At the age of 89, Forrest Fenn, a collector of art and antiquities, shared a significant update on his personal website on June 7th. He revealed that the cleverly hidden treasure chest he had concealed still remained undiscovered.
The treasure chest was artfully concealed beneath a tree amidst the thick foliage of the Rocky Mountains. Fenn mentioned that he had relocated from the area where he had lived for over a decade. Although he did not know the identity of the individual who ultimately found the treasure chest, he affirmed that the clues within his book had successfully led them to the exact location.
Mr. Fenn disclosed to the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper that a few days ago, an individual discovered a box containing gold and precious stones, including rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. The estimated value of the treasure is more than 1 million USD. The discoverer, who came from the east, took a photograph of the treasure chest and sent it to Mr. Fenn as proof of his discovery.
The seasoned collector explained that he conceived the idea of burying a treasure chest in the Rocky Mountains to inspire people to explore nature and offer hope to those affected by the Great Depression. The clues leading to the location of the treasure chest include a 24-line poem from his 2010 autobiography, “The Thrill of the Chase.”
Mr. Fenn estimates that as many as 350,000 people around the world participated in the treasure hunt. Some of them went to the extent of quitting their jobs to dedicate themselves to this endeavor, and unfortunately, some lost their lives in the process.
Expressing hope, Mr. Fenn encourages the thousands who have participated in the search for the treasure chest but have not been fortunate to continue trying their luck with other discovery efforts in the future.