Following is an incomplete listing of artefacts discovered on Oak Island as compiled by treasure hunter, the late David Tobias. Clicking an item title will take you to additional information and in many cases, a PDF link which offers further supporting materials on the artefact.
| Item | When Found | Where Found |
|---|---|---|
| Layers of ashes or "characoal" | 1804 | Original "Money Pit" |
| Layer of coconut fiber | 1804 | Original "Money Pit" |
| Oak platforms every 10': made up of oak logs 6 to 8 inches in diameter "tightly attached to the sides" of the Money Pit | 1795 1804-5 |
Original "Money Pit" |
| 2' settling of earth below first platform | 1795 1804-5 | Original "Money Pit" |
| Oak partially rotted but still capable of supporting 10' of earth. | 1795 1804-5 | Original "Money Pit" |
| Spruce platform rather than oak at 98' | 1894 | Original "Money Pit" |
| Long inclinded Ramp, beneath Smith's Cove | 1936 1970 (Sept) | Smith's Cove between low tide line and cofferdam |
| Fan drains and filter at Smith's Cove | 1850 1863 1866 1936 1961 1970 | Smith's Cove: between high and low tide levels |
| Huge boulder offshore Smith's Cove | 1970 | Smith's Cove, Southeast portion below low tide line |
| 500' tunnel at about 110' depth to Smith's Cove | 1850 1864 1897 | Money Pit to Smith's Cove; dimensions at Money Pit end claimed to be 2 1/2' wide by 4' high |
| Shaft at South Shore beach | 1965 1966 | 25' South of "Stone Triangle" |
| Ice holes off South Shore beach | 1980 1987 | Off South Shore |
| Hydrolic lock | 1803 1861 | between 104' and 114' in original Money Pit |
| Puddled clay and/or "Putty" | 1897 1967 | Money Pit area approximately 115' to 200' depth. Blair says puddled clay encountered from 125 ft until "Iron" object struck at 170' which would be about 115 to 160' in today's measure. Triton encountered from 160' to 200' |
| Tunnel existing at 115' from Money Pit to South Shore | 1898. 1931. 1942. 1980 & 1987 (see "Ice Holes). 1992 1993 | Money Pit end found in Chappell Shaft at 115' in 1931 and in Hamilton Shaft in 1942 at 150' but the latter contradicts in that it found the entrance on the east side rather than the southwest. South Shore ends found in 1898 at 3 locations on or below the low tide line. Hydraulic connection to South Shore also surmised by 4 ice holes found in 1980 and during drilling/pumping action in 1993. |
| Iron "Plate" at 170' | 1896 | In Money Pit at 170' (see F.L. Blair's 1926 account which says 170' versus others which say 171') |
| 40' deep cavity from 142' to 182' in Money Pit area | 1965 | Money Pit area. Several boreholes (approximately 139' to 189') |
| Use of "cement" | 1896 1910 1967 | Money Pit Area |
| Road from Money Pit beneath swamp to Joudrey's Cove "underwater wharf" or Island's west end | 1795 | Money Pit to Joudrey's Cove shore near large boulder and possible remnants of Stone "Wharf" or to west end of Island "British Colonist" article dated Jan 2, 1864 "they found that the remains of a tolerably well made road from it to the west shore of the island were still discernable" |
| Large oak stakes submerged in swamp | In Nolan's portion of swamp | |
| Stone "Wharf" underwater in Joudrey's Cove | below low tide line on beach east of the large boulder marking the northwestern arm of the "Christian Cross" | |
| Second stone "triangle' on South Shore pointing North to Cave-In Pit | 1972 (March 20) | Approximately 480' southeast of Money Pit |
| Shaft in SW corner of Swamp | In Triton Alliances' portion of the swamp 6' below today's water line. | |
| Narrow 'wells", stone lined, 5' deep | ||
| Three large piles of stones forming an arrowhead | ||
| Westerly Drilled Rock - 1" x 2" hole | 1896, 1937 | About 50' north of Money Pit |
| Easterly Drilled Rock | 1937 | Near Smith's Cove beach |
| Stone-lined depression with plate in each corner | Near 10X Shaft | |
| Cemented-in spot on "Christian Cross" boulder | Joudrey's Cove beach, this boulder forms the north-western end of the "Christian Cross" arm | |
| Square shaft filled with boulders | Near Christian Cross. Above top of stem | |
| "X" on Apex Stone of "Stone Triangle" | 1959 | |
| 30' shaft in high ground located through use of 2 drilled rocks and Stone Triangle | 1962 | |
| At 65' found old whale oil lamp filled with oil (Heddon Log); | 1938 | at 65' in Hedden Shaft |
| At 80' found old oak stump (Heddon Log) | 1983 | at 80' in Hedden Shaft |
| Timber with bolt on which Chappell set the drill when drilling for treasure in 1897 | 1931 | at depth of 90' in the Chappell Shaft |
| Huge ring-bolt in boulder visible at very low tide | 1795 | Smith's Cove? |
| Partially burned piece of oak found at same depth of approx 5' below surface | 1850 | Adjacent to Smith's Cove drains |
| Oak tree on Island: Cut down and found end of knife blade with crescent tip. Tree calculated to date from 1748 or earlier. | 1931 | |
| Teir of flagstones athey later "ascertainted that these stones were not indigenous to the island but must have been brought from Gold River, about two miles distant". | 1795 | about 2' down in the original Money Pit |
| Red clover and other plants foreign to the soil were growing over part of the cleared area | 1795 | Clearing surrounding the Money Pit |
| Marks and figures on trunk of rock | 1795 | Overhanging Money Pit |
| Branch with old tackle block was 4' long and 18' up from the ground | 1795 | On oak tree overhanging Money Pit |
| Wooden tunnel (tree-nail) converting the fork into a small triangle | 1795 | On branch of oak tree overhanging Money Pit |
| Triangle of three oaks with carvings in them around Money Pit | 1795 | Surrounding Money Pit |
| Second ring-bolt embedded in a boulder underwater | 1795+ | Off the north shore of the island |
| Whistle "made of bone or ivory, of a very ancient pattern and peculiar design" | 1885 (circa) | The soil of the shore between the cofferdam and the shore line |
| Whistle, about three inches long, also of bone or ivory and shaped like a violin | 1901 (circa) | |
| Copper coin, weighing an ounce and a half, dated 1317. Another version gives the date as 1713, "which is more likely" | 1890+ | |
| Thin disk ofmetal embedded in the core, bright on one side | 1909 | |
| Bits of china, blue and gold | 1933 | 14' from 1931 Chappell Shaft at a depth below 123 ft. |
| A bulkhead composed of oak and cement 14" thick was drilled through at 136'. The drill then dropped 33' to 169', clear of everything, then entered mud and bits of oak in a state of decay to 176' where it struck a solid substance | 1933 | Borehole #13 from 136 to 169' (approximately 126 to 159' today) |
| Oak timbers at 10' intervals, void 100' to 110' plus void 110' to 155' then clay to 190' | 1955 | In 4th Borehole (approximately 100' to 145' today) |
| Found 300 metal objects using a metal detector | 1965 (August) | Various places on Oak Island |
| An anchor | 1965 (August) | Offshore (underwater) |
| Spanish "Maradevi" coin dated 1598 | 1965 (August) | On the site of Anthony Graves's house. O'Connor claims that this coin was found near Joudrey's Cove. |
| Pieces of china | 1965 (August) | Offshore (underwater) |
| Several iron rings underwater | 1965 (August) | Offshore (underwater) |
| Third ring bolt in rock | 1965 (August) | South Shore (not far from the Stone Triangle) |
| Drilled Money Pit area with their deepest hole going past bedrock to 212'. Brought up samples of oak and spruce, coconut fiber and ships caulking (probably puddled clay) from depths of 150' and more | 1958 | Money Pit |
| Inscribed stone"claims to have a picture of the sun with flaming rays, surrounded by some strange letters he could not read" | 1934-1938 | |
| Stone Monument or Marker | 1993? | 206' above top-most boulder in the stem of "Christian Cross" |
| "Medallion" (crest? inscription?) " approximately 6" square bronze colored relief with darker background. looks Heraldic and European in nature | 1995 | Not disclosed |
| Ashes (of cremated bone ) | 1967+ | Under rock piles |
| Scissors from Smith's Cove | 1970 | 18" under Smith's Cove by fan drain |
| Large Shoe | 1966+ | By west-end "wharf(s)" |
| Small shoe | 1966+ | By west-end "wharf(s)" |
| Metal fragments from borehole 10X | 1969 | between 150' & 200 |
| Heart Shaped Stone | 1970 | under smith's Cove (3 ft. deep) between low and high tide |
| Pottery flasks, some with mercury residue | 1937 | Near Joudrey's Cove |
| Free mercury in clay at end of drilll bit | 1934 | On drill bit brought up from hole drilled in vicinity of Money Pit |
| Parchment | 1897 | In Money Pit about 154' |
| Nut (or washer) | 1966 | South Shore Shaft below 60' |
| Hand wrought nail | 1966 | South Shore Shaft below 60' |
| Srone "triangle" pointing North | 1896, 1937 | Near South Shore due south of the Money Pit |
| "Christian Cross" | 1981 | |
| Inscribed Stone at 90' in Money Pit | 1803 | At 90' level |
| Wrought iron Caulking Tool (also referred to as "a piece of metal or cast iron") | 1970 | Beneath Smith's Cove |
| Wrought Iron ruler or framing square | 1970 | Beside one of the buried logs numbered with Roman numerals in Smith's Cove |
| Sout Shore cofferdam | 1961 | Underwater off southeast shore |
| Wrought Iron scissors near one of Nolan's shafts | 1963-64? | Embedded in earth near one of the 30' deep shafts he had dug between 1963 and 1964. |
| Cavity at bottom of borehole 10X | 1970 | 180' northeast of Money Pit on the line joining the easterly and westerly drilled rocks at a depth from about 22 to 235' |
| Three pieces of wire which was copper | 1849 | Brought up by the auger from the fifth drill hole into Money Pit at about 100' |
| Valuable item from Money Pit | 1849 | Fro m Money Pit drill core sample |
| The Money Pit | 1795 | Possibly 15' north of north wall of Chappell Shaft (1931) and 10' west of northeast corner of Hedden Shaft |
| Hand-sawed boards in Smith's Cove | 1970 | In mud near log structure |
| Three other drilled rocks | 1967-70 (circa) | North of the Money Pit |
| Three links of gold chain | 1849 | From 2nd drill hole into Money Pit at about 100' |
| Third drilled rock | 1961 | Smith's Cove Beach |
| Tip of smooth stones from the beach, with figures and letters cut on them | 1804 | In Money Pit at the 50' level |
| Miner's seal oil lmap | 1931 | Chappell Shaft at 127' |
| Pieces of granite below ground in Money Pit area | 1931 | Chappell Shaft at 116', 130' and 150' |
| Underground stream below Hamilton Shaft | 1942? | 12' below Hamilton shaft |
| Piece of Juniper with bark on it- cut and each end with an edge tool | 1861 | In west shaft about 118' down |
| Sprce slab with a mining auger hole in it | 1861 | in west shaft about 118' down |
| Part of the bottom of a keg | 1861 | In west shaft about 118' down |
| Iron at 126' | 1897 | Boring down from 90' in Money Pit |
| Iron at 157' | 1938 (July) | Borehole #15 in Money Pit area |
| Hard Metal at 198' | 1967 | In Money Pit area |
| Cave-In Pit Shaft | 1878 | Located about 2/3 of the way between the Money Pit east to Smith's Cove |
| Silver Spanish Coin dated 1785 | 1930 | Near the foundation of Anthony Grave's house |
| Stick of Oak Timber of considerable girth and 3 1/2' in length and black with age | 1861 | Pushed out at 118' from Money Pit in 1861 collapse. |
| "Acadian axe" brought up in excavating the Chappell Shaft | 1931 | At 123' level in 1931 Chappell Shaft |
| Large granite rock with Roman numeral II plus inscriptions. | 1936 | Half buried in the sand along the beach at Joudrey's Cove |
| 'Coin" judged to date back to Elizabethan period | 1937 | Found near dump of pottery flasks |
| Three piles of stones | 1961 | |
| Sump Shaft | 1863, 1867, 1960 | Exact location unknown |
| Gold shavings from Money Pit | Pre - 1990 | From Money Pit area |
| Small bit of Gold from Triton Shaft | 1974? | From bottom of Triton Shaft at about 90' |
| Original cofferdam at Smith's Cove | 1850 | In SMith's Cove beyond the Truro Company's cofferdam. |
| A neat row of 2" timbers approximately 3' long and in good condition | 1970 (Sept) | Beneath Smith's Cove. See George Bate's Schematic dated Sept. 18, 1970 |
| Two or three boards laid horizontially and tight together about 3' high | 1970 (Sept) | Beneath Smith's Cove beach close to shoreline. |
| A Searchers Shaft about 4' wide and 8' long | 1970 (Sept) | |
| Pieces of charcoal still embedded in a large piece of vegetation (called coconut fiber) | Sept 19 to Oct 14 1970 | Beneath Smith's Cove |
| Clearing in woods surrounding Money Pit with old oak stumps and new growth | 1795 | Immediately around Money Pit location |
| Two pieces of a dish | 1970 (Sept) | Taken out in the vicinity of the loose logs (item #1) (i.e. the "long inclined ramp"). |
| A piece of dish and a piece of mug | 1970 (Sept) | Found under "long inclined ramp" |
| Possible flood tunnel drain outside Triton's 1970 cofferdam in Smith's Cove | 1970 (Sept) | Just above low tide line and just outside the north end of the Triton cofferdam |
| Old two-inch brass buckle | 1963-64 | In the bottom of one of two 30' deep shafts dug by Nolan |
| Rocks with round hole bored or chisled into them. Some with pieces of metal inserted into the surfaces. | 1963+ | On Nolan's property |
| Pieces of old hand-cut wood one of which has old iron hinges intact | 1963+ | Known by Nolan |
| Piece of wood off the side of a sailing ship | 1963+ | In swamp on Nolab's property |
| Old branding iron about 12" long with an iron handle | 1963+ | From the swamp on Nolan's property |
| Small beach stones under boulder marking south arm of the "Christian Cross" | 1981 | |
| Lock with cross shaped keyhole | 1963+ | Presumably on Oak Island, perhaps in hole dug by Nolan near the north shore at Joudrey's Cove. |
| Old Railway Trolley with wheels that run on a track | 1963+ | Beneath mus in Nolan's part of the swamp |
| Old dagger acquired from the heirs of Sophia Sellers | ? | Unknown (possibility Nolan knows) |
| Pieces of dishes and culinary (knives and forks) | 1963+ | 6' down in a hole dug by Nolan near the north shore at Joudrey's Cove |
| Sandstone Survey Markers had "marks and figures on them" | 1963+ | On Nolan's property (and perhaps beyond) |
| Sandstone "Headstone" of the "Christian Cross" | 1981 (June) | On Nolan's property. See diagram in Crooker's, "Oak Island Gold", Pg. 180 and reference to iron bar placed by Nolan to detont "exact location of the center or the cheek below the point of the dagger." (Pg. 178) |
| Dagger-shaped groove in "Headstone" of the "Christian Cross" | 1981 (June) | On the "Cheek of the Headstone" |
| Pieces of an old wrought iron pot bellied stove under southern arm boulder of the "Christan Cross" | 1981 | Diagram on pg. 180 of Crooker's book, "Oak Island Gold" (Cone "B") |
| Broken chain links from borehole 10X | 1969 | From depth between 166' and 175' in Bowmaster drill hole #10 |
| Hand-forged wrought iron spike below Smith's Cove | 1970 | U-shaped structure where "heavy planks were nailed across the uprights" |
| Spruce coated with pitchblende from 10X | 1971 | From 27" reboring (10X) at a depth of 167" |
| Chunks of rust-stained cement from 10X | 1971 | From a depth of 165' in borehole 10X (27" reboring) |
| Underground Watercourse through 10X at 180' | 1971 | At juncture where 10X's 27" steel casing ended and bedrock begins |
| Knives and Forks under southern arm boulder of the "Christian Cross" | 1981 | Diagram on pg. 180 of Crokker's Book, "Oak Island Gold" (Cone "B") |
| Maple keys from clay-filled depression in Money Pit area (mistakenly referred to as "oak buds") | 1967 | In Various Becker boreholes into "puddled" clay-filled "hole in the bedrock" below 160' |
| Metal "plate" in Triton Shaft location | 1973 | From borehole #301 in middle of Triton Shaft location below level where wrought iron wire was retrieved |
| "Below-bedrock" cavities in Money Pit area | 1967 1969 | Located below bedrock shelf from about 193' to 199' in Becker borehole #24; from 191' 6" to 197' 6" in borehole #25 and from about 196' to 208' in borehole #35. Also in Bowmaster borehole #9 in 1969 from 200' to 206'. |
| Bits of charcole from clay filled depression in Money Pit area | 1967 | From Becker borehole #35 at depth from 178' to 192' |
| Brick-like "clinker" material from clay-filled depression in Money Pit area | 1967 | From Becker borehole #35 at depth from 178' to 192' |
| Anchor Fluke | 1931 | Chappell Shaft |
| Coconut Fiber | 1795 1896, 1937 1960+ 1967 1970 | Money Pit, Smith's Cove |
| Brass fragment from Money Pit | 1967 | From Becker borehole #21 at 176' level |
| Pieces of china from Money Pit area | 1967 or 1969 | From borehole(s) in Money Pit area |
| Wood borings brought up from Money Pit | 1967 1969 | In Money Pit area- specifically Becker boreholes # 5, 24, & 33 |
| Two large ring bolts set in granite boulders | 1963+ | On Nolan's Oak Island property |
| Wire pieces(s) from Triton Shaft location | 1973 | From a borehole drilled in the middle of where Triton Shaft is located at depth of about 110' |
| "Metal strap "cemented" to stone near old "shaft" at northwest corner of Island" | 1971 (April) | "A few hundred feet north of the causeway." |
| White and Pink coloration in seaward "flood tunnel entrances" | 1979 | in suspected South Shore flood tunnel entrance location (see "Ice Hole" locations) |
| "Air bubbles in Triton Shaft" | 1981 | In Triton Shaft from 65 feet down |
| "Tunnel" in Triton Shaft | 1974 | In Triton Shaft at about 101' 6" |
| "Large granite stone with straight while line of quartz (natural)." | 1979 | Near "Cave-in Pit" and "Stone-lined depression with plates" |
| "Yellow china found under one of the stones in the quartz-lined boulder formation." | 1979 | Near "Cave-in Pit" and "Stone-lined depression with plates" |
| Offshore dumpe of "Originator's Tailings" | 1972 | Offshore Oak Island at locations known to Dan Blankenship |
| "Line of four large stones" | 1972 | In unclear area of the Island to Dan Blankenship |
| "At least two lines of large stones" | 1972 | In uncleared area of the Island known to Dan Blankenship |
| "Spike from old wharf at northwest corner of Island" | 1971 (April) | "A few hundred feet north of the causeway" |
| "Unidentified metal strap near old "wharf" at northwest corner of Island" | 1971 (April) | "A few hundred feet north of the causeway" |
| "Metal? Near old "wharf" at northwest corner of Island" | 1971 (April) | "A few hundred feet north of the causeway" |
| "Metal strap "cemented" to stone near old "shaft" at northwest corner of Island" | 1971 (April) | "A few hundred feet north of the causeway" |
| "Burnt places in saucer-shaped depressions including bone ash" | 1970 (circa) | To be determined |
| "Pieces of old wood from Borehole 201X some of which were cut by an axe" | 1971 (January) | Map coordinates B-12 about 97' northeast of borehole 10X and about 257' northeast of Money Pit at depths from 86' to 170' |
| "Wood fragments from Borehole 10X" | 1971 | From 167' to 169' in Borehole 10X |
| "Rose bush root beneath Smith's Cove" | 1969 (November) | "Near the bottom of large horse-shoe shaped cement and stone foundation approximately 2' below the earth on the edge of the beach in Smith's Cove" |
| "Clay with post-glacial pollen" | 1967? 1970 (summer) | In borehole #3 and #201 |
| "Leather sieve or sole found beneath Smiths Cove" | 1970 | About 3' beneath Smith's Cove beach behind Triton's cofferdam |
