Forrest Fenn said the hunt for his infamous buried treasure is “out of control.” In 2010, Fenn buried a small bronze chest, which contains a treasure estimated to be worth millions. Although the chest is thought to be buried near Santa Fe, New Mexico, the exact location remains a mystery.
A native of New Mexico, Forrest Fenn retired from the Air Force in 1970. Following his retirement, Fenn returned to Santa Fe to open an art gallery with his wife.
Anyone want to spend the summer looking for Forrest Fenn’s treasure in the Rocky Mountains?
— Greg Anthony (@GregAnthony_) April 26, 2015
As reported by Huffington Post , the gallery remained open for 17 years and served many high-profile clients , including Jacqueline Onassis and Steven Spielberg. His holdings, many of which are displayed in museums, include several O’Keeffes and Remingtons.
In 1988, Fenn closed the gallery and began writing books about art, exploration, and history.
In the early 1990s, Forrest Fenn was diagnosed with kidney cancer. As the prognosis was grim, the millionaire came up with a creative way to share his wealth.
As reported by Hemisphere Magazine , Fenn has a strong sense of adventure and always enjoyed “hunting down fine art pieces and building his collection… ”
While receiving cancer treatment, Forrest Fenn purchased an antique chest and began filling it with an estimated $3 million worth of treasure. The items inside the chest include jewelry, figurines, gems, gold nuggets , and 265 gold coins.
“Always remember you don’t know where the edge is if you don’t go out there & look” -Forrest Fenn
— Julia Bonney (@jbonney2) April 21, 2015
Although the millionaire’s cancer went into remission, he eventually followed through with his plan to bury the chest and initiate the infamous treasure hunt.
Fenn’s 2010 memoir, The Thrill of the Chase , provided the initial nine clues about the buried treasure’s location. In later years, the millionaire clarified that the chest is “not associated with a structure” and “not in a graveyard.” Fenn also confirmed the chest is buried in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, or Wyoming.
Although he is thrilled with the attention, Fenn said he is concerned that the treasure hunt has gotten “out of control.” In an interview with Action 7 News , the millionaire said an estimated 30,000 people traveled to the Southwest to search for the buried treasure . He expects 50,000 to make the same journey this year.
During the interview, Forrest Fenn also revealed several treasure hunters came within 200 feet of the buried chest. However, they were unaware of how close they really were.
Image via Shutterstock/Underworld ]
