OAN’s James Meyers
3:41 PM – Thursday, August 31, 2023
A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that was unlocked this week appeared at first to only contain dust during the live-streamed ceremony, however, it actually contained hidden treasures that were eventually uncovered, according to the U.S. Military Academy.
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The contents revealed six silver American coins dating from 1795 to 1828 and a commemorative medal, the military academy said in a press release.
Additionally, the coins included a 1795 five-cent coin, an 1800 Liberty dollar, an 1818 25-cent coin, one-cent and 10-cent coins from 1827, an 1828 50-cent coin and an Erie Canal commemorative medal from 1826.
According to experts, the long-lost coins are valued between a few-hundred dollars to over $1,000, depending on the condition.
“When I first found these, I thought, man you know, it would have been great to have found these on stage,” West Point archeologist Paul Hudson told the Associated Press on Wednesday.
“Before long, lo and behold, there’s the edge of a coin sticking out,” he recounted by phone, “and I thought, well that’s OK. That’s something, that’s a start.”
One theory is that the box was left at the bottom of a monument by cadets back in 1828. The original monument was erected to honor a hero of the Revolutionary War, Thaddeus Kosciuszko.
The historical preservation and analysis of the time capsule will reportedly continue to be explored further.
More research will be done regarding the time capsule’s historical preservation and study.
“I think there’s more that we can learn from this,” Hudson said, “to learn about the academy’s history and about the country’s history.”
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By: OAN
