About This Coin
A cut coin recovered by Gary Drayton and Peter Fornetti while metal detecting 10 tons of spoils removed from the Lot 5 round feature during Season 12. Emma Culligan's XRF analysis showed the coin was silver with high chlorine, indicating prolonged saltwater exposure. The practice of cutting coins was common from the 15th through 18th centuries as a method of making change or paying crew when smaller denominations were unavailable.
The coin was found in spoils from the same round stone feature that had produced Roman coins, Venetian trade beads, a 14th-century lead barter token, and pottery spanning the 14th through 18th centuries. The silver composition and saltwater indicators distinguish this coin from the predominantly copper coins found elsewhere on the island and suggest possible maritime origins.
Historical Context
Gary Drayton, Peter Fornetti; XRF by Emma Culligan. The Curse of Oak Island Season 12 Episode 1
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 4 (spoils removed from Lot 5 round feature) — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
