Century-Old Hatch Unveiled, Ancient Coin Found — Oak Island’s Secrets Resurface
In what may be the most pivotal breakthrough in over two centuries of digging, Rick Lagina and the Oak Island team have cracked open a 200-year-old hatch, revealing a man-made tunnel that has stunned experts and reignited talk of ancient treasure. Shadows within the hatch hint at buried secrets that stretch far beyond Canadian history — and possibly into the heart of the Mediterranean.
This season, the team has gone further and deeper than ever before — physically and historically. Using high-definition underwater sonar technology and precision drilling, the group has discovered signs of deliberate construction beneath the island’s infamous Money Pit and surrounding lots. Most notable is a newly explored cave system dubbed “Aladdin’s Cave,” which appears to contain structural elements that sonar scans suggest are man-made.
“We may be standing on the edge of a historic revelation,” said Rick Lagina, visibly moved after a camera captured wooden supports deep within the flooded cavern.
FROM TECHNOLOGY TO TUNNELS: THE NEW ERA OF EXPLORATION
Leading the charge in digital mapping is data expert Steve Guptill, who has developed high-resolution 3D models from sonar readings. These models confirm the presence of a tunnel network running from the Garden Shaft area to Aladdin’s Cave — potentially explaining centuries of unconnected findings.
Craig Tester and the Dumas Contracting crew have reached depths of over 95 feet in the Money Pit zone. A 7-foot tunnel was revealed, believed to connect with a hotspot known as the Baby Blob, suspected to conceal historical structures. Excavation now involves pneumatic jackhammers and 3-ton hammer grabs as they battle dense clay layers and groundwater.
ANCIENT COIN, ANCIENT CONNECTIONS
Meanwhile, on Lot 5, metal detection specialist Gary Drayton and team member Jack Begley unearthed a half of a Roman coin dated to 300 BC — a find that pushes Oak Island’s history back over 2,000 years. Further investigation led to the discovery of an ancient lead token, possibly used in Roman merchant trade.
Under the guidance of artifact analyst Emma Culligan, XRF and XRD scans showed the lead used in the coin came from mineral sources in Italy and Iran, suggesting wide-ranging ancient trade or migration.
“This might tie into the theory that Oak Island was a waypoint in ancient trade networks — possibly even connected to the Knights Templar,” said Culligan.
THE GREAT QUADRILATERAL AND HISTORIC STRUCTURES
The team has also renewed work on the Great Quadrilateral, a massive 32-ft tall stone structure identified decades ago by the late Fred Nolan. Excavations at the site have turned up a piece of 18th-century glass and fragments of metal resembling cannonballs — possibly indicating early European or military activity.
Marty Lagina remains cautiously optimistic:
“We’re closer than ever. These aren’t random finds. They’re layers of a deeper story — maybe the original Money Pit story.”
OAK ISLAND: BEYOND TREASURE, INTO HISTORY
Though many still chase dreams of buried treasure, the narrative on Oak Island has begun to shift. Each artifact — whether it’s a Roman token, a wood-lined shaft, or a crumbled stone wall — tells of a forgotten past waiting to be remembered.
What lies beneath may not just be gold or jewels, but the fingerprints of ancient civilizations and lost knowledge. One thing remains clear: Oak Island’s mystery isn’t fading — it’s deepening.
Stay tuned for further updates as Season 16 of The Curse of Oak Island continues to unfold on the History Channel.