Gold & Greed tells the story of Forrest Fenn, who hid a treasure chest worth millions of dollars in the American Rocky Mountains and decided to go on a treasure hunt in 2010. After watching the three-part documentary, I realized how privileged it is that people can stop working, indulge their fantasies, and go out and hunt for treasure. What amuses me most is that the hunt lasted for about a decade, and some people became completely obsessed with it. Some did it out of greed; others to break the monotony of their lives and feel liberated; and others for the thrill. I mean, this would only have been possible in a developed country where people didn't have to worry about their daily survival.
If this treasure hunt had been organized in an underdeveloped country, first of all, the organizer would surely have been kidnapped, and if not, I'm sure the government would have imprisoned him for causing unnecessary inconvenience and fuss. I don't deny that any child dreams of a real treasure hunt, but being able to do it as an adult, and for several years at a time, is what I call a true luxury.
I understand the passion; I understand the obsession, but I couldn't help but think about the huge difference it would have made if just half of the resources people spent finding the treasure had been donated to some worthy cause. That said, I have no right to judge what people choose to do with their money and time. If someone has the resources to indulge their fantasy, they're free to do so. It's just that, in retrospect, when I think about how Forrest Fenn managed to whip an entire population into a frenzy, I can't help but think about the absurdity of it all.
Forrest Fenn, a decorated pilot turned art dealer, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 1988. He decided to hide a treasure chest somewhere north of Santa Fe, in the Rocky Mountains, intending to launch a public search later. He also decided that he would be buried in the same place where he had hidden the treasure. The treasure contained artifacts and other items that Fenn had collected over the years, with an estimated value of between one and five million dollars. But a miracle happened in 2010, and Forrest Fenn was cured of his illness.
Around that time, he published his memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase," and announced that the exact location of the treasure chest was hidden in a poem within it. Sales of the memoir skyrocketed after that announcement, and I must say it was a masterstroke to boost promotion for the book. Up to 1,500 copies were sold daily, and overnight, Forrest Fenn became a celebrity. Treasure hunters like the Hurst family, Cynthia Meachum, and Justin Posey felt they were very close to finding the treasure, but in the end, none of the likely contenders found it.
People lost their lives during the treasure hunt, and at one point, authorities literally asked Fenn to call off the search. But he didn't believe he was guilty, as those who went on the hunt knew what they were getting into. People with no interest in literature read Fenn's poem over and over again just to find clues about the treasure's location. But in the end, it was a medical student named Jack Stuef who found the treasure. Fenn and his family kept the winner secret for a long time, but seeing that people weren't willing to believe anyone had found the treasure, Shiloh Old, Forrest's grandson, revealed the winner after his grandfather's death.
The treasure hunt was absolutely insane, and I don't understand how the authorities allowed him to organize it. Fenn may not have broken any laws, but launching a nationwide treasure hunt carried a high probability of disturbing public order. Furthermore, there was no contract, no paperwork was filed, and no one took responsibility for any losses that occurred during the search. We saw in the documentary how the Hurst family risked their lives and how their dream was shattered when the winner was announced. Even Justin Posey, whom we'll discuss in detail later, lost his brother Brandon, who had accompanied him on the hunt, in 2015. A man named Randy Bilyeu went missing in the Rocky Mountains, and authorities later found his body after launching a search and rescue mission. It was after that incident that local police asked Fenn to call off the search, but the old man didn't feel like it. According to Fenn, if someone died in a swimming pool, draining the water wasn't the right thing to do. Over the years, Fenn was interviewed regularly. People began to think there was always something wrong.
Justin Posey, one of the treasure hunt participants who made it more than just a hobby, found the hunt's ending quite unsatisfying. In the documentary, we saw the disappointment of those who believed their lives would change after receiving the money. So, after finding the treasure, Justin Posey tracked down its location, and later, it became a pilgrimage site for treasure hunters like Cynthia Meachum.
News broke that Forrest Fenn's treasure was going to be auctioned off, and Posey was quick to bid. Along with Tesouro Sagrado Holdings LLC, Posey purchased the treasure, and it occurred to him that he wanted to continue the tradition. Posey felt a surge of adrenaline when he first heard about the treasure hunt in 2012, and he wanted to do something similar for other enthusiasts. So, Posey created a 27-kilogram box containing valuable items, a Bitcoin wallet, and more. He also created a website (linked to in his Instagram bio) that provided clues to finding the location. Posey also published the book "Beyond the Map's Edge," offering exclusive information and clues to narrow the search. At the end of Netflix's "Gold & Greed," there were clues hidden even in the documentary, and a keen eye was needed to spot them. According to information available online, Posey lives with his family in Texas and continues to work in the tech industry, pursuing his passion for treasure hunting.
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