Treasure Chest Worth Over $1M Found In Rocky Mountains

A treasure chest that sparked the imaginations of thousands of adventure seekers has been found. The bronze chest, worth more than $1 million, was hidden somewhere in the Rocky Mountains a decade ago by a famous art and antiquities collector.

Forrest Fenn, now 89, said he hid the treasure because he wanted to encourage more people to spend time in the beautiful Rocky Mountain wilderness. He also thought it would be exciting to start an old-fashioned treasure hunt. He filled the chest with gold, jewels and other valuable items.

The man who found the treasure wishes to remain anonymous, Fenn said. The location of the treasure has not been disclosed.

In a statement released on his website Sunday, Fenn said the chest was found "under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains."

The treasure hadn't been moved from the spot where he hid it ten years ago, he said.

Fenn, who lives in Santa Fe, said the man sent him a photo to confirm the discovery. The only information Fenn offered about the mysterious man was that he was from "back East."

In 2010, Fenn published the 2010 autobiography, "The Thrill of the Chase," which included a 24-line poem with clues about where the treasure was hidden.

"I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot," Fenn's statement says.

Hundreds of thousands have searched for the chest in the Rocky Mountains over the past decade. At least four people have died in their search, including a Colorado pastor, whose body was found by police in New Mexico in 2017.

Since 2010, Fenn has added more treasures to the chest, including more gold coins, gold nuggets, jewelry with rubies and emeralds, and ancient relics made from jade and gold.

"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," Fenn's statement says.