One lucky San Franciscan just became $10,000 richer.
A mysterious treasure hunt that popped up on a San Francisco subreddit came to an end 11 hours after it began when the treasure chest – reportedly valued at $10,000 – was found Tuesday buried somewhere beneath the city.
Locals went scrambling in search of the buried treasure, which contained “gleaning ingots, currency and San Francisco artifacts,” according to a website about the hunt.
About half the chest’s value was in gold, the scavenger hunt’s organizers said. A spokesperson for the unnamed organizers told KRON4 that the group behind it had paid for all the treasure themselves.
On Reddit, organizers shared a photo of a treasure map and an elaborate set of clues that those looking to participate in the hunt would follow, writing alongside the puzzle: “We always figured treasure hunting would feature more heavily in life. Right alongside quicksand and tatter rope bridges.”
“Sadly, the science seems to be out on quicksand and, thanks to modern building standards, rope bridges are stronger than ever,” they continued. “Buried treasure chests seem equally rare, but those we realized we could do something about. And so we did.”
Redditors in the comment section questioned whether the hunt was a sneaky advertisement or marketing ploy, and plenty were quick to make a joke of the bizarre scenario.
“This better not be a stealth ad for some AI B2B service that nobody wants or needs but will be forced to buy and use,” one person wrote.
“Inside you will find only a pair of tickets to Shen Yun,” another commentator joked.
Others quipped that the city would “fine them” “$10,000 for unlawful digging” for participating in the hunt.
After the treasure was located late Tuesday, the organizers took to Reddit to share the news, writing, “Well, that went A LOT faster than anyone anticipated,” the treasure hunt posters said on Reddit Wednesday. “Months were hoped for, days felt possible, but 11 hours… wow.”
It was not immediately known who organized the treasure hunt or where it was found. The spokesperson said the group hoped to remain anonymous as “whimsy and adventure and mischief and hijinks does live in a sort of legal gray area.”
The organizers hope to one day throw another treasure hunt, noting online, “If any deep-pocketed collaborators are interested, please do reach out.”
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