It’s not uncommon for precious metal investors and movie fans to have a natural interest in treasure hunting. There have been tales of sunken pirate ships and hidden treasure chests for centuries. These stories—including the Money Pit of Oak Island—have spurred many searches in hopes of discovering lost treasure. Most of them are unfruitful, yet people continue to try.
One of the most recent tales of hidden treasure is Fenn’s treasure, said to be situated somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Hidden by 85-year-old Forrest Fenn in the summer of 2010, the treasure is said to be a bronze box containing over a million dollars’ worth of gold nuggets, gemstones, rare coins, jewelry, and pre-Columbian gold figures. Many people have tried to find this treasure—and some even claim to have already found it—but there is no evidence to prove its retrieval yet.
Fenn, a retired member of the Air Force, operated an art gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As a self-taught archaeologist and a millionaire, he has a strong interest in Native American artifacts and the means to have led several digs. In 1988, Fenn was diagnosed with cancer and decided to hide a chest full of treasure and artifacts with clues leading to its whereabouts. His original intention was to take his life before the disease could, leaving the treasure behind as his legacy. Fortunately, he survived the illness, and so he waited to hide the treasure.
Only Fenn himself knows the true location of the treasure. The rest of us are left only with clues. We know that it lies in the Rocky Mountains, between Santa Fe and the Canadian border, at an elevation of above 5,000 feet. Fenn also left clues in the form of a poem, which was published in his book called The Thrill of the Chase. To this day, tens of thousands of people continue to argue over the meaning of the poem and attempt to use it to locate the treasure. Several people have been reported missing during their quest, and one man died in the wilderness while searching for Fenn’s treasure.
But Fenn never wanted to create a dangerous situation. In fact, he warns treasure hunters to prepare in advance, bring a buddy, pack a GPS, and wait for ideal weather before setting out. Fenn’s goal was simply to re-introduce people to the outdoors. He hid the treasure in the midst of the recession, in an effort to spread cheer to people and get them up and moving again. Some of the treasure hunters who have gone looking for Fenn’s treasure say that though they continue to return empty-handed, they’ve seen some of the most spectacular scenery of their lives. In Fenn’s eyes, that’s the real treasure.
