Fenn's Treasure Chest (Photo: Forrest Fenn)
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For centuries, the lure of gold, jewels, and other priceless artifacts have drawn untold numbers of adventure-seekers to exotic locales far and wide. Famous explorers once hiked through unknown forests for El Dorado—the famed Lost City of Gold—and scoured the North Carolina coastline for Blackbeard’s hidden fortune. Unfortunately, the “x” that marked the spot has proven elusive for the majority of these adventurers—until now.
One lucky treasure hunter recently unearthed a chest worth an estimated $2 million that was buried nearly a decade ago in the Rocky Mountains. Forrest Fenn, a wealthy antiquities collector, is the man behind the luxurious treasure. Inspired by the 2008 economic recession, he wanted to give hope to those who were affected by encouraging them to explore the outdoors. The answer was filling a Romanesque chest with precious gemstones, golden nuggets, and historic artifacts and burying it in an unknown location. Fenn publicized the existence of the treasure in his self-published book, The Thrill of the Chase: A Memoir, which features a 24-line poem that includes 9 different clues leading to the treasure’s location.
Over a quarter of a million people have eagerly hunted for this bounty since the challenge was first issued. Unfortunately, not every avid adventurer was spared the dangers of the terrain, and reportedly four people have died while hunting for Fenn’s box. But neither these dangers nor the map’s difficulty have ever stopped anyone from continuing their searches for this real-life “golden ticket.” That is, until Fenn’s recent announcement via blog post that his treasure had indeed been claimed.
The bounty was found by an anonymous person who confirmed his discovery to Fenn with a photograph of the unearthed loot. Fenn announced on June 6, “The treasure has been found.” According to Fenn, “It was under a canopy of starts in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago. I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot.” While the 89-year-old refuses to release where exactly the box was located, he promises that “the treasure [was] not hidden in a dangerous place. I hid it when I was about 80 years old.”
While the thrill of the chase for Fenn’s box may be over, the art dealer encourages those who hunted for the treasure to keep that spirit alive. “I congratulate the thousands of people who participated in the search and hope they will continue to be drawn by the promise of other discoveries.”
The decade-long hunt for Forrest Fenn's treasure chest that he buried in the Rocky Mountains is now over. Here's the map and poem with clues as to the treasure's whereabouts.
Photo: Forrest Fenn
Fenn spoke about the hidden treasure, explaining its value and how he the location he chose actually means something to him.
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Here's another look at the luxurious wares within the chest, which includes gold nuggets, precious gemstones, and ancient artifacts.
h/t: [NPR]
All images via Forrest Fenn.
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