Jon Collins-Black had a dream of discovering his own treasure. Today, he has discreetly placed five treasure boxes across the United States, and he eagerly awaits for people to uncover them.
Collins-Black, a former musician turned entrepreneur based in California, shared with Business Insider the lucrative gains he made from his early investments in bitcoin. Inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, he embarked on a unique venture: acquiring a treasure trove and organizing treasure hunts, aiming to provide people with an enjoyable and exciting experience.
According to Collins-Black, there are now a total of five chests hidden across the United States. These chests consist of four smaller ones and one larger box.
According to him, all of the chests were not buried or placed on private land, and accessing them would not involve any risky maneuvers.
In his book, “There’s Treasure Inside,” Collins-Black has meticulously crafted all the necessary clues to locate the treasure chests. According to Collins-Black, deciphering these leads within the text calls for a careful examination and an astute, yet receptive mindset.
Over the past five years, Collins-Black has successfully acquired a significant collection of treasure through auctions and antique dealers. This impressive collection includes various items such as the first-ever physical bitcoin known as Casascius bitcoin, a captivating green Columbian emerald, a rare 2002 Shining Charizard Pokémon card, antiques salvaged from shipwrecks, and even George Washington’s jelly glass. BI has had the opportunity to review the receipts for Collins-Black’s auction purchases, confirming the authenticity and value of these remarkable treasures.
In an interview with BI, he mentioned that he had a flexible budget when it came to valuing the treasure. After considering the prices he paid for the items at auction, he estimated that the total value of the stash, as of now, falls somewhere between $2 million and $3 million. However, the value of the chests could be influenced by the volatility of items like bitcoin.
Collins explained that he was actively working on determining the ideal size for the project. He wanted to find the perfect balance between making it substantial enough without it becoming overwhelming. Collins had the intention of avoiding any potential issues or excessive enthusiasm from the public.
According to Collins-Black, all five treasure chests are puzzle boxes. However, the good news is that if someone discovers a chest, there will be instructions provided on how to open the boxes. This ensures that people won’t have to destroy the boxes in the process.
The whereabouts of the chests are known only to him, making it futile to question his family members or publisher for clues. He personally distributed the boxes across the country, traversing over a hundred miles during his journeys.
Collins-Black expressed his belief that he would not have any regrets about donating this money.
Collins-Black expressed her contentment and optimistic outlook on the potential future value of bitcoin and her own investments. She mentioned that if the price of bitcoin reaches $500,000 or even $1 million, and if her own bitcoin holdings become worth $10 million within the next five to seven years, she would be delighted and celebrate the achievement.
He added that there were a few items that raised some eyebrows regarding their inclusion in the treasure. However, he expressed his excitement for whoever finds it, emphasizing that he believes it will be a thrilling experience for them.
Collins-Black expressed his lack of preference for any specific treasure within the collection. However, he did admit to having a fondness for the emerald, describing it as a visually captivating gem.
Treasure hunts have always held a fascination for the general public. They have been depicted in popular movies like the highly successful 2004 film “National Treasure,” which grossed $350 million worldwide. Another real-world treasure hunting game called geocaching has gained popularity as well. In geocaching, participants use GPS devices to search for hidden caches of information.
In 2010, an art collector named Forrest Fenn concealed a chest brimming with gold, jewels, and other precious items in the Rocky Mountains. Intrigued by this hidden treasure, Collins-Black embarked on a quest to find it.
Collins-Black’s hunt for Fenn’s chest ended in disappointment. Despite searching for a decade, the chest was only discovered in 2020.
Collins-Black has made a deliberate effort to conceal the boxes, but he doesn’t want these mysteries to remain hidden forever. He has hinted that in the next eight or 10 years, he might unveil additional clues.