A time capsule from the 1820s that appeared empty when opened was later revealed to contain coins and a medal during a much-anticipated ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
The lead box was searched in front of a room full of trainees and live broadcast viewers, but it appeared to contain nothing but sediment.
Hopes of a major discovery were dashed.
However, further inspection and careful sifting of the mud revealed a medal and six very old coins.
The coins range in mintage year from 1795 to 1828 and face value from 1 cent to $1.
The box also contains a medal commemorating the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. The canal took eight years to build and connected New York’s Hudson River to the Great Lakes.
After the climactic incident, West Point archaeologist Paul Hudson used a wooden pick and brush to carefully search for sediment inside the box.
“After a while, lo and behold, the edge of a coin is sticking out,” he told The Associated Press. “I thought, OK, that’s okay. This is what it is, this is a start.”
During Monday’s ceremony, young Soldiers watched as some of West Point’s top brass took the stage to celebrate the exciting occasion.
In front of them, center stage, is a gray box — 12 inches by 12 inches by 13 inches (30 cm by 30 cm by 33 cm) — in which two school staff wearing purple rubber gloves and white masks stand. Aside, ready to uncover the contents inside.
The box was discovered a few months ago during the restoration of a bronze statue of the famous war hero and statesman Thaddeus Kosciuszko.
A box was found beneath the monument’s marble face, apparently placed there in 1829 when the statue was completed.
