The saga continues. The team behind The Curse of Oak Island is digging deeper—literally and metaphorically—as they chase history across the island’s most enigmatic locations. At the center of the current buzz is Lot 5, where a mysterious stone foundation may hold the key to centuries of speculation surrounding buried treasure.
Led by Rick Lagina and joined by metal detection expert Gary Drayton and archaeologist Fiona Steel, the team has spent two years meticulously uncovering and expanding this unusual feature on the island’s western side. The site has now grown to two to three times its original size, revealing what may be linked to 17th-century British plotters—and even buried Spanish silver and gold.
A POSSIBLE CONNECTION TO 1687 TREASURE PLOT?
Among the more compelling clues: iron tools found nearby have been linked to Sir William Phips, a British privateer and governor of Massachusetts who, according to legend, conspired with Freemason Andrew Belcher to bury treasure on the island in 1687.
Using state-of-the-art metal detection tools, Gary Drayton recently identified a significant non-ferrous signal—possibly copper, lead, or even gold. “There are only three metals that sound like that,” Drayton explained. The team is now poised to excavate the area further, hoping it could yield the long-rumored treasure.
BUTTONS, BRICKS, AND SCIENCE
Elsewhere on Lot 5, Jack Begley and Craig Tester are following another tantalizing lead: a detailed copper button that may be connected to the mysterious brick structure in the swamp and the island’s legendary “money pit.” The team eagerly awaits scientific analysis from Emma Culligan, who’s using X-ray fluorescence imaging to examine the artifact’s elemental composition and help determine its origin.
A HISTORY OF UNRELENTING QUESTS
Oak Island’s allure has drawn treasure hunters for over 200 years. From early excavators Daniel McInnis and the Chappell brothers to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and modern legends like Dan Blankenship, the island’s mystique has persisted through centuries of failed attempts and near-misses.
The Lagina brothers, Rick and Marty, carry that torch today. Their childhood fascination with Oak Island—sparked by a Reader’s Digest article—has turned into a full-blown quest, supported by a team of engineers, historians, and archaeologists, including longtime partners Craig Tester, Alex Lagina, and others.
MUON MAPPING AND SURVEY STAKES FROM THE 1500s
New technology is reshaping the hunt. The DeepMax X6 detector has helped generate 3D maps of subsurface targets, while muon imaging—a particle-based scanning technique—has revealed potential anomalies beneath the infamous triangle-shaped swamp, which historian Fred Nolan believed was man-made.
Just recently, Rick Lagina unearthed a wooden stake carbon-dated to the 1500s, thought to be part of ancient survey work for a large construction project. Is this proof of pre-colonial activity? The team is cautiously optimistic.
COINS FROM CHINA, BONES FROM AFAR
Even more intriguing: a Chinese coin over 1,000 years old was found between the swamp and money pit, and similar coins have turned up elsewhere on the island. How did they get here? Could Oak Island have been a meeting point for ancient travelers long before the British and French colonized Canada?
The plot thickens with the earlier discovery of two human bone fragments—one from someone of Middle Eastern descent, the other European—hinting at a much more complex past than previously thought.
RUMORS, DANGER, AND PERSISTENCE
The journey has not been without drama. False rumors spread online claimed that Alex Lagina had died during filming, which turned out to be completely untrue. Alex, who also helps run the family’s successful Mari Vineyards in Michigan, remains very much alive and active in the search.
Nevertheless, the “Curse” persists. According to legend, seven people must die before the treasure will be revealed. Six lives have already been lost during Oak Island expeditions.
GOLD DANCES AND DEEP DRILLS AHEAD
As the team closes in on multiple intriguing leads—from the stone foundations of Lot 5 to muon anomalies and survey stakes—spirits are high. Gary Drayton is ready to break into his signature “gold dance” at any sign of the real thing. Meanwhile, sonic drilling around the garden shaft continues, as the team probes depths of up to 120 feet in search of the original money pit.
LOOKING FORWARD: A PIECE OF HISTORY OR A LEGEND PRESERVED?
Whether the team finally uncovers a trove of gold, religious relics, or simply history’s greatest unsolved riddle, one thing is clear: they’re not giving up.
“I think we’re closer than we’ve ever been,” said Rick Lagina. “But Oak Island doesn’t give up its secrets easily.”
And so, the excavation continues. The crew digs, the mystery grows, and the world watches—waiting for the day when the island finally speaks.
