Forrest Fenn treasure chest finally found

[Still Waters]

Thousands of brave souls have ventured into the Rocky Mountains for the past decade, searching for a treasure chest filled with gold, rubies, emeralds and diamonds.

But that adventure has finally come to an end. The treasure has been found.

Forrest Fenn, the 89-year-old art and antiquities collector who created the treasure hunt, made the announcement Sunday on his website.

"It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago," Fenn wrote in his announcement. "I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot."

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/07/us/forrest-fenn-rocky-mountains-treasure-chest-found-trnd/index.html

[justin3651]

So I guess it really wasn't a scam. I'm very curious to see where it was.

[micahc]

I am curious to find out where it was. I never spent much time on it, but my guess was in Colorado.  I would have to look at a map to remind me what I finally settled on. Of course I am no where near there, so never went searching. I think I settled on south of Glenwood Springs near Carbondale.  Since it's been found, I am hoping it was in Montana.  LOL

[Seti42]

I know it's cliche, but:
Pics or it didn't happen.

[Myles]

I wish more wealthy people would do this.  

[DreadLordAvatar]

This anonymous person claiming to have found it is Fenn himself.  Fenn is a hoaxer and at it again stirring up the media for attention.  

[OpenMindedSceptic]

I don't think Fenn is a hoax, I do though want him to reveal the location. 

[micahc]

Seems like the IRS would want to know who got it.  If it's treated like a gift, Fenn would owe the taxes.  If it's a contest, the finder would owe the taxes.  Not sure if there is an exemption.  

[Timothy]

On 6/9/2020 at 7:51 AM, Seti42 said:

I know it's cliche, but:
Pics or it didn't happen.

Yep, details quite vague.

[Alchopwn]

On 6/9/2020 at 9:12 PM, Myles said:

I wish more wealthy people would do this.  

You do realize that the treasure sent many people to their deaths in the mountains?

[Myles]

8 hours ago, Alchopwn said:

You do realize that the treasure sent many people to their deaths in the mountains?

Yeah, but they died doing something they chose to do.    Many people enjoy treasure hunting.   It's a fun activity and if a wealthy person made it worthwhile for someone, good for them.  

[micahc]

10 hours ago, Alchopwn said:

You do realize that the treasure sent many people to their deaths in the mountains?

not really.  I think there were a few who died because they took risks they shouldn't have. I am pretty certain it was around 4 or 5.  I use to spend time in the mountains of Colorado in my younger days, and if I had died, would you blame fishing or the mountains or camping?  First of all forrest said, its not in a dangerous place, its in a place an 80 year old man can get to easily. so if I were to go looking for the treasure, it would just be one more excuse to get out there and have fun. I had a buddy and we would go hunting for gold, but we really didn't care much for the gold as the hunt. life is uncertain no matter what you are doing.  

[Still Waters]

Latest:

Quote

Forrest Fenn finally shared photos of his discovered treasure amid doubts that it was actually found

As soon as Forrest Fenn announced that his treasure was found earlier this month, rumors swirled about whether it had really been found or if the treasure hunt had been a hoax all along.

Well, this week, Fenn tried to put some of those to rest by unveiling the first photos of the discovered treasure.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/forrest-fenn-treasure-chest-pictures-trnd/index.html

 

[micahc]

if someone found the treasure, why would he give it back to forrest?  And in another article it said he was in contact with the finder in 2018.  I am now convinced it is a hoax.

[+Desertrat56]

On 6/9/2020 at 1:36 PM, micahc said:

Seems like the IRS would want to know who got it.  If it's treated like a gift, Fenn would owe the taxes.  If it's a contest, the finder would owe the taxes.  Not sure if there is an exemption.  

That isn't accurate.  If it is a gift the giver already paid taxes on it and if it is valued under a certain amount the receiver does not owe taxes, but if it is valuled over that amount, which based on the description and the word "treasure" I assume it is, then the finder/receiver also pays taxes. 

[micahc]

8 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

That isn't accurate.  If it is a gift the giver already paid taxes on it and if it is valued under a certain amount the receiver does not owe taxes, but if it is valuled over that amount, which based on the description and the word "treasure" I assume it is, then the finder/receiver also pays taxes. 

that's not correct. the giver is responsible for the gift tax if the gift is over 15k as of 2019. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gifttax.asp#:~:text=A gift tax is a federal tax applied,who is required to pay the gift tax.

 

however it is considered a contest prize, the receiver owes the tax.

[justin3651]

 

On 6/19/2020 at 8:44 AM, micahc said:

if someone found the treasure, why would he give it back to forrest?  And in another article it said he was in contact with the finder in 2018.  I am now convinced it is a hoax.

As much as I wanted to believe in it being real I've come to the same opinion it's a hoax. 

 

[+Desertrat56]

On 6/19/2020 at 7:44 AM, micahc said:

if someone found the treasure, why would he give it back to forrest?  And in another article it said he was in contact with the finder in 2018.  I am now convinced it is a hoax.

I agree since the article said he claimed he didn't know the person who found the treasure.

[Still Waters]

Forrest Fenn has died.

Quote

He was an explorer, a businessman, a warrior, a writer — a man who came to see art as something more than mere whisks of paint.

But it was his challenge to the world — hiding a chest full of coins and other antiquities somewhere in the Rocky Mountains — that finally set Forrest Fenn apart.

Fenn, the Santa Fe artifacts dealer and military veteran who created a treasure hunt that mesmerized the world, died Monday at his Santa Fe home.

Police say he died of natural causes at age 90.

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/forrest-fenn-combat-pilot-gallery-owner-and-creator-of-famed-treasure-hunt-dies/article_1f56d378-f1f6-11ea-86ea-aff321ccef83.html

 

[moonman]

He dies three months after it's "found". No, that isn't suspicious in the least.

Most likely scenario is he knew he was about to die so he retrieved it himself (or had it retrieved, or never hid it at all).

Edited September 9, 2020 by moonman

[Eldorado]

"Police in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have confirmed that ninety-year-old author Forrest Fenn died at his home there on September 7, reportedly of natural causes.

"His passing comes mere months after Fenn announced that the object of a treasure hunt he launched a decade ago — a chest filled with gold coins and jewels said to be worth $2 million — had been found.

"But while the details Fenn provided, including some photos of him looking at artifacts, excited his many fans, they failed to persuade critics who've long held that the whole thing was a hoax."

Full report at WestWord dot com: https://www.westword.com/news/forrest-fenn-death-and-treasure-hunt-mystery-update-11793268

[Silver_Raven]

The fact that more people are focusing on the debate of "is it a hoax," rather on what the article was really about, the death of Forrest Fenn, just reaffirms my lack of faith in humanity. Whether it was a hoax or not, he gave people a reason to explore and encouraged the adventurous spirit that led to humanity's greatest achievements, minus the genocide/slavery aspect that came with those accomplishments. Most people don't have the chance to go on any real adventure in their lifetime, and the few unexplored regions of the earth are either very inhospitable, or inaccessible to the vast majority of people due to lack of resources, or both.

[ChrLzs]

What a load.

If you were to genuinely do this, surely you'd use a safe with contact details on it so the finder had to identify themselves and ask for the combination...

[Myles]

I don't think this was a hoax at all.   Sad that the guy passed away as I wish more people would do stuff like this.

[tortugabob]

This is what I think has happened.  Forrest Fenn knew he was nearing the end of his life.  He also knew that several people had been killed looking for the treasure. I think that Fenn felt somewhat responsible.  I believe he wanted the search to stop because he didn't want to feel like he was responsible for any more deaths.  Therefore 1) Either he removed the treasure himself claiming someone had found it or 2) It's still out there.  By claiming someone had found it people would stop looking for it. Unless someone comes out and shows us the swag it's still out there waiting.   Don't, Stop! .......Believin!  Ohh ohh ohh oh oh.oh oh oh...............  

Edited September 10, 2020 by tortugabob