A man playing with his dog on the beach in Margate, New Jersey, made a surprising discovery last month—eleven unopened whiskey bottles believed to be from the Prohibition era. The bottles, found near the Margate Pier by Austin Contegiacomo, piqued his interest when his sheepadoodle, Koda, unearthed a bottle from the sand.

Contegiacomo soon realized that the items were some form of liquor, with each bottle etched with the name "Lincoln Inn" and an image of a man on horseback. Looking for insights about their origins, he shared images of the bottles on the Whiskey and Bottle Digging subreddits. Enthusiastic commenters helped him trace the history of the Lincoln Inn brand, revealing it was produced in Montreal and packaged in bottles from Dominion Glass, one of Canada’s largest glass manufacturers.

The presence of these bottles amidst other beach debris suggested they may have been recently washed ashore, likely due to dredging activities offshore. The unique diamond mark on the bases of the bottles indicates they were produced after 1928, a time when illegal liquor smuggling was rampant along the New Jersey coast during Prohibition. With Margate’s proximity to Atlantic City—a notorious hub for smuggled liquor—the circumstances raised questions about whether the bottles were left behind by smugglers.

As unopened whiskey retains its quality indefinitely when stored properly, Contegiacomo decided to keep one bottle for himself, displaying it prominently in his kitchen. He shared the ten remaining bottles with friends, who, like him, understand the historical significance of the find. According to him, the allure lies in the bottles’ mystery and the story of their journey rather than consuming them.

"I think right now, nobody is willing to open it," he remarked, appreciating the history behind his remarkable discovery. Koda, his canine companion, received special treats for the exciting find, adding to their beach adventures.