After years of hard work and persistence, brothers Rick and Marty recently made a number of huge discoveries that might just hold the key to this age-long mystery…

After their huge investments in Oak Island, the Laginas also received a considerable amount of funding upon getting their own TV show. It wouldn’t take too long before the brothers made their first significant discovery. It was a Spanish copper coin that was believed to have been made in the 17th century. However, Marty and Rick would have to endure two whole seasons without any other substantial findings. However, it was certainly worth the wait…

Despite the long wait, Marty and Rick’s persistence paid off in Oak Island with some terrific discoveries. In Season Three, the duo and their crew were draining a large whole when they stumble across numerous ancient artifacts. These included a Roman sword, which heavily suggested that the Romans must’ve touched down on the island a few thousand years beforehand. They also found a series of Portuguese carvings, as well as artifacts that may have been linked to the Aztecs.

Things started to get really interesting when Season Four came around. Rick and Marty’s first port of call was to identify what they had discovered between the end of the last season and the start of the next one. One item was identified by Researcher Zena Halpern as a handmade copy of a French map, dating back to 1647. This map had the words “hatch,” “valve,” and “anchor” written on it. It also suggested that the proposed treasure could have been traced back to Africa.

One of the team’s most impressive finds in recent memory was a piece of material that is believed to be part of a book – specifically, a binding. As a result, Rick Lagina believes that it looks more likely than ever that they could find some important manuscripts. “If that really is parchment, and we’ve had several people render the opinion that it is,” he said. “It can only go that there’s some sort of manuscript or document at great depths in the Money Pit.”

Another item that the team found along with the potential bookbinding was a piece of parchment made out of animal skin. There is even a chance that the parchment could be connected to a text exchanged between Frederick Blair and William Chappell, which was originally found in 1897. It is believed that what was written may have been traced back to the 15th century. Only the most important messages were written at the time, mainly between kings and important people.

Despite drilling into a collection of treasure chests full of gold coins during the early 21st century, the Truro company were unable to retrieve it. As a result, the hole where the gold was found would be known as The Money Pit. The pit had built up a pool of water over time. The Oak Island Association tried to drain the water a few years later. During these futile attempts, the first ever recorded death associated with Oak Island happened…

During the 20th Century, many researchers passed through Oak Island to try and discover its hidden truths. In fact, Franklin D. Roosevelt himself was amongst those who went to explore. However, he gave up after a year and went on to pursue other dreams such as becoming the President. Just a few years later, another research team found a similar stone to the aforementioned one. Then, in 1938, Erwin Hamilton discovered a bunch of suspicious stones deep in the Money Pit.

The worst moment ever recorded in regards to human exploration of Oak Island, unfortunately, came in 1959. Robert Restall and his son were at the forefront of Oak Island’s deepest corners before losing their lives in an accident. After finding a stone with “1704” engraved on it, Robert died upon inhaling carbon monoxide. Robert Jr. tried saving his father, but also suffered the same fate. To make matters worse, two workers also died trying to save the father and son.

Make no mistake about it, Marty and Rick Lagina haven’t been able to achieve everything alone. With a little help from friends such as Dan and David Blankenship, as well as, Craig Tester, they have built a team with the knowledge and experience to take the Oak Island search to the next level. Craig is the brains behind the team’s drilling system. One thing is for sure, he is an indispensable part of Marty and Rick’s steady team.

Dan Blankenship is well versed in the lore of this mystery, having spent half a century drilling, digging and looking for the secrets of Oak Island. As far as he is concerned, it is too late for Dan to turn back, after relocating from Florida all those years ago in order to pursue his dream. Also, he has bestowed his knowledge upon son David. Despite having a serious accident about three decades ago, David is still healthy and as mobile as ever.

Even before they made their recent groundbreaking discoveries, the Laginas, and the team developed a method that could help uncover many more hidden artifacts; maybe even some treasure. Freezing the Money Pit could make excavation much easier, at least, according to Craig Tester.”I would do the freeze ring around the Money Pit,” he said. “I think if you go with a different type of method – you’re dealing with water all the time.” It might be expensive, but it sure is possible.

The Laginas’ desire to unlock the truth of Oak Island’s supposed treasure can be traced back to their childhood. At just 10 years of age, Rick was already determined to pursue a career in treasure hunting, having made his first discovery. In his hometown of Kingsford, the young explorer found a big granite boulder. Excited by his discovery, he recruited his friends, as well as his brother Marty, to see what was beneath the rock. Despite there being nothing substantial underneath, their journey was truly underway.

The Laginas reached such a serious point in their Oak Island journey that they made some big investments to make their dreams come true. In 2006, they purchased half of the Oak Island Tours company, in order to further their treasure hunting endeavors. With the rest of the company being owned by the Blankenship clan, a well-respected family who have spent even more time exploring the island, the Laginas knew they needed to collaborate in order to pursue their shared goals.

While Marty is still cautious not to get ahead of himself with the recent findings, he does believe that they prove something significant: something extraordinary must’ve happened on Oak Island much earlier than originally thought. While the earliest recorded exploration was in 1795, the recent findings may have changed things completely. “The evidence suggests that something quite odd did occur on this island prior to 1795,” he said. “Something happened here prior to 1795 and apparently much earlier, at least 100 years.”

Probably the very first account of any sign of treasure on Oak Island was at the end of the 18th Century. One young boy called Daniel McGinnis found a circular depression. With his friends Anthony Vaughn and John Smith, McGinnis dug a reported thirty feet into the ground. Eventually, they reached a hard surface that was seemingly impenetrable. This was the catalyst that started the Oak Island mystery and eventually led to an organized investigation less than a decade later.

A few years had passed, and the Onslow Company tried to finish what Daniel and his friends started. Despite causing a flood from drilling, they found a mysterious tablet. It would take nearly a century before anyone was able to remotely translate the mysterious artifact. One professor believed that it read “Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” Since then, many researchers have drilled their way forty feet into the ground in order to look for the treasure.

Over the course of its history, Oak Island has been the platform for some truly outlandish theories that have captured the imaginations of many. Since the first reported treasure hunters began to explore the island, some have speculated that Marie Antoinette’s jewels might actually be the treasure in question. Other wild theories include manuscripts that may have belonged to William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon are on the island. Although none of these theories have been verified, many still cling to them.

Recent developments showed that a wood-lined shaft had been created by early researchers. Marty and Rick believe that it was constructed in 1805 by the people who originally discovered the Money Pit in the first place! However, this was just scratching the surface. The discovery of the shaft paved the way for a series of incredible findings that Marty and Rick could never fully anticipate. In total, Marty and Rick have discovered a staggering 600 artifacts since they first started exploring Oak Island.

One of the most impressive discoveries that Marty and Rick made was a human bone that they worked out actually belonged to someone of Middle Eastern ancestry! However, another bone that was found in the same hole was from someone with a European background. Marty expressed his excitement about the discovery and automatically thought of a potential connection to the Knights Templar. “The middle-eastern thing clearly supports the Knight Templar, and things like that,” he said.

One man who seems to have added a new level of excitement to Marty and Rick Laginas pursuit of Oak Island’s treasure is metal-detecting expert Gary Drayton. The Englishman is the type of guy who thinks outside the box while maintaining a traditional metal-detecting approach to finding treasure. Towards the end of Season Five of The Curse of Oak Island, Gary and the Laginas were working in Smith’s Cove, when they stumbled across something truly incredible.

Rick, Marty, and Gary found a lead cross that may have just rewritten history. Gary believes that the cross, which has a square hole on its top, can be traced back to between the years 1200 and 1600, making it medieval. That’s not all though. They also discovered a mysterious stone, that simply had the letters “H” & “O” on them, and could be translated into the Greek letters Eta and Theta. It reminded Rick of a wall at a Templar prison he went to in Domme, France.

If the connection between Oak Island and The Knights Templar is valid, then this could be a step closer to the truth behind the island’s mysterious artifacts. “If proof can be established that members of the Knights Templar successfully made their way to North America as many as seven centuries ago,” the narrator said. “It would change not only the history of a small island over the coast of Nova Scotia, it could change the history of the world – forever.”

Despite the mainstream assumption that the lead cross probably has connections to the Knights Templar, historian Zena Halpern has other ideas of its potential origins. According to her, the cross might not actually be a cross and could be depicting the Phoenician goddess Tanit. Moreover, the Templars may have discovered and begun to revere Tanit, who was a goddess of fertility and love. Pair up this information with the Middle Eastern bone, Zena believes that they might be connected!

Another purpose for these mysterious crosses may have been more materialistic. The team proposed the theory that many pieces of lead, such as the crosses, would have been used to smuggle gold to other places. “This was how they smuggled gold. There was gold under this cross and the cross was covered with lead,” Jack Begley said. “So there’s a chance that they’re out in Smith’s Cove still.” This is another indication that such discoveries could be connected to treasure!

Probably the most stunning discovery that the Laginas recently made was that of a precious rhodolite garnet. They believe that the stone could be between 400 and 500 years old. Rhodolite garnets tend to be a raspberry color. “If it’s a ruby, even if it’s a semi-precious stone — this is treasure, as defined by the Treasure Trove License,” Rick said in an interview. “So, you know, I guess a pat on the back to all of us — we found treasure!”

While some have speculated that this is the type of stone that may have belonged to a Masonic Royal Arch High Priest, there are plenty of alternative possibilities as to where it could have come from. Gary Drayton believes that the stone could be at least 500 years old. Some potential origins of the gems could be traced back to the legend of Marie Antoinette. Also, such stones have been used by both the Egyptians and the Romans.

Whether a sixth season will happen is irrelevant. The most important thing is that, in light of their recent groundbreaking discoveries, Rick and Marty Lagina believe they are closer than ever to the treasure. This is especially true since they found a precious stone that has been registered as official “treasure” by the Treasure Trove License. Matty Blake, who appeared in the “Drilling Down” episode, said the following: “It’s like a lightning rod has gone off and they continue to keep making all kinds of discoveries.”

It seems like the strange discoveries just keep on coming for Rick and Marty Lagina. Recently, the duo came across a strange looking stone. However, the most peculiar thing about it was the obscure carvings it had. “It looks like Roman numerals,” Craig Tester said, to which Marty followed up with, “It’s mysterious, and was found near the Money Pit. Anything close to the Money Pit needs to be investigated.” Yet the team were about to learn a bit more about the stone…

After the team gave the stone a good clean and brought it to their lab for inspection, the results suggested big things. They hovered a green light over the stone and soon enough, the brothers had a decent idea of where the stone may have originally come from. They claimed that it “suggests an early Viking presence on Oak Island.” Of course, this is a theory that has been well documented through the island’s investigations. However, this only adds fire to the flame.

It wasn’t just strange stones that Marty and Rick found in recent times. When the team was looking around Smith’s Cove in a recent episode, they came across a strange pair of tubes. “What is that?” Rick asked. As he gave the tubes a closer look, it appears that they were, in fact, man-made and even archeologist Laird Niven confirmed this, describing the strange structures as “tube plates.” However, there was one more fascinating development that came their way…

Seeing that right-angled objects are an indicator that man had a part to play in its creation, Rick and Marty Lagina were convinced that they stumbled across something huge when they found one. According to them, this strange object could, in fact, be the Chappell vault. This is one of the big mysteries that have plagued the Lagina’s minds for years and is believed to be full of gold, ancient artifacts and a variety of other valuables. Only time will tell…

A local legend claimed that seven people had to die before the Oak Island treasure would be discovered. To date, six have lost their lives in pursuit of it and just over a century separated the first death from the sixth. Upon discovering a sheepskin with an obscure message on it, Maynard Kaiser fell down the infamous Money Pit. One thing was for sure; Rick and Marty were well aware of this curse and have respected it their entire lives.

Whatever new developments come their way in the foreseeable future, there is no denying that the Lagina brothers have made a killing ever since turning their lifelong dream into a popular TV show. Seeing that Rick Lagina owns a part of Oak Island and is doing wonders for the History Channel, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that his net worth is in the region $2 million! However, brother Marty is making a lot more, with his businesses giving him a $50 million net worth.

Though the words “more than meets the eye” should be the one by which humans live, oftentimes, they can’t help but judge a book by its cover. For some, they never considered just how life-changing a makeover could truly be.

Jose Antonio was one such person whose outer appearance didn’t match the spirit hidden within. After being offered the chance to receive a makeover, however, he didn’t realize just how much his life would begin to change.

For most of his adult life, Spanish native, Jose Antonia lived out his days on the streets of his native Palma. Though Antonia had been trained in a technical field, it wasn’t lack of work that took him to the harsh climate of a life without a home. Instead, he found a struggle with mental illness made it difficult for him to fulfill the daily tasks necessary in order to maintain his usual routine. As a result, he found himself out on the pavement.

For nearly 25 years, Jose was a part of the landscape in Palma, as locals frequently passed him by as they went about their lives. They had all taken a liking to Jose, whom they affectionately called Josete. As the years wore on, several of the locals who got to know Jose wanted to help him get back on his feet. Without his knowledge, they began to devise a plan. Until the had the details nailed down, Jose was kept in the dark.

At only 30 years old, Jose lost his home. Though he didn’t have a roof over his head, it didn’t preclude him from continuing to try and earn money. He worked small jobs that paid scarcely, including a stint as a parking attendant in Majorca. The money he earned went towards buying food, but it wasn’t enough to earn him regular shelter. Salva Garcia was a Palma local who was used to seeing Jose on the street. She would be instrumental in changing his life.

After 25 years of being homeless, Jose had gotten used to his life. He was now 55 years-old but looked even older due to his living conditions. But after Garcia approached him, he was about to break out of his difficult situation. Garcia happened to be the owner of a hair salon in the area named ‘La Salvajeria’. Garcia suggested something to Jose that would change his life. She offered to give Jose a makeover at no cost.

Garcia recognized that Jose needed a new look if he wanted to find professional success once more. She understood it would take more than a haircut and a shave in order for him to be taken seriously at a job, even if his look shouldn’t have mattered. Garcia offered to cover the costs for his makeover, hoping that Jose would take her up on it. Jose was ready for the change and gladly accepted Garcia’s generosity.

As the two entered the hair salon, Jose felt a profound sense of discomfort. For 25 years, this kind of high-end establishment had remained out his reach, and he felt very much out of place in such a swanky place. Though he considered fleeing back to the comfort of the street, Jose knew that changing his look would be an important step for turning his life around. He would be shocked just how much of a difference it would make.

Jose stared at his reflection for a long time before Salva started the long makeover process. Before beginning, every mirror in the salon was taken down so that Jose would only see the final results. Jose asked Salva to, “Leave the doors over the mirror open for the moment so I can see myself for the last time like this, then close them to see if when they open again, it’s as if something else really opened up in my life, like a symbol.”

Jose walked into Garcia’s salon with long gray hair reaching his shoulders and a long and messy gray beard. For the last 25 years, Jose had not cared about his physical appearance. He had much more urgent matters to attend to, like where he would find his next meal, or where he would sleep. Naturally, Jose desired a change. He wanted to look and feel good but had no way of doing this on his own. Thankfully, he found Garcia.

When Salva first began cutting away at his hair and beard, Jose started to feel nervous and uneasy. Even though he had agreed to the makeover, Jose put very little thought into how the results would actually turn out, and he was frightened of the unknown. Nevertheless, he was hopeful that Garcia’s makeover would open some doors to new opportunities in his life and maybe even allow his to find a job and stand on his own two feet again.

Salva Garcia, along with her skillful team of hair and beard stylists, put in an incredible amount of effort into Jose’s makeover. Jose’s hair was so long that Garcia and her team needed to pin it onto the top of his head so they could let down more hair as they cut. Jose’s new look was finally coming along, and he was transforming into a stylish gentleman. With just a few more snips, his makeover would be complete.

Because his hair was so gray, Jose had the appearance of a man who was about 20 years older than his actual age. Jose admitted to Garcia that his hair had once been brown, so Garcia and her team of stylists chose to provide some hair color treatment so that Jose’s hair would return to its natural color and help him look younger. The hair-dying process was time-consuming, but Jose trusted that it would be worthwhile for a glorious transformation.

Because he had lived on the streets for so many years, Jose had fallen out of a regular shaving routine. The hair on his face was long, gray, and unkempt, so Garcia took the time to work on his beard as well. She first applied the same color treatment that she had given the hair on his head. Next, she worked on shaping his facial hair into a stylish and clean look. Jose’s new look was becoming a reality.

Chunks of hair continued to fall onto the salon’s floor, and Jose began to feel the weight of his life of poverty literally being lifted off of his shoulders. As a homeless man, it was rare for Jose to experience so much attention from other human beings. He wasn’t even used to people stopping on the street to have a conversation, let alone being provided with an all-expenses-paid professional salon makeover. He was enjoying every moment of it.

The first major change happened to Jose’s once bushy beard. It had previously been dry and brittle, which made it look unkempt. The stylists expertly applied a deep conditioning treatment to the beard, moisturizing it completely and bringing it back to life. Aside from a trim and overall clean up, the stylist also made sure to fully dye the beard. In a matter of a few short hours, Jose’s beard (and Jose!) began to look dramatically different.

After that, it was time to put the icing on top of the cake. The stylist moved on to the little details that make all the difference – they went to work by trimming every stray hair in order to give him a perfectly sleek jaw line, and Jose even allowed them to give him a shave. Once his hair was completely cleaned up, there still remained an important aspect of the makeover – the wardrobe update, of course.

They say that “The clothes make the man” and in the case of Jose’s total transformation makeover, nothing could be closer to the truth. It was time for Jose to do a final step in his transformation, which meant that it was time to put on some designer duds. As soon as he put on the clothes, he felt like a new person. They say that when you look good, you feel good, and it’s very true for Jose as well.

This picture shows Jose and what he looked like before his stunning transformation. He was tired looking and seemed way older than his actual age. He had old and worn out clothes that he had been wearing for the past 25 years. His hair was long and shaggy which only added to his scruffy and fatigued look. Take a long look at this picture and remember what he looked like because you will not believe his transformation.

Even the stylists were shocked by just how well Jose cleaned up. He was a totally new man, who bore no resemblance whatsoever to the craggy homeless man (who was a little bit worse for wear) who’d come into the salon just a few hours earlier. His unkempt and scraggly beard was replaced by a clean-cut, under control beard. However, there still remained an important element of the makeover. What would Jose think of his dramatic transformation?

After countless hours of work on the part of the salon’s staff, it was finally time for the big reveal. Jose’s reaction didn’t disappoint – when his new look was finally unveiled to him, his eyes filled with tears and he touched his own face in disbelief. When you’ve been down and out for so long, it’s natural to lose hope. But Jose was moved by the fact that as long as you’re alive, it’s never too late to start over.

Jose was so overwhelmed by the drastic change that he was a total loss for words. After a few minutes of shock and then euphoria, Jose managed to make a statement. He said, “My God, this is incredible, is this me? I’m so different, no one’s going to recognize me unless I tell them who I am.” His words proved true when his friends and local townspeople had no idea who he was once he stepped out of the salon!

After living as a homeless man for 25 years, Jose realized that he could have had a completely different life this whole time had he not been homeless. His new look gave him this sad reflection, but having seen himself like this, he realized he was being given this new opportunity to turn his life around. It was his new look that gave him hope and, Jose was determined to turn his hope for a new life into something that would become real.

Even with this hope for a new life, Jose could not believe the drastic change he was experiencing. He said, “I have totally changed. It’s not me!” Along with his new outlook, his outward appearance was completely different, and there was no missing this change following the big reveal. His new look gave him a more positive mindset, his posture and demeanor changed, and he was a completely new man. Although overcome with emotion following his transition, there was no wiping the smile of Jose’s face.

Jose returned to the monument he knew all so well; the place he spent his days smoking cigarettes and listening to tapes on his cassette. This time, however, it was as if he was returning as a different person, with a new outlook on life, and making this spot a place of his past. He was dressed in new clothes, looking somewhat stylish and trendy compared to his former attire, and was now completely unrecognizable. Jose was no longer that same homeless man who sat on that monument every day.

Even the people that were so familiar with Jose, such as the local waitresses in nearby restaurants, were shocked by his change. Nevertheless, they showed their support, giving big thumbs up and offering their compliments on how good he looked. Jose had gone from a man living on the streets to someone who could be modeling in magazines, and no one would have expected he lived as a homeless man. The man who was once best known as Josette was surprising everyone.

When the people of Palma caught sight of this man wearing red pants, they wondered who he could be. No one would have even guessed it could have been the familiar homeless man they had seen the last 25 years. A man was captured saying “No Josette?!” with another joking, “Where’s your Ferrari?” These were just a few reactions given to Jose’s shock transformation since no one could believe it. Even Jose was finding the whole experience hard to believe.

When Jose visited his local bar, a bar he had been to many times, he ordered a beer and was given one by the waitress who did not engage in any conversation. Jose later questioned him by asking, “Do you not recognize me?” Looking confused, the waiter stared at Jose for some time before responding, “I do know you now!” Jose was no longer a recognizable face at first glance, and even those who had met him before were unaware when Jose was in their presence.

Among all the surprised reactions Jose was getting, many women were left completely speechless from his transformation. They would tell him he is “very, very handsome,” and Jose would respond with “thank you very much.” Everyone who knew Jose before and saw his new look thought the work done on the formerly homeless man was remarkable. It became apparent that a haircut and a change of clothes could make such a difference in someone’s appearance and interactions with people.

In the blink of an eye, shortly after Jose’s transformation was posted online, it became an absolute viral sensation. One day, he was a nobody. The next, he was a celebrity. Everyone wanted a piece of Jose. “It wasn’t just a change of look. It changed my life,” he said. As a result of his newfound fame, a company is now financially helping him out. This means that Jose no longer lives on the streets and has now been given a fresh start.

Even the people who Jose used to work for were shocked. One local lady by the name of Paola Bocardo was pleasantly surprised. “I’m lost for words,” she said. “Jose helps me to park my car every day. When we saw him after his makeover we didn’t recognize him. He’s a wonderful person and the video is amazing.” Jose has even been jokingly referred to as the Spanish Hugh Jackman. “What I want now is a proper job,” he said. Now he’s a silver fox…

Jose is now on the look for love with his new look. Seeing that no one can recognize him, the ladies out there have no idea about his awesome transformation. One day he was just scruffy homeless man. But now, this guy is looking slicker than your average! Now that he is so attractive and well-groomed, all the ladies seem to want a piece of him. It seems like this drastic change has been just as shocking for Jose.

When a businessman passed through the restaurant that Jose works at, he simply couldn’t believe it. Jose works as an assistant, moving parked cars in the parking lot. The businessman simply couldn’t get his head around how good Jose looked. Overwhelmed with emotion, he went up to Jose and gave him a massive hug. He was just so happy for him and wanted to sincerely congratulate him. It’s not every day that you get to meet the Spanish Hugh Jackman!

Seeing that Jose Antonio is nowadays quite the silver fox, he is glad to be able to keep things natural. That’s not all though. Jose shaved his beard, which means he’s looking the cleanest he’s been since he was a child. In fact, it’s not just Hugh Jackman that the locals compared Jose to. They also thought he looked a lot like the original silver fox, George Clooney. When you’re being compared to these types of celebrities, you know you’re doing something right.

Jose ended up developing cataracts after being homeless for 25 years. Having such a bad diet, living outside and constantly being out in the sun will do considerable damage to your eyes. It’s safe to say that Jose had it tough for a long time. However, his fortune was about to turn around, especially after receiving a number of surgeries. As a result, Jose now has great vision once again. This now means that he both looks good and can see well.

As a result of his amazing transformation, Jose’s life improved in a number of ways. He now looks fantastic, he has a part-time job, and now he’s receiving financial aid to improve his quality of life. But probably the most important effect of his makeover is that Jose is not homeless anymore. Now he has an apartment with his very own bed. Now he gets the chance to sleep comfortably. He is currently in search of a full-time job.