Rick Lagina Confirms Breakthrough in Oak Island’s Final Dig: Shocking Discovery Sparks New Questions

Oak Island—long shrouded in mystery, myth, and the relentless pursuit of hidden treasure—may finally be on the brink of revealing its greatest secret. According to Rick Lagina, a stunning breakthrough during what could be the island’s final major dig has shifted the team’s understanding of Oak Island’s past and left even veteran treasure hunters shaken.

During a recent excavation near the southern edge of the swamp, the Lagina brothers encountered something so unsettling that, according to sources on site, some members briefly considered abandoning the dig altogether. What they uncovered could rewrite the timeline of Oak Island’s history—and possibly confirm long-held theories about hidden wealth buried deep beneath the island’s surface.

Major Artifacts Unearthed at Lot 5

The turning point came at Lot 5, where team members Jaime, Kuba, and Fiona had already discovered a 600-year-old lead coin during an earlier dig. Their latest search yielded a gold-coated military button and a decorated silver handle—rare metallic finds on Oak Island and immediate red flags for historians.

Advanced laboratory testing confirmed that the button was fire-gilded and dated to the 18th century, matching gilded buttons worn by officers of the British Royal Navy. Scanning electron microscopes revealed high-resolution surface details, suggesting it once belonged to a ceremonial or high-ranking uniform.

While the silver handle’s ornate designs hinted at aristocratic ownership, experts noted the even more unusual implication: both artifacts were discovered far from any known colonial settlement, hinting at unexplained activity on the island centuries before the Money Pit legend emerged.

Cutting-Edge CT Scans Reveal a Hidden Monarch’s Profile

Excitement spiked further after the discovery of a heavily corroded coin. Using a Skyscan 1273 micro-CT scanner, analysts produced a full 3D reconstruction of its interior. The scans revealed the profile of King George III and the coin’s original strike year—placing it squarely within the late 18th century and making it potentially older than the famed Money Pit itself.

The CT scans also revealed wear patterns suggesting the coin had circulated for decades before being lost. The fact that this artifact predates many known settlement events on Oak Island raises a critical question: Who brought it here, and why?

Ancient Pottery and a Mysterious Boot Sole Deepen the Puzzle

The discoveries continued at a rapid pace. The team recovered fragments of 16th-century Chinese porcelain—an indicator of early global trade routes and a possible connection to Portuguese explorers like Vasco da Gama. These artifacts, found near a centuries-old stone road, support theories that Oak Island was once a staging point for international expeditions.

The most baffling find, however, was the sole of an ancient boot embedded with hobnails. Modern footwear uses glue; hobnails suggest a timeline reaching back hundreds of years. The boot sole’s proximity to the stone road implies that whoever built or used the road may have left it behind.

A 500-Year-Old Stone Road Raises Alarming Questions

As the team probed deeper into the swamp, they focused on a vast stone road first discovered in 2020. Geological expert Dr. Ian Spooner recently confirmed that layers of peat above sand in the swamp were unnatural, supporting long-standing theories that the swamp itself was artificially created—possibly to hide a ship or cache valuable goods.

Nearby, the team found a crude iron chain and an ancient hook, both believed to be from the 16th century. These pieces fit into a three- or four-point hitch system used for lifting heavy cargo, suggesting that the stone road may have served as a loading or unloading platform.

Even more startling was the discovery of an iron spike embedded in old timber—evidence of a long-lost structure in the swamp. Legendary treasure hunter Fred Nolan had theorized that a man-made dam once existed here; these findings now appear to support that theory.

A Hidden Tunnel Beneath the Garden Shaft

The greatest shock came from the area beneath the Garden Shaft, where drilling crews reached a mysterious wooden tunnel between 80 and 120 feet deep—an area known as the “baby blob,” which has historically yielded positive results for gold and silver in water tests.

When the team finally exposed the structure, they discovered several massive hand-cut beams—some dating back to the 1600s. The beams appeared deliberately dismantled, raising the alarming possibility that early treasure hunters or unknown individuals attempted to hide or salvage something centuries ago.

As Rick Lagina inspected the timber, he confirmed what many suspected: “This isn’t natural. Someone built this—and they built it very well.”

Viking-Era Wood? A Possible Medieval Connection Emerges

Adding an unexpected twist, a piece of ship’s railing found earlier near the swamp was dated to the 8th century. Geoscientist Dr. Doug Crowell suggested the possibility—still unproven but intriguing—that it could point to Norse activity. While speculative, the timeline aligns with known Viking exploration along the North American coast.

A Discovery That Changes Everything

With ancient trade goods, naval artifacts, Chinese porcelain, a 500-year-old road, and a dismantled subterranean tunnel all pointing to deliberate activity on Oak Island, the Lagina team now faces their most significant and unsettling question yet:

What was hidden here—and who went to such extraordinary lengths to conceal it?

Rick Lagina has confirmed that the team will continue forward, calling the latest finds “the most compelling evidence we’ve ever uncovered.”

The final phase of Oak Island’s legendary search may now be underway—and the island is starting to give up its secrets.