() – What does it take to channel the spirit of Jacques Cousteau and search for a secret treasure?
For Jon Collins-Black, this question sparked an exciting journey that led him to hide five treasure chests across the United States.
His new book, “There is a treasure inside”, offers clues to keen treasure hunters, sending them on an expedition to find hidden chests with a combined prize value of over $2 million.
Collins-Black has been a lifelong fantasy enthusiast, immersing himself in mythical games and adventures like Dungeons & Dragons since childhood.
In 2015, the successful musician and entrepreneur was looking for a change of pace and imagined a project that would help him reconnect with his younger imagination.
Motivated by Forrest Fenn’s famous treasure hunt, which began in 2010, Collins-Black dreamed of creating something more personal and accessible. Instead of Fenn’s single chest hidden in the Rocky Mountains, Collins-Black envisioned multiple treasures that would allow every person in the country a chance to get closer to one of the chests.
“I wanted the chests to be separate to give people an optimistic and adventurous possibility,” he said.
With a creative background in writing, from poetry to children’s book publishing, Collins-Black combined her skills to produce “There’s a Treasure Within,” intended to entertain even those who don’t plan on searching for the treasure.
Each chapter contains detailed clues that lead to one of five chests.
Although Collins-Black has not revealed the details of the book, she promises that anyone can find the treasure. “All the clues you need are in the book,” he said.
To protect the integrity of the search, Collins-Black worked with as few strategists and editors as possible to prevent clues from leaking to the public. He even decided to keep the location of the treasure a secret from his wife.
“I couldn’t really consult other people because I didn’t want them to have that burden,” she said.
Without a clear plan for such an ambitious project, he experimented through trial and error, carefully adjusting the difficulty of the tracks.
“There’s a Treasure Inside” has already generated a stir, with thousands of participants gathering on discussion channels like Discord to share their theories. Many are even convinced they have identified the states where the treasure is located, according to Collins-Black.
Adventurers don’t have to worry about their safety while searching, he says. There is no need for dangerous underwater exploration, climbing or entering private property and anyone in normal health can travel to the sites. It is important to know that it is not necessary to dig to find the treasure.
Although Collins-Black wants the scavenger hunt to be demanding, he is clear about the timeline: “I hope and believe it might take a little time, but I don’t need this to last forever,” he said.
If the chests remain unfound for several years, he figures he’ll release additional clues (or maybe even a sequel) to bring the quest to life.
Collins-Black meticulously selected the treasures hidden within the chests to captivate a wide range of interests and offer an unparalleled treasure hunting experience.
Collaborating with historians, Collins-Black attended auctions to create the perfect and unique collection. He financed the pieces with money he saved from his early bitcoin investments.
“I felt like a kid in a candy store,” he said.
Inside the chests, seekers can find items such as rare Pokémon cards, shipwreck rewards, sports memorabilia, gold, and precious medals.
Among some of the most prized possessions are those with historical significance, including items owned or made by Pablo Picasso, George Washington, Amelia Earhart and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
While chests wait to be discovered, the value of many items continues to grow.
It’s nearly impossible for Collins-Black to select a favorite item from the lot, but a few specific items (a brooch once owned by Jackie Onassis, a 96-carat emerald, and Wilma Rudolph’s 1960 Olympic gold medal) make a place special in your heart.
The only item on his wish list he couldn’t get was one of Albert Einstein’s pipes, which he lost in a bidding war.
One chest was intentionally made larger and more valuable than the others to increase the stakes.
“I wanted to add more value to a treasure chest,” Collins-Black said.
With clues waiting to be unraveled and treasures to discover, the search has officially begun: will you be the one to find the grand prize?
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