What happens when pieces of metal change everything we know about history? The answer lies in the incredible story of Sir Francis Drake’s infamous Plate of Brass. It was a seemingly simple commemorative plaque with a global legacy of controversy, deception, and discovery.
In 1936, a man named Beryl Shinn stumbled upon a brass plate embedded in the soil along Greenbrae Ridge in Marin County, California. Inscribed with a declaration dated June 17, 1579, the Brass Plates bore Sir Francis Drake’s name and his proclamation claiming the land of Nova Albion for Queen Elizabeth I. It was hailed as one of the most significant historical discoveries in the Western United States. For decades, this artifact was revered and displayed with pride.
Then, in the 1970s, for no apparent reason, the Drake Navigators Guild began to raise doubts about its authenticity. Why was this?
Robert L. Stupack’s fascinating book, Nova Albion and the Treasure of Sir Francis Drake brings undeniable evidence about the authenticity of this artifact. As a result of his excavations, having scientific tests performed on what he found, and conducting extensive research, this book answers the tough questions. It explores the twists that led many to believe it was a hoax. Stupack uncovers a layered conspiracy involving institutions, historians, and hidden motives that might have deliberately obscured the Plate’s true origin.
The controversy intensified in the 1970s when a metallurgy expert tested the Plate and suggested it was made from modern brass, not a 16th-century alloy. Headlines quickly labeled it a forgery. However, Stupack’s in-depth examination of documents and testimonies suggests a more sinister plot, implying that the real Plate was swapped out and a fake substituted to mislead the public.
In Nova Albion and the Treasure of Sir Francis Drake, Robert L. Stupack digs into decades of historical deception. His research leads to a bold and controversial theory that suggests officials tied to the Bancroft Library and the Drake Navigators’ Guild may have deliberately manipulated the public’s perception of the famed Plate of Brass. It was their move to protect their own interests and possibly secure Sir Francis Drake’s lost treasure for themselves.
Stupack outlines how a coordinated effort, fueled by disinformation, selective expert opinions, and strategic public announcements, gradually eroded the Plate’s credibility. He contends that a switch was made, and the original 1936 artifact discovered by Beryl Shinn was replaced with a 19th-century replica. All further scientific testing was conducted on the fake. These actions led the public, as well as historians, to believe the Plate was a hoax orchestrated by pranksters.
Yet Stupack provides compelling evidence: metallurgical discrepancies between the original and the re-examined Plate, visual inconsistencies, and firsthand testimonies, particularly from Robert Power, the former president of the California Historical Society. Power, who had long championed the Plate’s authenticity, tried to expose the differences between the two versions. But he passed away before he could fully reveal the truth.
According to Stupack, the Plate of Brass was a coded map that held clues leading to a massive cache of Drake’s hidden plunder. His book follows the long, painful trail of deception and personal risk, including Stupack’s dangerous underground excavations, in a gripping blend of real-life adventure and historical investigation.
By the end, it is evident that this journey is about honesty, bravery, and the extent to which some people will go to hide—or reveal—what lies beneath the surface.
Was the Plate of Brass truly a clever forgery?
What is your take on this?
Order your copy from Amazon to know more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917238312/
