What's Buried on Oak Island?

Could it be . . . ?

Sixteen-year-old Daniel McGinnis stared at a strange round pit in the ground. His skin prickled. 

It was 1795, and Daniel was exploring a tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. No one lived on this small speck of land, which was covered with towering oak trees that gave the place its name: Oak Island.

Hiking through the forest, Daniel had suddenly come across a round, shallow dent in the ground—like someone had dug a giant hole and filled it back up. A thrilling possibility seized Daniel’s heart. 

Treasure. 

Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, pirates had prowled the waters off eastern Canada. Maybe one of them had hidden his gold here! 

It took nearly 10 years, but finally, in 1803, Daniel was able to return to the pit with a team. They began digging and digging. Ninety feet
down . . . thump. The crew hit something hard: a large flat stone carved with strange, unreadable symbols. The workers removed the stone—but before they could dig much further, the pit began to flood with water. For hours, they tried emptying out the hole with buckets, but it was no use. Eventually, the team was forced to give up.

This was the end of Daniel McGinnis’s golden dreams—but just the beginning of the longest, most expensive treasure hunt of all time. In the centuries to come, the hole that soon became known as the “Money Pit” would swallow up hopes, fortunes . . . and even human lives.

Could it be . . . ?

Sixteen-year-old Daniel McGinnis stared at a strange hole in the ground.

It was 1795, and Daniel was exploring a tiny island near Nova Scotia, Canada. No one lived there. It was covered with towering oak trees, which was why it was named Oak Island.

Hiking through the forest, Daniel had found a dent in the ground. It looked like someone had dug a big hole and filled it back up. Daniel wondered: Could it mean treasure? 

Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, pirates had prowled the waters nearby. Maybe one of them had hidden gold here! 

Finally, in 1803, Daniel was able to come back to the pit with a team. They began digging. Ninety feet down, they hit something hard. It was a large flat stone. It was carved with strange, unreadable symbols. The workers took out the stone. But before they could dig more, the pit filled with water. For hours, they tried to empty the hole. It kept filling again. The team had to give up.

This was the end of Daniel McGinnis’s dreams of gold. But it was only the start of the longest, most expensive treasure hunt ever. The hole became known as the “Money Pit.” It would swallow up hopes, fortunes. . . and even human lives.

More than 150 years later, in 1965, a 13-year-old named Rick Lagina was flipping through a magazine at his school library in northern Michigan. One article caught his eye: “Oak Island’s Mysterious ‘Money Pit.’”

Rick and his younger brother, 10-year-old Marty, had grown up digging for treasure in the woods near their house. Now, reading the article, Rick quickly became obsessed with the mystery. Was there really treasure deep within the Money Pit? Who had hidden it there? And most important: Would it ever be found?

In the years after Daniel McGinnis’s discovery, news of the mysterious Money Pit had spread. More treasure seekers were drawn to Oak Island. Among them were powerful businessmen, famous actors, and even future U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

And these new searchers had noticed something strange. The water filling the Money Pit was salty—not fresh water, like you would normally find underground. Even stranger: Five human-made stone drains were found beneath the sand at a nearby beach. The drains must be collecting salt water from the ocean and sending it into the pit through a hidden tunnel, people thought. Was this all a trap designed to keep anyone from digging too close to the treasure? 

Then there was that symbol-covered stone that Daniel’s team had found. One language expert, who claimed to study the stone, said the writing meant, “Forty feet below, 2 million pounds are buried.” (At the time, Nova Scotia used British pounds as money.) 

To treasure hunters, these were thrilling clues that something remarkable was buried on Oak Island. So where was it? For Rick, answering this question would become a lifelong quest.

More than 150 years later, in 1965, a 13-year-old named Rick Lagina was reading a magazine at a library in Michigan. One article caught his eye: “Oak Island’s Mysterious ‘Money Pit.’ ”

Rick and his younger brother, 10-year-old Marty, had grown up digging for treasure in the woods near their house. Now, reading the article, Rick was gripped by the mystery. Was there really treasure in the Money Pit? Who had hidden it there? And could it be found?

In the years after Daniel McGinnis’s discovery, news of the Money Pit had spread. More treasure seekers came to Oak Island. Some were businessmen or actors. One was even a future U.S. president. 

And these searchers had noticed something strange. The water filling the Money Pit was salty. It was not fresh water. That’s what you would normally find underground. Even stranger: Five human-made stone drains were found under the sand at a nearby beach. People thought the drains must be collecting salt water from the ocean and sending it into the pit through a hidden tunnel. Was it a trap to keep anyone from digging to the treasure? 

Then there was that symbol-covered stone that Daniel’s team had found. One expert said he studied the stone. He said the writing meant that money was buried below. 

To treasure hunters, these were clues that something amazing was buried on Oak Island. So where was it? For Rick, answering this question would become a lifelong goal.

By 2004, Rick was 52 and a postal worker. But he had never lost his fascination with the treasure. His brother, Marty, a businessman, was skeptical. Still, Rick convinced Marty to help him launch a search on Oak Island, a real-life version of their childhood treasure hunts. 

It took the brothers years to get permission from the Canadian government for their search. Finally, in 2012, they arrived on the island. More than 200 years of digging had left the land scarred with countless holes and tunnels. No one even knew where the original Money Pit was anymore.

Rick and Marty teamed up with a local treasure hunter, Dan Blankenship. Dan had become intrigued by Oak Island after reading the same article that Rick did in 1965. He’d been searching for the treasure ever since. At nearly 90 years old, Dan worried he might not live to see the mystery solved. 

He was hoping that the Lagina brothers could help him finally unlock the island’s secrets.

By 2004, Rick was 52. He was still interested in the treasure. His brother, Marty, was skeptical. Still, Rick got Marty to help him start a search on Oak Island. 

It took the brothers years to get the Canadian government to let them search. Finally, in 2012, they were allowed. More than 200 years of digging had left it covered with holes and tunnels. No one even knew where the real Money Pit was anymore.

Rick and Marty joined up with a local treasure hunter, Dan Blankenship. Dan had become interested in Oak Island after reading the same article that Rick did in 1965. He’d been looking for the treasure ever since. At nearly 90 years old, Dan worried he might not live to see it found. 

He was hoping that the Lagina brothers could help him find it.

Not long after the team kicked off their search, TV producers began filming them for a new reality show on the History Channel. Now viewers around the world would be able to join Rick and Marty as they hunted for treasure. 

But what exactly were they looking for? People were no longer so sure it was pirate’s gold. After all, there was no real evidence that pirates had ever set foot on the island.  

Some people, including Dan, believed the treasure was riches stolen by the Spanish. Between the 1500s and the 1700s, invaders from Spain sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Central America and South America. They attacked the people living there and stole  their gold, silver, and jewels. 

On their way back to Spain, many of these invaders would have passed within a few hundred miles of Oak Island. What if some of them decided to hide their stolen loot there? That way, they would not have to turn it over to the Spanish king.

Others thought the island could be hiding priceless ancient artifacts. Or the lost jewels of a French queen. Or secret work by a famous writer. The list of theories was almost endless.

Soon the History Channel began filming the team for a new reality show. Now viewers around the world would watch as they hunted for treasure. 

But what exactly were they looking for? People were no longer sure it was pirate’s gold. That’s because there was no proof that pirates had ever come to the island.  

Some people, including Dan, thought the treasure was riches stolen by the Spanish. Between the 1500s and the 1700s, invaders from Spain sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Central America and South America. They attacked the people living there. They stole their gold, silver, and jewels. 

On their way back to Spain, many of these invaders would have sailed near Oak Island. What if some of them hid their loot there? That way, they would not have to give it to the Spanish king.

Others thought the island could be hiding valuable old artifacts. Or the lost jewels of a French queen. Or secret work by a famous writer. The list of theories went on and on.

In their quest to uncover the truth, Rick and Marty used high-tech tools. They sank robotic cameras into flooded pits. They used powerful machines to blast up material from underground. 

But by the end of their second summer of hunting, the team still had not found any treasure. It would soon be time to take a break during the colder months, and Marty was not so sure they should return the next summer. How much more time and money would they sink into an unsuccessful search?

It was around this time that the team was exploring a swamp on the island. A member of the crew waved his metal detector over the murky water. Then: beep-beep-beep-beeeeeeeep. 

“I’m getting a hit here,” the man called.

The crew member plunged his hand into the muck—and came up holding something small and round. A coin! 

The team would soon learn that it was a Spanish coin from the 1600s. The coin itself was worthless—made of copper, like a penny. But it was a clue. Spanish invaders from the time would have used such a coin, for example. It was also a type often traded by pirates.

Later, Rick and Marty and their team showed the coin to Dan in his kitchen. 

“That’s the first thing I’ve held in my hands since I’ve been here almost 48 years,” the older man said, his voice choked with tears. “The real evidence.” 

“It was an emotional moment,” Marty remembers. And it was enough to convince him to continue with their search.

In their search for the truth, Rick and Marty used high-tech tools. They put robotic cameras into pits filled with water. They used machines to blow up the ground. 

But by the end of their second summer of hunting, the team had not found treasure. It would soon be time to take a break during the colder months. Marty was not so sure they should return the next summer. How much more time and money would they spend in a search that might find nothing?

It was around this time that the team was exploring a swamp on the island. A member of the crew waved his metal detector over some cloudy water. Then: beep-beep-beep-beeeeeeeep.

“I’m getting a hit here,” the man called.

He pulled something out of the water. It was small and round. A coin! 

It was a Spanish coin from the 1600s. The coin was made of copper, like a penny. It was worth nothing. But it was a clue. Spanish invaders from the time would have used a coin like it. It was also a type often traded by pirates.

Later, Rick and Marty and their team showed the coin to Dan. 

“That’s the first thing I’ve held in my hands since I’ve been here almost 48 years,” the older man said. His voice choked with tears. “The real evidence.” 

“It was an emotional moment,” Marty remembers. And it was enough to get him to keep searching.

Since then, Rick and Marty have returned to Oak Island each year. Their show on the History Channel—“The Curse of Oak Island”—has become one of the most popular reality shows on TV. Millions of viewers tune in each week to see what the Laginas uncover. 

The brothers have made many more fascinating finds—including a jeweled pin, a metal piece of what could be a treasure chest, and 400-year-old human bones. Experts on their crew have studied such discoveries for clues about when and where they came from. But so far, the team has not found a big treasure.

Some claim this is because Oak Island is cursed. For years, people living near the island have reported seeing eerie things there: ghosts, witches, a black dog with blood-red eyes. According to legend, seven people must die in the hunt for the treasure before it is found. And over years of dangerous digs, at least six searchers have been tragically killed. 

Will one more have to die before the mystery is solved? 

Since then, Rick and Marty have come back to Oak Island each year. Their show on the History Channel—“The Curse of Oak Island”—has become very popular. Millions of viewers watch each week. 

The brothers have made more amazing finds. They’ve found a jeweled pin, a piece of what could be a treasure chest, and 400-year-old human bones. Experts on their crew have studied what they found. But so far, the team has not dug up a big treasure.

Some say this is because Oak Island is cursed. For years, people have said they’ve seen eerie things there, such as ghosts. According to legend, seven people must die in the search for the treasure before it is found. Sadly, over years of dangerous digs, at least six searchers have been killed. 

Will one more have to die before the mystery is solved? 

But others say no treasure has been found for a simple reason: There is none to find. 

Steven Aitken is a geologist, a scientist who studies the earth. He says the real key to the mystery is the layers of rock that lie deep underneath Oak Island. They’re full of caves that are connected. (“Like the holes in Swiss cheese,” Aitken explains.) Sometimes these underground caves collapse. This causes a hole called a sinkhole to open up suddenly in the earth above.

Along with several other scientists, Aitken believes the Money Pit—that round hollow in the ground—was a sinkhole. And the salt water that flooded the pit, the so-called trap? One reason for the flooding, Aitken explains, is that the rock beneath the island is connected to the ocean. Salt water flows through the caves in the rock. If you dig down far enough, that water can gush up suddenly. “All these features can be explained by basic science,” Aitken says.

The stone drains found underneath the beach were probably used for a different purpose, Aitken says—like repairing ships, as some experts have suggested.

But what about the flat stone that Daniel’s team found, with writing that promised
2 million pounds? It was later suspected that the translation was a hoax, made up to attract wealthy people who could pay for new treasure hunts. Then, around 1920, the stone mysteriously vanished. Today there are no photos to prove whether it even existed. 

But others say no treasure has been found because there is none to find. 

Steven Aitken is a geologist. That’s a scientist who studies the earth. He says the key to the mystery is the layers of rock that are underground on Oak Island. It’s full of caves that are connected. (“Like the holes in Swiss cheese,” Aitken explains.) Sometimes these caves fall in. This causes a hole to open up suddenly in the earth above.

Aitken and other scientists believe the Money Pit was a hole like this. The rock beneath the island is connected to the ocean, and that would explain why salt water flooded the pit. Salt water flows through the caves in the rock. If you dig down far enough, that water can come up suddenly. “All these features can be explained by basic science,” Aitken says.

Aitken says the stone drains found under the beach were likely used for something else. Some say they could have been used to fix ships.

But what about the stone that Daniel’s team found, with writing that promised money? It was later thought that it was a hoax. It was made up so rich people would pay for new treasure hunts. Then, around 1920, the stone went missing. Today there are no photos to show that it even existed.

Even if there is no treasure on Oak Island, Aitken says, there are still mysteries to unravel. If no one was living on the island when Daniel McGinnis visited in 1795, then who left behind the many objects that have been found from before that time? These objects have stories to tell about Oak Island, though they may not be tales of buried riches.

“The treasure is all of these artifacts that they’ve found,” Aitken says. 

Rick and Marty agree. Of course, they still believe a valuable treasure is down there. They hope to find it to fulfill not only their own dreams but also the dreams of all the treasure hunters who came before them—including Dan Blankenship, who died in 2019. 

Yet the search itself has brought its own rewards: the objects they’ve dug up, the history they’ve learned, the TV viewers they’ve inspired, the bonds their team has formed. “There have been so many lessons, so many life experiences. We’ve learned that every one of them is treasured,” Rick says.

Even if there is no treasure on Oak Island, Aitken says, there are still mysteries to solve. Who left behind the items that have been found? These items have stories to tell about Oak Island, though they may not be tales of buried riches.

“The treasure is all of these artifacts that they’ve found,” Aitken says. 

Rick and Marty agree. Of course, they still believe a big treasure is down there. They hope to find it to live out not only their own dreams but also the dreams of all the treasure hunters who came before them—including Dan Blankenship, who died in 2019. 

The search itself has its own rewards: the objects they’ve dug up, the history they’ve learned, the TV viewers they’ve inspired, the friendships their team has made. “There have been so many lessons, so many life experiences. We’ve learned that every one of them is treasured,” Rick says.