Jim Bailey of Warwick, Rhode Island, was passionate about history and metal detecting even before he found an ancient silver coin dating back to the 1600s.

Beyond the marvel of its age, the Arabic characters on the coin led Bailey to discover that he could be holding the key to solving a worldwide manhunt for one of the 17th century's worst criminals.

English pirate Captain Henry Every ambushed one of India's royal vessels in 1695; the ship was carrying pilgrims, as well as gold and silver worth millions of dollars. While he fled to the Bahamas, the news of Every's murderous crimes began to spread and a bounty was placed on his head. From then on, he disappears from history.

However, the coin Bailey found in 2014 has been verified as minted in Yemen in 1693, linking it to Every's pillaging. Several more Arabian coins from the same era have also been found in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, further expanding the case.

Bailey says he doesn't pursue his hobby for the money, although he does keep his best finds in a safe deposit box.

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