BREAKING: Oak Island Treasure FINALLY FOUND at Smith’s Cove!

Over the years, excavations on Oak Island have repeatedly raised the question, “Is there really something hidden here, or are we just chasing shadows of the past?” But recently, a discovery revived the debate. In season 10, episode 15, the team was working borehole DN 11.5 near Smith’s Cove, an area known as the Treasure Zone, when something unusual came up.

Rick Lagginina had stepped back to rest and Charles Barkhouse and geologist Terry Mat were in charge of the site. The area was already known for its high gold content and air-filled layers. As the drilling passed a depth of 78 to 88 ft, the machine felt a strange kind of pressure. Such a disturbance in the soil in that area is not considered normal.

Drill operator Mike said that at about 90 ft the rod hit something and then suddenly a 1 and 1/2 ft deep void appeared which was a surprise for the entire team. This was the same depth where it was already speculated that something could be hidden. Perhaps an old tunnel, a chamber or part of some construction. This discovery was not just a technical data. It brought the theory that was going on for years closer to reality.

Sometimes the clues that lead to a discovery are more important than the discovery itself. Similarly, when a core sample was extracted and solid wood fragments were found, the team realized for the first time that they had passed through something structured, not just a normal layer of soil.

Geologist Terry Mat immediately noted that the wood was no ordinary piece of wood. It had strength, shape, as if it had been part of a structure. A piece was sent to the lab for testing. X-ray fluorescence, XRF scanning detected faint gold particles in the wood and the water around it. This data was solid ground-based evidence, not theory.

It was this discovery that immediately called Rick and Marty Lagginina to the site. The tunnels that had been indicated in earlier bore holes DN2.5 and DN13.5 now appeared to connect into a structure extending in an east-west direction. This could be the void the team had been anticipating for years. This discovery gave the entire mission a new direction.

It wasn’t just another discovery. It was a solid link to a long history that had only been understood through legend and belief. The search picked up steam in season 11, and the team stepped up their excavations in an area known as Lot 5, an area rich in historical significance and potential clues. Excavations there turned up shards of red clay pottery dating back to the 1600s.

If the dates prove correct, they indicate human activity even before the discovery of the money pit. These clues raised a serious question. Who came to the island so early in the life of the island? And why? Were they just travelers? Or did they come to bring or hide something that history has kept hidden?

One of the great things about excavation is that each new layer, each piece of soil is a conversation with the past. The Oak Island team had a similar experience when they discovered some metal objects in the coastal area of Lot 5. This time, the focus was on an area that had not been given much importance before. But when the metal detectors started giving more signals, the team began to investigate more closely.

Soon, an iron bar, a decorative metal piece, and a tool-like object emerged from the ground, which was believed to be an ancient mining tool. Among the finds were some coins, one of which was a 13th century French denier. The coin was not just a historical object, but a potential clue that could point to a French presence or perhaps people associated with the Templars.

The excavation in the Money Pit area also produced some solid clues. Wood samples from a depth of 98 to 108 ft matched samples obtained from old bore holes nearby. This combination pointed to a possible tunnel network, one that may have linked directly to structures like the garden shaft. While no gold or silver was found in this phase, traces of a rare and precious metal called palladium were found, raising the possibility that the metal may have been used to hide or refine treasure.

Meanwhile, the search was expanded even further when Jerry Drayton and his team began a systematic metal detecting process near the beach at Lot 5. They found circular patterns embedded in the ground. The patterns looked ordinary, but the archaeologists linked them to a central activity site, a place where boats might have docked or where trade transactions took place in ancient times.

The discovery sparked a new thought. Was the area limited to stories of a single treasure? Or was it once part of a larger system, a hub of trade, transportation, or strategic activity?

Often excavations unearth tools or relics that appear ordinary at first glance, but reveal historic significance when looked at more closely. During one investigation of Lot 5, as Peter began digging in a marked spot, Jerry Drayton began precise scanning with a small handheld metal detector nearby. They soon located a long iron tool triangular in shape and pointed at the tip.

Jerry said it might be a cribbing spike, a tool used in ancient shipbuilding or early structural work. Its shape and metal texture indicated it may have been part of an old construction site, perhaps the same tunnel system that is believed to exist beneath Oak Island. Not long after, they found another iron piece, this time with a hole large enough to hold a hand. Jerry guessed it might be the handle of an old pair of scissors.

Laboratory tests confirmed that guess. The design of the object matched Spanish scissors from the 16th or 17th century. This discovery made it clear that human activity on the island may have begun earlier than previously believed. Slowly, excavations revealed the appearance of a rectangular foundation in Lot 5, possibly dating from the 1700s. Surprisingly, this foundation appeared to be connected to a circular structure that may have been a century older.

Helen, the team’s archaeologist, noticed that the center of the foundation had an uneven accumulation of stones and rubble, giving the impression that the structure was intended to hide or surround something rather than a simple construction on level ground. Subsequent excavations turned up creamware ceramics dating from 1762 and a fragment of a fine porcelain teacup. These rare and sophisticated objects indicated that the area was not just home to treasure hunters or military expeditions, but also to people with resources, status, and a need for secrecy.

Technology also played a big role in the discovery. Using an advanced technique called Muon tomography, which creates structural images based on the density present in the ground, the team identified several underground anomalies near the money pit. One of these dense shapes was found at a depth of 65 ft just below the garden shaft, while others were recorded at 112 ft and 230 ft. The shape and position of these shapes indicated that these may not be natural but intentionally constructed structures such as tunnels or secret chambers which completely match the team’s years-old theory.

Sometimes the most interesting thing about archaeological discoveries is not what is found but how and where it was found. During the excavations in Lot 5, the team found signs of a structure that was unique. There was a rectangular foundation which analysis suggests may date from the 1700s. And what was most interesting was that the foundation appeared to be connected to an even older circular structure, perhaps from the 1600s.

This repetition got the team thinking. Was this the same place that the teams from different times returned to again and again? And if so, why? Archaeologist Helen believed the uneven rubble in the center of the foundation suggested the purpose of the construction may have been to hide something, not just to lay the foundation for a building.

Meanwhile, while sifting through rubble from the garden shaft, a nail-like metal object was found, likely part of an old tool. Its triangular shape and worn edges suggest it may have been connected to the construction of a tunnel, vault, or underground chamber. The discovery strengthens the notion that structures hidden beneath the island may be reality, not just legend.

In another investigation, an object initially thought to be a coin was later analyzed to be a 13th century lead seal associated with the British trading company and company which hauled military supplies in the 1700s. The discovery raises a number of questions. Was the island ever used for formal military or trading activities? And were there any organized efforts at the site between the 1200s and 1700s?

Each object, whether it’s a rusty nail or a piece of porcelain, adds a new chapter to the story of Oak Island. These discoveries challenge existing narratives and prompt us to consider the island as not just a treasure trove, but a long-standing historical juncture.

The seal was linked to J. Lloyd Parker and Company, a British firm known for military supply operations in the 1700s. The discovery sparked intense discussion among the team. If the seal truly dated back to the 13th century and was tied to an enterprise active in the 1700s, it indicated a much deeper and longer span of activity on the island than previously believed.

What could a military supply company from Britain have been doing on Oak Island centuries before the known excavation attempts? The theory arose that perhaps Oak Island served as a logistical outpost—either to store valuable assets, weapons, or documents, or to function as a hidden base of operations for larger strategic campaigns. The possibility of such military or quasi-military involvement added a whole new dimension to the mystery.

Each new discovery—whether it be fragments of fine porcelain, ancient tools, or lead seals—kept pointing to the same conclusion: Oak Island was far more than a simple tale of lost treasure. It might have been a place of covert operations, secret societies, or hidden wealth spanning across generations and continents.

This theory was supported again by muon tomography imaging, which offered perhaps the most revolutionary insight yet. The team used this advanced scanning method to penetrate deeper underground than ever before. The results were astonishing: multiple anomalies were found beneath the surface, each consistent in shape and orientation with man-made construction.

The clearest among them was a dense, rectangular object located 65 feet below the garden shaft. Two other formations were identified at 112 and 230 feet. All three appeared in a directional alignment and spatial pattern indicative of engineering—possibly secret chambers, reinforced tunnels, or storage vaults.

Helen, the team archaeologist, emphasized how this technological validation shifted the narrative. For years, the theories were grounded in folklore and indirect evidence. But now, there was measurable, repeatable, and scientific data to support the idea that something deliberate and concealed lay buried deep within Oak Island.

Taken in conjunction with the earlier discoveries—the coins, the wood fragments, the porcelain, and the tools—the muon tomography data told a consistent story. The island may have been engineered with a level of planning and sophistication not expected from lone explorers or accidental visitors.

It now seemed more plausible that the island was used repeatedly, by different groups, across centuries. Some may have come to hide something. Others may have come to retrieve it. Still others might have stumbled upon clues and started their own search, only to deepen the enigma.

In Lot 5, where the dense cluster of historical artifacts was unearthed, the team discovered yet another layer of evidence. A small, curved metal object was retrieved—an iron nail, worn but intact. Gary Drayton suggested it may have been a type of fastener used in early shipbuilding or underground cribbing systems. Analysis of the corrosion patterns and metal content dated the nail to the mid-1600s.

Nearby, a partial compass dial was found, its markings faded but still discernible. If it was indeed a navigational tool, it would suggest maritime activity. The possibility that Lot 5 was once a landing point or staging ground for explorers became even more credible.

At this point, the evidence became cumulative. Single items—on their own—might seem like curious artifacts. But taken together, they painted a picture of layered history: military presence, elite visitors, underground engineering, maritime navigation, and perhaps even religious or political conspiracies.

Even in the most recent digs, more relics continued to surface. A fragment of a musket stock, traces of tar used in ship repair, and remnants of ancient rope were found just a few meters from the original discovery zone. Each find reinforced the impression that Oak Island had not just been visited, but actively used.

And yet, no definitive treasure had been found—no gold chests, no sealed documents, no royal regalia. But perhaps the real treasure lay in the revelations themselves. Every artifact, every anomaly, every story shared by the team and seen by millions of viewers added weight to the mystery.

Oak Island, long thought to be a singular mystery with a singular solution, was being redefined. It was no longer about the “one thing” buried beneath the earth. It was about the web of history, human endeavor, secrecy, and the relentless pursuit of answers.

And so, the search continues—not just with shovels and drills, but with questions that have outlasted centuries. Because on Oak Island, every answer only deepens the mystery.