When the historian who spent his whole career studying the life and exploits of Sir Francis Drake was presented with what appeared to be the Englishman's most important relic, he should have thought it too good to be true. Instead, he bought into it with his whole heart and career. A nerdy band of history buffs believed they pulled off the greatest of pranks, but the historian's reputation and sway were too strong to be brought down by a phony artifact. Too bad for one of the pranksters, who had counted on the whole affair as a means to exact revenge. This is how one fake metal plate became part of the California educational curriculum.

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