They say that big things come in small packages. That might just be the case for Oak Island, an island off Nova Scotia that’s only 140 acres but is home to some incredible findings. The Lagina brothers, Rick and Marty, are primarily responsible for unearthing a lot of this stuff in recent years.

Their reality series ‘The Curse of Oak Island’ sees these treasure hunters explore the island and investigate what treasures are hidden within. They’re not the first to do this, though, as Oak Island has quite a rich history, some of which is even steeped in tragedy.

The Lagina Brothers have brought renewed interest to the story of Oak Island

If it weren’t for the Lagina brothers and ‘The Curse of Oak Island,’ a lot of people probably wouldn’t know anything at all about this treasure hunter’s paradise. After all, Oak Island is just a small landmass in Canadian waters, so it’s not like it sees a lot of foot traffic from tourists who might stumble upon something.

Just because the Lagina brothers have introduced Oak Island to entire generations, though, the story of this place stretches back centuries. Since the 1700s, it’s been attracting interest from those eager to solve a mystery and find treasures they can call their own. Still, why has no one in the past ever had the success that Rick and Marty have?

Three teenage boys began digging on Oak Island when they discovered a depression

It appears that everything started on Oak Island with three teenage boys. These were Anthony Vaughn, Daniel McGinnis, and John Smith, who were out together on a fishing trip. When they came ashore to restock their supplies, they reportedly located a depression in the ground. An investigation swiftly revealed that the ground here was looser than anywhere else.

As many people might do in this situation, the boys began digging. They were eager to uncover what secrets lay beneath, with McGinnis reportedly motivated by a certain rumor. This alleged that the pirate Captain Kid had buried millions of dollars worth of treasure in the area. Was it possible that Daniel and his friends had found his hiding spot?

The Onslow Company took over from digging on Oak Island several years later

The boys dug around 30 feet before deciding to give up. It’s unclear precisely why they chose to walk away, especially given the potential motivation of treasure. Claims suggest that superstitious reasons were responsible for them fleeing the scene. Others say that they found something and saw no reason to continue digging with that in their possession.

Whatever the reason, they left the sizable hole there on Oak Island, where others would eventually come along and continue it. This was apparently several years later when the Onslow Company decided to explore what was hidden below 30 feet. They had proper excavation tools for the job, so the chances of success seemed pretty good.

A stone engraved with unknown markings was reportedly found then lost in the Money Pit

The Onslow Company made much greater progress than the teenagers at digging what is now known as the Money Pit. They made it down 90 feet, which is when they started making several interesting discoveries. For one, they could see that there were logs stacked at ten-foot intervals. Furthermore, they unearthed a bizarre stone inscribed with symbols.

According to a local newspaper from the time, this stone was “two feet long and about a foot thick.” There were “several characters cut on it,” although the markings weren’t deciphered. That’s apparently still the case, given that the stone is allegedly now missing. That’s another mystery to add to the pile that seems to be growing on Oak Island.

A theory claims that the treasure of the Money Pit exposes William Shakespeare as a fraud

The legend goes that the Money Pit is home to incredible treasures, although what those treasures might seem to vary significantly. One of the popular theories is that it contains manuscripts that would confirm that William Shakespeare was a fraud. Supposedly, these manuscripts would reveal Francis Bacon as the real author of all his celebrated works.

Unfortunately, without that treasure in possession, this remains nothing more than a mystery. Thankfully, the chances of learning the truth continue to grow thanks to the efforts of the Lagina brothers. William Chappell and his son Melbourne R. Chappell were also a big help, with this father and son being involved in the Oak Island excavations in the 1900s.

William Chappell found ancient tools before Gilbert Hedden took over the Oak Island excavation

William Chappell reportedly got involved in the Oak Island excavations around the 1920s. During his time investigating the Money Pit, he allegedly helped to discover several tools, including an ax and a pick. These findings apparently suggested to him that the Money Pit had initially been dug by someone in ancient times, meaning it had been around for centuries.

Chappell could only stay with the excavation project for so long before he reportedly ran out of funding. He was allegedly replaced by Gilbert Hedden, who came in with his company, Bethlehem Steel, to see if they could make progress where Chappell had failed. The treasure was still hidden, but someone surely had to find it.

William Chappell’s contribution to the Oak Island excavation paved the way for the Lagina brothers

William Chappell might not have been able to see the Oak Island excavation through to its conclusion, but there was no downplaying his contributions to the project. He helped discover tools that had been down there for hundreds of years, like the Acadian ax that was reportedly 250 years old. William’s efforts paved the way for the Lagina brothers.

A fluke anchor and parts of an oil light were some of the other items he dug up during the Oak Island excavation. Unfortunately, the question that William could never completely answer was why he found these things where he did. Sure, they’d likely been left behind by people digging in the area, but where were they digging to?

Someone might have buried their treasure on Oak Island after fleeing from a war

One question that some people ask about Oak Island is why this is supposedly the home of buried treasure. Is it simply because it’s a small and therefore unremarkable area of land? It’s possible, although other reasons have been put forward over the years. That includes the suggestion that the treasure was buried here during a war.

The theory goes that someone fled to Oak Island during a conflict and buried their treasure here as a result. History has no shortage of war, so it’s a reasonable theory. It’s hard to ascertain whether the person traveled from near or far, though, assuming this is the reason they ended up on Oak Island.

Theories also suggest that pirates might have buried their treasure on Oak Island

Fleeing from war isn’t the only reason why someone might have ended up on Oak Island all those years ago. Another popular theory is that the alleged treasure could have been buried by pirates. It certainly wasn’t out of the blue for these ocean dwellers to bury their loot on small islands like this one.

Furthermore, between 1690 and 1730, it was allegedly quite common for pirates to visit Oak Island. They apparently considered it a “goldmine” because of all the natural resources here. They could stock up on supplies like wood and water before going on their way. Perhaps one of them buried something here during such a stop-off?

Franklin D. Roosevelt once explored Oak Island but reportedly came up empty handed

The mystery of Oak Island is something that’s long fascinated some people, including some of the United States’ most notable historical figures. That reportedly includes Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The former US President allegedly went on an expedition to Oak Island in 1909. He was joined by Captain Henry L. Bowdoin and the Old Gold Salvage Group to unearth some secrets.

This was many years before he became president, and unfortunately, it didn’t yield much. Roosevelt and his group didn’t manage to reveal any treasure, not that this dampened his interest in the mystery of Oak Island. He reportedly continued to keep up with all the happenings here throughout his life, apparently hopeful that someone would succeed where he’d failed.

Several men lost their lives after building a shaft on Oak Island in the 1960s

It had been years since those three teenage boys began digging the Money Pit and started a search for the Oak Island treasure. Unfortunately, everyone who’d tried to uncover the mystery of Oak Island had found little of actual value. Robert Restall, his 18-year-old son, and his colleague Karle Graeser hoped to change that in the 1960s.

The trio bore a shaft that was 27 feet deep in 1965, believing this might help to find the treasure. Unfortunately, when Restall explored the shaft on his own one day, exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas resulted in the loss of life. The same thing happened to his son, Graeser, and Cyril Hiltz when they tried to rescue him.

The Lagina brothers have had more luck than most with finding treasure on Oak Island

Thankfully, the tragedy that befell these men isn’t anything that future treasure hunters on Oak Island have had to deal with. There might sometimes be drama on ‘The Curse of Oak Island,’ but that doesn’t include people losing their lives. It helps that what happened to Robert Restall and the others alerted them to potential dangers on the island.

With the Lagina brothers now the primary treasure hunters on Oak Island, it’s up to them to discover what all those who came before them couldn’t. They’ve definitely had some luck with that throughout the filming of their show, which aired its 9th season in 2022. Do any of their findings reveal the mystery of Oak Island, though?

Searching for buried treasure is something the Lagina brothers have always been passionate about

People were trying to uncover the mystery of Oak Island long before the Lagina brothers were even born. However, that doesn’t mean their interest in finding the alleged treasure buried here hasn’t been years in the making. The siblings were reportedly quite young when they became passionate about hunting for treasure, and where better to look than Oak Island?

Rick Lagina was apparently just ten when he unearthed his first treasure, and he’s been fascinated with searching for secrets ever since. That was six decades ago now, so most of his life has been building up to ‘The Curse of Oak Island.’ Fortunately, he hasn’t had to carve his path alone because Rick’s brother shares his treasure-hunting interests.

The Lagina brothers made treasure hunting their full-time job in the mid-2000s

Of course, searching for buried treasure isn’t really a 9 to 5 job with a stable income. Just because the Lagina brothers wanted to unearth secrets in places like Oak Island didn’t mean they could afford to. It wasn’t until 2006, when they were in their 50s, that they were reportedly able to turn their passion into a full-time job.

By this point, the Lagina brothers had extensively researched the mystery of Oak Island and made several expeditions to see the Money Pit themselves. So, they purchased half of the Oak Island Tour company, which came with partial land ownership and the rights to whatever they discovered. Now, they just had to hope there was actually stuff of worth here.

Legend says that seven people must lose their lives on Oak Island to unearth the treasure

Part of what attracted the Lagina brothers to Oak Island is the alleged curse here. It’s said that no one can unearth the treasures buried here until seven people pass away. When they began their search, six people had lost their lives on Oak Island, four of which were back in the 1960s when Robert Restall and the others perished.

All six of these people reportedly lost their lives while searching for the Oak Island treasure, which the Lagina brothers are now pursuing themselves. However, the siblings don’t plan on taking someone’s life just to see if the legend is true. We’re not sure that the law would look at their actions too kindly if they did.

The Lagina brothers unearthed a treasure in the form of a 17th-century Spanish coin

Even with all the right tools at their disposal, it can be years before a treasure hunter discovers something. Just because the mystery of Oak Island seemed to promise unearthed treasures, there was no guarantee that the Lagina brothers would find anything. After all, people have been searching for centuries and still come up empty-handed.

Thankfully, after putting everything into finding treasure on Oak Island, the Lagina brothers eventually struck gold. Well, copper. The pair discovered a Spanish copper coin believed to be from the 17th century. Finding this in the Money Pit made a lot of sense and offered the potential for many more coins to be found. They just had to keep searching.

The discovery of a roman sword suggested the treasure could be older than expected

‘The Curse of Oak Island’ wouldn’t have managed nine seasons if the Lagina brothers never found anything. People would have switched channels after a while, forcing the siblings to either fake their discoveries or admit defeat. Thankfully, Oak Island has continued to serve them well, offering up some incredible finds, like the Roman sword they unearthed in season three.

If this was authentic, it meant that Ancient Romans had been on Oak Island thousands of years ago. It also suggested that the treasure they were looking for was potentially much older than anyone had assumed. That only inspired the Lagina brothers to search harder for more buried treasure, believing it could be even more valuable than they’d thought.

Zena Halpern suggested a crossover between the mystery of Oak Island and the Knights Templar

The Lagina brothers are the ones searching for treasure on Oak Island at the moment. However, that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones interested in what might be hiding somewhere in this area. Zena Halpern is someone else who’s fascinated by the mystery of Oak Island and actually wrote the book ‘The Templar Mission to Oak Island and Beyond.’

Her book discusses the mystery of Oak Island and the fate of the Knights Templar, the truth of which have both long evaded historians. Zena appeared on ‘The Curse of Oak Island’ to talk about her theory and provided a replica of a 1647 map. This had the potential to help the Lagina brothers with their search for treasure.

The Lagina brothers have had a lot of help from people like the Blankenships

The Lagina brothers might be the face of ‘The Curse of Oak Island,’ but the duo is hardly alone in their search for buried treasure. They wouldn’t be able to find the things they do on the show if it wasn’t for the assistance of their companions. Over the years, this has included Craig Tester and Dan and David Blankenship.

The Blankenships had actually been involved with searching for treasure on Oak Island long before the Lagina brothers. For that reason, teaming up for the show made sense because the men already knew a lot more about the island. Unfortunately, Dan has since passed away while David has left, potentially because of issues with production.

Gary Drayton has helped the Lagina brothers by offering his metal detection services

Anyone can buy a metal detector and use it to find treasure. However, it takes passion, determination, and expertise to really get somewhere with one of these. Enter Gary Drayton, whose work as a metal-detecting expert has really come in helpful on ‘The Curse of Oak Island.’ The Lagina brothers have often relied on him during their search for treasure.

Drayton has previously shared some of his methods in the books that he’s written, where he’s talked about how best to find things in different environments. Fortunately, he’s not all talk, as evidenced by his accomplishments on the TV show. Gary was particularly helpful in seasons five and six when the Lagina brothers explored Smith’s Cove.

The Blankenships interest in the mystery of Oak Island stemmed from a Reader’s Digest article

Although the Blankenships might not be involved with ‘The Curse of Oak Island’ anymore, there’s no denying that they brought a lot to the show. It seems their passion for uncovering the mystery of Oak Island stemmed from a Reader’s Digest article published in 1965. This reportedly prompted Dan to give up his contracting job and start hunting treasure.

It was seven years later that David came along for the ride, moving to Oak Island to help his father see what they could find. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, especially after a catastrophic accident in 1986 forced David to have to relearn how to walk and talk. Fortunately, he recovered enough to help the Lagina brothers years later.

The Lagina brothers reportedly once found what seemed to be a piece of a book

The Lagina brothers have the benefit of joining the Oak Island treasure hunt several centuries after it began. This means that the people who came before them have done some of the hard work required to make parts of the Money Pit accessible. For instance, the wood-lined shaft that was constructed in 1805 by those seeking the island’s treasure.

Developments like this mean that the Lagina brothers have a slightly easier job of making discoveries, like when they found what appeared to be a piece of a book. This might not seem that valuable in a treasure hunt, but any discovery can play a significant role in revealing the longstanding mystery of Oak Island.

A piece of parchment was believed to be linked to William Chappell and Frederick Blair

The piece they found was believed to be part of a bookbinder, and the Lagina brothers uncovered it shortly before making another discovery. This was a piece of parchment that appeared to be made out of animal skin. It held markings that looked as though they formed part of a medieval manuscript, which gave rise to a theory.

The theory was that this parchment was included in interactions between William Chappell and Frederick Blair. Given their early involvement in the Oak Island treasure hunt, it makes sense that some of their communications might still exist somewhere. Finding stuff like this gives a potential insight into their own treasure hunting methods, which could influence the modern-day search.

It emerged that the Money Pit was exposed to flooding from a nearby beach

As the Lagina brothers have invested more time, effort, and money into discovering the truth of Oak Island, they’ve made many developments. Plenty of these have revolved around the Money Pit, which seemed to be exposed to a lot of water. When the Lagina brothers tried to drain this water away, their efforts didn’t go entirely to plan.

That’s because water continued pouring into the pit after they drained what was there. It turned out that this was because of the Money Pit’s proximity to the coastline. Water was coming in from the beach, prompting concerns that anything hidden deep in the Money Pit could have been destroyed by all the seawater. They couldn’t confirm that, though.

The discovery of a bone fragment raised more questions about the mystery of Oak Island

Oak Island has seen many visitors over the years as people have tried to solve its mystery and unearth the alleged treasure. With that in mind, it makes sense that there might be human remains buried somewhere on the island. The Lagina brothers certainly seemed to confirm that when they unearthed what appeared to be a human bone fragment.

Apparently, the bone belonged to someone of Middle Eastern lineage, which perhaps wasn’t what they might have expected, given their Canadian location. Despite raising more questions than answers, though, the discovery of the bone was still an exciting development. The Lagina brothers believed that it potentially offered a further connection to the fate of the Knights Templar.

Marty Lagina apparently believes that something happened on Oak Island in the 17th century or earlier

For the Lagina brothers to have put as much into searching Oak Island as they have, they have to be confident that there’s something out there. Just because they haven’t found a goldmine of treasure yet, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to discover. Either way, Marty Lagina is confident that something significant happened on Oak Island many years ago.

According to him, the “evidence” indicates that “something strange” occurred before the mystery of Oak Island began at the end of the 1700s. He estimates that something went down “at least 100 years” before this stuff, suggesting the 17th century or earlier. What it was that happened or what they left behind, though, is still an unknown entity.

The Lagina brothers discovered a cross potentially dated as far back as the 1200s

Given that some of the Lagina brothers’ discoveries have potentially dated back centuries, Marty’s assertion might be correct. Among the ancient relics they’ve found while searching for the Oak Island treasure is a lead cross. Dated somewhere between 1200 and 1600, its presence on the island certainly suggests activity long before the mystery of Oak Island began in the 1700s.

It’s possible that this cross might have been left here before Christopher Columbus made his voyage to America. Understanding why it was abandoned here so long ago and who by could potentially give an insight into a previously unknown history of North America. Unfortunately, trying to unlock such secrets of the past is usually easier said than done.

Historical sources suggest the Knights Templar wanted to bury treasure on Oak Island

Zena Halpern didn’t just write about a connection between Oak Island and the Knights Templar because she felt like it. There’s long been suggestion of an association between the two, with historical sources claiming the knights wanted to leave treasure in the Money Pit. Perhaps that’s what the Lagina brothers have been searching for all this time?

It was in 1119 that the Order of the Knights Templar was created as a Catholic military order. Lasting for almost two centuries, they had significant political and financial power in both Europe and the Middle East. Although plenty is known about them, it seems they were also quite mysterious, which fits the bill for Oak Island.

People have different theories regarding the cross found on Oak Island

The discovery of the cross on Oak Island may well suggest the presence of the Knights Templar, given the crossover of dates. However, in terms of what the cross actually represents, Zena Halpern believes it’s not what a lot of people assume. In her opinion, it’s not a symbol of the cross that Jesus lost his life on.

Instead, she believes that it’s meant to represent the Phoenician goddess Tanit, whom the Knights Templar might have worshiped discreetly. Others claim that the cross on Oak Island wasn’t there because of any religious beliefs. They think that items like this were used to smuggle gold because people could convincingly hide it in the lead wrapping.

A rhodolite garnet found on Oak Island likely came from Africa

This isn’t all that the Lagina brothers have discovered during their many years trying to uncover the truth of Oak Island. One of their most valuable finds is a rhodolite garnet, which could be as much as 500 years old. This seems to be further proof that the mystery of Oak Island extends beyond the 1700s.

Something that’s fascinating about this discovery is that rhodolite gems are generally found in Africa, many miles away from Oak Island. Although rhodolite gems have been discovered in North America, these tend to be newer than the one the Lagina Brothers found. So, if it was mined in Africa, how did it find its way to Oak Island?

The rhodolite garnet could have ties to the legend of Marie Antoinette’s gems

Its potential African origins aren’t the only thing of interest about this rhodolite garnet. There’s the possibility that it might be linked to the legend of Marie Antoinette’s gems. If so, it adds a whole new layer to the mystery of Oak Island and this discovery by the Lagina brothers. However, as with many of their findings, nothing is confirmed.

Rhodolite stones have reportedly also been used in various religious ceremonies around the world, including those by Egyptians and Romans. Given the apparent discovery of a Roman sword, could there be a connection between the two? The Lagina brothers might find an answer to that one day. For now, though, the truth continues to elude them.

Most people seem confident that the Oak Island treasure does exist in some form

It seems that every person you talk to about the Oak Island treasure has a different opinion on what could be hidden out there. From manuscripts outing William Shakespeare as a fraud to treasures from the Knights Templar, people’s imaginations have run wild over the years. Of course, until evidence proves otherwise, any of these theories could be correct.

Regardless of what’s hidden somewhere on the island, though, the general consensus seems to be that there is something of value there. The Lagina brothers and everyone who came before them haven’t found it yet, but most people don’t seem to doubt its existence. Could that just be wishful thinking, though, or does the Oak Island treasure truly exist?

The Lagina brothers reportedly believe that Francis Drake might have built the Money Pit

It’s impossible to know what treasure might exist on Oak Island until someone finds it. However, understanding who built things like the Money Pit could potentially help make a big step towards finding the answer. If you ask the Lagina brothers, they allegedly believe that Sir Francis Drake might be the man behind it all.

According to them, he had both the knowledge and the skill to create something like this. His experience with coastal mining meant digging a pit that extended beyond the seabed was within his capabilities. What’s more, given his reported history of piracy, he’d potentially have treasure worth hiding at the bottom of the Money Pit too.

Old ship logs seemed to confirm the existence of treasure in the Money Pit

The past can often be the greatest tool when trying to uncover secrets like the mystery of Oak Island. Luckily for the Lagina brothers, their colleague Doug Crowell unearthed something fascinating that offered quite the insight into the island’s history. It was a selection of ship logs that appeared to reference the Money Pit and treasure hidden within.

“It has been agreed that a deep pit is constructed,” one of the pages said, adding that “wealth is safely hidden.” The document also talked about “a concealed entrance by a tunnel from the coast,” which might refer to what the Lagina brothers had already found. If nothing else, these logs provided excellent motivation to continue searching.

The Lagina brothers and their colleagues remind themselves of their accomplishments to stay motivated

You might think that after almost a decade of searching for the Oak Island treasure, the Lagina brothers would know if there was anything of value there. However, treasure hunting isn’t as quick as it seems in the movies. The siblings and their colleagues have to be careful during searches to avoid damaging the environment or anything hidden within.

This slower pace and lack of discoveries could potentially be quite discouraging for the team working with the Lagina brothers. That’s why they often look over the things they’ve found already to remind everyone of what they’ve accomplished. When you see your findings all laid out like that, it’s a lot easier to keep your eyes on the prize.

The Lagina brothers had one of their finds be officially recognized as a treasure

Every time the Lagina brothers unearth something on ‘The Curse of Oak Island,’ they can’t always be sure that they’ve actually found something of value. A discovery might appear to be significant, but when examined by an expert, this can quickly be disproven. That’s why the siblings were overjoyed when something was officially considered a treasure.

The Treasure Trove License was responsible for confirming this, providing the Lagina brothers and their colleagues with more motivation to keep at it. Discoveries might sometimes be few and far between, but when you unearth a genuine find, it gives hope that you will one day hit the jackpot. Hopefully, that day will come sooner rather than later.

Investigating Smith’s Cove revealed the presence of a gold coin from the 1700s

The Money Pit might be the Lagina brothers’ primary focus, but there could be stuff hidden all over Oak Island. That’s why the pair have been keen to explore plenty of the island throughout the filming of their show. This includes in season six when they spent time focusing on Smith’s Cove. It was a venture that paid off.

After closing off the excavated area and digging away, they unearthed a U-shaped structure and a gold coin. Money is always a good indicator that further treasure might exist nearby, so this discovery was a real accomplishment for the Lagina brothers. Preliminary microscopy reportedly dated the coin back to the 1700s, which lines up with the Oak Island mystery.

In season seven, the Lagina brothers discovered a possible secret tunnel

‘The Curse of Oak Island’ is never short of exciting developments, even if the Lagina brothers aren’t making major discoveries every single episode. One of the most notable moments in season seven came when the crew believed they’d found a possible tunnel. Something like this can prove pivotal when searching for treasure hidden somewhere underground.

When you’re a treasure hunter, finding something like a tunnel can be just as exciting as unearthing an ancient coin or piece of jewelry. After all, it provides potential new pathways that can lead to other new discoveries. However, you have to be careful when dealing with ancient structures like this because there’s a risk they might collapse.

Pressure is mounting for the Lagina brothers to unlock the truth of Oak Island

It’s been several years since the Lagina brothers made that discovery, and they still haven’t found the Oak Island treasure. However, that’s not to say that they’ve continually come up empty-handed in all that time. Some of the stuff they’ve found relatively recently include a possible ship’s slipway and some keys and nails from centuries ago.

The Lagina brothers will likely be hoping to find something big soon, especially with the risk that viewers might eventually lose interest if they don’t uncover the truth of Oak Island. Unfortunately, if the Oak Island treasure is real, there’s no guarantee of when the Lagina brothers will find it. That’s just something we all have to be patient for.