About This Coin
A coin with a distinctive woven pattern on its surface, recovered by Rick Lagina and Gary Drayton from the circular depression on Lot 5 during the Season 11 premiere. The coin's identification produced differing assessments from the two experts who examined it.
Emma Culligan's XRF analysis revealed a composition of brass, iron, manganese, calcium, and phosphorus. She reported that the composition matched a 13th-century French denier, a small silver or billon coin that served as the basic unit of currency across medieval France and was widely used in Templar-era commerce.
Numismatist Sandy Campbell disagreed with the French attribution. Based on the woven design and overall character of the coin, he suggested it could be from India and dated it to the 6th to 8th century. Indian coins from this period, particularly those from the Gupta and post-Gupta dynasties, occasionally featured textile-like patterns and were struck in copper or billon alloys. However, an Indian coin on Oak Island would be difficult to explain through any known historical framework.
The conflicting assessments have not been resolved. The coin was one of four found together on Lot 5, alongside a Tudor portcullis coin, a Roman coin from 100-300 AD, and a second Roman coin estimated at over 2,000 years old.
Historical Context
Sandy Campbell (numismatic identification), Emma Culligan (XRF); The Curse of Oak Island Season 11 Episode 1
Where It Was Found
Found at Lot 5 (circular depression) — Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
