A legendary treasure hunt that spanned 31 years has finally come to an end, captivating thousands of participants across France. Known as ‘On the Trail of the Golden Owl,’ the hunt began in 1993 and challenged treasure seekers to solve a series of complex riddles. On Thursday, the organizers announced that the token required to claim the grand prize had been found, marking the conclusion of the long-running search.
A message on the hunt’s official chat line read: “We confirm that the replica of the golden owl was dug up last night, and simultaneously, a solution has been submitted through the online verification system.” The treasure hunt was initiated by the publication of a riddle book in 1993, created by author Régis Hauser and artist Michel Becker. This book posed 11 puzzles, along with a hidden 12th riddle, to help players locate a replica of the golden owl. According to the hunt’s website, over 200,000 participants, nicknamed ‘owlers,’ engaged in the search.
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In a YouTube documentary, Michel Becker revealed that he personally oversaw and financed the creation of the golden owl, which was made of 3 kilograms of gold and 7 kilograms of silver, adorned with diamond chips on its face.
The hunt’s creator, Régis Hauser, used the pseudonym Max Valentin when the game was launched to evade eager treasure hunters. He passed away in 2009, as reported by Le Monde. The idea for the hunt was inspired by ‘The Masquerade’, a 1979 book of riddles by Kit Williams that led hunters on a quest to find a golden rabbit. Similarly, ‘On the Trail of the Golden Owl’ featured riddles leading to the buried replica, while the real golden owl remained safeguarded, with an estimated worth of £126,000 (Rs 1.39 crore), according to online fan communities.
While this treasure hunt has concluded, the longest-running hunt remains ‘The Secret’, created by Byron Preiss in 1982. This ongoing search involves 12 buried treasure boxes hidden in the US and Canada, of which only three have been discovered so far.
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