About This Coin
A coin identified by numismatist Sandy Campbell as Roman and probably more than 2,000 years old, the fourth of four coins recovered by Rick Lagina and Gary Drayton from the circular depression on Lot 5 during the Season 11 premiere. No detailed XRF composition was reported for this coin in the episode.
If Campbell's estimate is correct, the coin dates to the late Roman Republic or early Imperial period, roughly the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. This would make it contemporary with the half Roman coin found on Lot 5 during Season 10, which Sandy Campbell initially dated from 300 BC to 600 AD and which Umberto Moruzzi later narrowed to the 4th century AD. Laser ablation testing of that earlier coin traced its origin to the Iberian Peninsula or Mediterranean, consistent with Roman mining operations in Spain and Portugal.
The coin is one of at least six Roman-era coins recovered from Lot 5, a lot with no known history of habitation. The concentration has led the team to consider whether the circular stone feature on the lot may have served as a collection point, dump site, or ceremonial deposit connected to pre-1795 activity on the island.
Historical Context
Sandy Campbell (numismatic identification); The Curse of Oak Island Season 11 Episode 1
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 5 (circular depression) — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
