Will ‘The Curse of Oak Island’ Find Real Treasure? Fans Share Doubts Ahead of Season 12
History Channel fans have reason to excavate their calendars. The Curse of Oak Island, starring brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, is returning for Season 12 on Tuesday, November 12, at 9/8c. But will the fabled treasured hoard finally be discovered after a decade of hunting and amid some miner concerns from fans?
Season 12 of the long-running treasure-hunting show sees the brothers use new technology and strategies to dig deeper into Oak Island’s mysteries. They’ll explore depths never reached in the Money Pit area, South Shore, and Smith’s Cove. According to the trailer, “Brothers Rick and Marty Lagina return with their boldest plans yet.”
In the trailer, one team member excitedly says, “We’re digging up the first-ever searcher shaft on Oak Island.” The Laginas say, “Shaft 2 is like the Holy Grail,” explaining that they know they’re “14 feet” away from the money pit.
Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, has captivated treasure hunters for centuries. Most recently, the hunt for the elusive Oak Island Treasure has been taken up by the on-air brothers. While they have not found the main treasure hoard, they and other treasure hunters have found many intriguing artifacts over the years including these:
- The Money Pit: Perhaps the biggest breakthrough on Oak Island was the famed Money Pit, which was dug up all the way back in 1795 but never fully excavated, many of the biggest discoveries have been there.
- Garnet Pin: The Laginas discovered the Garnet Pin while metal detecting on Lot 8. The gemstone brooch dates back tothe 16th century and was valuable treasure found by the Laginas. It was located near where Daniel McGuiness, who discovered The Money Pit, had lived.
- Copper Coin: In Season 1, the Laginas also discovered the 1652 Spanish Maravedi in the swamp. The copper coin from 1652 suggests that there was activity on the island long before the discovery of the Money Pit.
- Granite Stone: Found 90 feet down the Money Pit was a granite stone, one carved with unique symbols that have never been accurately deciphered. The team got the translation: “Forty feet below, two million pounds are buried.”
- Iron Swages: The Laginas found two iron objects in Lot 21, on the western end of the island. These were then specified as swages, a type of blacksmith tool and dated as far back as the 14th century and hinting at early mining operations.
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However, fans recently voiced their concerns that the search has slowed in recent seasons and with the format. Ahead of Season 12, Rick shared a message with fans on Instagram (above) asking, “give us your feedback.” Many of the comments were not complimentary.
“Stop give flash backs every five minutes and explaining things from previous episodes. If the film crew cannot find 42 minutes of fresh material in one week of shooting, then the island won and the dig has gone bust. I like the show, but I’m tired of old material,” one fan wrote.
“Please; the repetitive backstory…consistently…I’ve been watching since the first show, now I sadly watch fast forwarding most of it because it’s the same thing over and over again,” wrote another.
“Been watching since Day 1! These other commenters are spot on, the backstory is beyond excessive,” wrote a third. “It feels like the narrator is stretching for time but the audience would much rather see the actual segments extended instead. Either way I’m very excited for the return, and hope the guys get back into Smith’s Cove, there seemed to be a ton of stuff in there!
A fourth surmised, “Find the f***ing treasure. It’s getting boring.”
“If you want feedback, please read it. EVERYONE wants the narrator gone. He takes over the whole show. Everything is repeated a million times. “Will set my PVR so I can skip the 30 min of commercials and skip the 20 minutes of recaps and watch the actual 10 minutes of new show information,” wrote a fifth.
In a recent Reddit thread, fans theorized the main treasure had even already been found, just not by the Laginas.
“The Lagina Brothers are smart. They must have realized the truth years ago. They are only continuing because they are paid to do so. They get treasure every year from the show producers,” they accused. “But like Pro Wrestling, they know it’s all for show, the Dig is for entertainment purposes alone.”
The Curse of Oak Island, Season 12 Premiere, Tuesday, November 12, 9/8c, History Channel
Conversation28 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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C
To me, the show hasn't been about the treasure in the last few years. Find the history. Tell the story of the island. Far more interesting than a treasure which may or may not exist. Many calls for removing the narrator, I agree. His leading questions in every episode are silly and predictable. He adds nothing to the show.
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C
Watched from season 1 and absolutely love it but like all the rest of the poeple who watch it say, stop repeating stuff over and over again. We want new content, I'd rather watch 15mins of new stuff than an hour of not much anymore. Everyone else has said it much better than me but all we want is to stop repeating stuff repeatedly.
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G
I’ve been watching since day one! So intrigued by the whole story. As a well baited hook I was a fan caught immediately! However now I can only watch maybe every other episode because of the repetitive nature of every episode! The narrator is now part of an ongoing joke with myself and friends each of us recounting our thoughts on the episodes we watch! Please speed it up, get to the point! I don’t want to give up but I know it’s becoming unbearable to watch anymore!!!
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R
There is no media or news outlet anywhere that has reported the treasure being found in season 12. Bearing in mind that season 12 in real time is probably finished or finishing for the onslaught of Canadian winter, I believe it is fair to state that the treasure has still not been located now during season 12 either. Otherwise every news outlet would be sharing the discovery.
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B
Love the show, been watching since day one. Narrator is annoying beyond belief. Uses the same 5 phrases the entire show and wastes the viewers time with the consistent re-cap of previous events. Probably not going to watch it this season because you only get 10 minutes of actual new film. 🙁
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O
The repetitiveness and redundancy are beyond the pale. Why can't those "geniuses" figure out how to turn off the seawater coming through the flood tunnel? They have never struck me as being intelligent enough to find much of anything. Marty went from being the skeptic for the first seven seasons to being a simpering dreamer blathering on about treasure every episode these days. But what have they actually found besides a lost broach and a little bit of ancient loose change. Lead weights? Iron spikes? Who cares? I think the treasure was removed nearly 300 years ago and the Laginas are taking us for a ride while they search for anything left behind.
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O
I agree the narrator repeats things over and over until I could scream. I've been a loyal watcher of the show. I love the history of the dig. But if they keep repeating the same things over and over, I don't know how much longer I can hang in. If you don't know the references, watch it ALL like the loyal fans have. We know all the artifacts and testing methods. Give us more of the show.
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G
Maybe just air the show every other year, build up enough footage and artifacts etc. Have special half hour episodes if something of interest is found.
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P
I agree that the ever-present restating of the back story is getting very boring; and I record the show to fast-forward. BUT the Laginas and crew fascinate me; the historical puzzle intrigues me; and I will be very sad when the adventure is over. The Laginas and their ever-growing Fellowship have become part of my life over the past 11 years, soon to be the start of 12 (Jan. 5, 2014). God Bless them.
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O
I think it is educational. Perhaps a briefing in the introduction is enough.
I am sure that actual research is not very exciting. So maybe more around the actual digging search? I think we as fans, can take that everyday is not a find day.
Even though I am a real prophet. I can't get a answer to the pyramids. Nor can I get a answer about that treasure. They want us to figure it out still. So thank you. Loyal fan and excited for season 12. I will be watching. ❤️
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P
I tried drinking every time we saw a recap. I was drunk as hell by the end.
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R
After watching 11 years of this sh☆t. I believe I might find more in my back yard than they have found on OAK ISLAND.
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R
I have been watching since the first show, I am really tired of seeing the same history of every find over and over again. Seems like they know there is no treasure and they are just stretching this out to make a show. It is really getting boring now.......
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G
Haaaaaaaaaaaa! NO! They will never find anything. Except all the money they get each time the show is renewed!
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G
i just wish they'd say the name of that place more often. what's it called? oh yeah, "the money pit". so hard to remember
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G
Forget the treasure. I could retired on the money spent over the last 12 years
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P
This is just a scripted reality show, they will never find anything, if you are still watching and waiting for the treasure to be found, YOU ARE STUPID
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G
Been watching for years - still waiting and waiting and waiting for them to uncover the ship (?) in the swamp. Why burn and bury a ship if not to hide something? Oh wait - a treasure???
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G
Let's face it. IF the treasure was found. If it was "earth shaking, it would have been in ALL the news outlets as the top story. CNN would have picked it up and done their usual thing of re-reporting the story every 10 minutes. The Canadian Government would have seized the island for it's worth and historic value and it probably would have been "off limits" to Rick, Marty and the team because they are not Canadian Subjects. The Treasure was dug up and taken "long ago" and we are being strung along to bolster the viewers audience for commercial purposes. And DUMP THE ANNOUNCER, with his rhetorical comments!
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B
Have been watching the show since the first season, great to see the guys metal detecting, using sonic waves looking for voids and erecting that massive coffer damn, exiting, but when it came to all this core drilling I started thinking who the hell a few hundred years ago would have been able to hide treasure over 100ft down plus make booby traps out of running sea water 🤔 im not sure anymore to be honest.
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G
It’s original, entertaining and historically exciting. Good job. Keep up the brilliant work.
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G
Craig Tester is a bore, and acts like he’s some hotshot. I would like to see Rick and Marty talking about the discoveries they have made.
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C
I dvd the program so I can fast forward through the commercials and the yada yada. I love history BUT it's getting old on the recapping throughout the years from the beginning of tapping of the show untill now.... haha and you call it a NEW episode.
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R
Used to watch faithfully but the constant repeat of the narrator and just a tidbit of something new became beyond ridiculous. I hope they find the treasure. I'm sure it'll be on the news and then I'll just go watch the 2 minutes of the show where they find it, if I can get past the broken record.
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P
Not sure but still think some treasure is there due to the gold and silver traces in the water tests from bore holes
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O
The well that has a high silver reading? Silver can used as a bacterial shield, keeping water safer to drink. There may be a significant amount of silver in the lining or spring for this purpose.
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B
Here we go again! Gid bless and watch over you All !!
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B
There has never been any treasure. Anyone building flood tunnels and digging the money pit over 100 feet would have been a massive undertaking and very noticeable to Samuel Ball and people on shore.
Remember it all started when three boys saw lights on the island one night. They investigated and found some disturbed soil. They excavated 30 feet down, just the three of them, a hole 10 feet in diameter. That was a pretty big effort for three teenage boys. Then they had to fill it back in.
One came back 30 years later.
If anyone was burying or retrieving treasure the night of the mysterious lights it would have been the culmination of weeks of work by dozens or scores of men. That work could not be hidden and kept secret.
If someone buried treasure there centuries earlier (Knights Templar) what was up with the mysterious lights? Someone retrieving the treasure wouldn’t be able to do it in one night.
It is now and has always been a fantasy. All the artifacts only prove people have been messing around on the island for centuries.
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