A decade-long hunt for a bronze chest hidden in the Rocky Mountains
In short: In 1988, facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a chest of gold and jewels. His quest to create a public search sparked a massive hunt across four states, claiming five lives and sparking numerous lawsuits before its eventual discovery.
The Fenn Treasure, a cache containing gold nuggets, rare coins, jewelry, and gemstones, was hidden by Forrest Fenn in the Rocky Mountains. Fenn, an art dealer who operated the Fenn Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, inspired the hunt through his 2010 self-published memoir, *The Thrill of the Chase*. He claimed his book contained nine clues within a poem to guide searchers to the treasure, which he estimated could be worth as much as $2 million.
The search proved both dangerous and litigious. Five fatalities occurred during the expedition, among them Jeff Murphy, who perished following a 500-foot plunge in Yellowstone National Park in June 2017, and Randy Bilyeu, who vanished in January 2016 before his body was located in July. The hunt also led to various legal disputes, including lawsuits alleging fraud or the moving of the treasure, and arrests for activities ranging from burglary to digging in national parks.
The treasure was finally located in 2020 in Wyoming by Jack Stuef, a medical student and former journalist. The chest itself was a French-made bronze container with a wood liner, measuring 10 by 10 by 5 inches and weighing approximately 22 pounds. It featured reliefs of knights scaling walls, reminiscent of the *Le Roman de la Rose*. Following its discovery, an auction of items from the chest in December 2022 generated $1.3 million in sales.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Fenn treasure
- Also: Art Institute of Chicago — Treasure Hunt · CC0 (data); description CC BY 4.0
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