Uncovering More of 2025’s Best Finds on Oak Island

The 2025 Oak Island expedition has revealed tantalizing new clues in the centuries-old search for hidden treasure. Rick and Marty Lagina, along with their team, have been digging in the Money Pit area, focusing on the True Believer 1 (TB1) shaft, while simultaneously investigating mysterious structures across the island.

On the day of a major breakthrough, the team reached a depth of over 160 feet in the Toot1 shaft, surpassing any previous treasure hunter’s efforts. Here, metal detection expert Gary Drayton and Marty Lagina discovered what appeared to be the tip of an old pickaxe embedded deep underground. The iron tool showed significant wear and striations, indicating repeated use, likely for tunneling through rock or hard soil. Blacksmithing expert Carmen Leg examined the artifact and determined it could date back to the 1500s or early 1600s, well before the Money Pit’s reported discovery in 1795. The tool’s composition, containing potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium, further supported its age, potentially linking it to early European activity on Oak Island.

Meanwhile, on Lot 5, Peter Fernetti and Gary Drayton excavated a rounded stone foundation near the shoreline, uncovering 17th-century Phoenician trade beads, mortar-like soil matching that of the Money Pit, and iron tools linked to the birthplace of Sir William Fipps, the 17th-century English naval officer. A copper plate, possibly part of a decorative military belt or satchel, was also recovered. Analysis by archaeologist Emma Culligan suggested the plate could date to the late 1600s, predating the Money Pit and potentially supporting the theory that Fipps and his associate, Captain Andrew Belchure, transported treasure from the Spanish galleon Conception to Oak Island.

The TB1 shaft also provided signs of man-made tunnels. As the hammer grab excavated deeper, the team retrieved significant timber and wood artifacts marked with Roman numerals. These finds suggested the original Money Pit may have included complex wooden cribs and tunnels constructed to protect and conceal valuable items. Expert analysis indicated the wood could be among the oldest ever recovered on Oak Island, reinforcing the theory that this area represents the site of early treasure-seeking activity.

Further north, in the triangle-shaped swamp, the team uncovered an elaborate platform of logs and cobblestones, running north-south and east-west. This man-made structure, dubbed the “Eye of the Swamp,” resembled the Masonic symbol of the all-seeing eye and may have been used as a working platform to traverse the boggy terrain. Organic sampling and dating suggested the platform could have been constructed between 1680 and 1700, aligning with the Fipps theory. Researchers theorize these features were designed to hide or transport treasure, possibly in connection with the original Money Pit and surrounding swamp areas.

Expanding the investigation globally, the team visited Malta to study 16th-century underground tunnels built by the Knights of Malta. These tunnels mirrored the design described for the original Money Pit. A button featuring a starburst pattern, found on Oak Island years prior, may also be connected to the Maltese Order. Historical research traced a line from the Knights Templar in Jerusalem, through Malta, and into Nova Scotia. French naval captain Isaac de Razili, a Knight of Malta, established a colony in 1632 near Oak Island, suggesting a potential Templar connection to the treasure and the island’s early European activity.

The expedition also explored historical evidence tied to the Conception, a Spanish treasure galleon that sank near the Dominican Republic in 1641 carrying over 100 tons of silver, gold, and jewels. Fipps’ salvage of the Conception, documented in 1687, resulted in partial recovery of treasure, much of which may have been transported to Oak Island. Artifacts from Lot 5, including iron tools and copper plates, support the possibility that Fipps’ operations left evidence across the island, reinforcing the theory that Oak Island was used as a secure storage site for Spanish treasure.

Despite these breakthroughs, the team faces significant challenges. During deep excavation in TB1, the surrounding ground began to collapse, threatening the stability of equipment and complicating access to the hoped-for Chapel Vault, a concrete-encased chest historically reported by 19th-century treasure hunters. Rick and Marty Lagina, along with their team, carefully monitored the caving area, backfilling where necessary while continuing operations in safer zones.

From the Money Pit to the swamp, Oak Island continues to reveal layers of human activity spanning centuries. Tools, timber, metal plates, and cobbled platforms point to generations of coordinated effort, potentially involving European explorers, treasure hunters, and possibly the Knights Templar or Maltese Order. While definitive proof of treasure remains elusive, each discovery adds pieces to the puzzle and strengthens the connection between Oak Island and historical European treasure expeditions.

As 2025’s excavations progress, the Oak Island team moves closer to answering questions that have persisted for over 230 years. Whether the discoveries will reveal a final treasure or simply provide further insight into the ingenuity and determination of those who came before remains to be seen. For now, Oak Island keeps its secrets, challenging modern treasure hunters to follow the clues laid down across centuries of mystery and adventure.