet—no bedrock in sight—suggesting a collapse zone where treasure might have sunk. “We’re nowhere near done,” Rick declared, as rods free-fell 15 feet, hinting at an engineered trap.
The episode’s final twist: a beveled lead strip with a hole on Lot 4, eerily similar to the 2017 Smith’s Cove Templar cross. Metal detectorist Gary Drayton called it “Templar country,” noting resemblances to European Templar sites. Isotope matches could solidify a medieval pattern.
As artifacts from Roman, Portuguese, Templar, and Maltese eras converge—coins, beads, paths, and voids—Oak Island emerges not as a random anomaly but a chosen site for secretive operations across millennia. “History is screaming from the ground,” the narrative concludes, with the swamp and Money Pit poised for more revelations.
Fans and historians alike are buzzing: Could these finds upend textbooks on pre-Columbian exploration? The Laginas press on, undeterred, in what may be the hunt’s most transformative season yet.