After 31 years of captivating treasure hunters across France, the renowned hunt for the “Golden Owl” may have come to an end. Official social media accounts linked to the treasure hunt announced that the token required to claim the grand prize has reportedly been discovered, marking the potential conclusion of one of the longest-running treasure hunts in history.
The hunt, officially named “On the Trail of the Golden Owl,” was launched in 1993 with the release of a book by author Régis Hauser, who wrote under the pseudonym Max Valentin, and artist Michel Becker. The book contained a series of 11 puzzles that participants had to solve, with an additional hidden 12th puzzle providing the final clues to the token’s location. Treasure hunters, known as “owlers,” scoured France for over three decades in search of the buried replica owl, which would grant the successful hunter the valuable prize.
A message posted on Discord, where thousands of treasure hunters had gathered to share tips and progress, confirmed that the owl countermark had been unearthed, much to the dismay of many longtime participants. The discovery caused a wave of emotional reactions, with many owl hunters expressing sadness and disappointment. One user wrote, “It’s the end of an era,” while others lamented that they were so close to solving the puzzles themselves.
The treasure in question is an owl statue made of three kilograms of gold and seven kilograms of silver, decorated with diamond chips. It has been valued at €150,000 (around $165,000), according to CNN. Since the book’s release, over 200,000 participants from France and beyond have taken part in the quest to solve the complex riddles.
Hauser, who passed away in 2009, had anticipated the immense interest in the hunt and used a pseudonym to prevent the most determined hunters from finding him. Together with Becker, he buried a replica of the owl, while the original treasure has been kept in a safe place. To officially claim the prize, the lucky treasure hunter must present the replica and provide the correct solutions to all the puzzles.
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Despite the excitement around the potential conclusion, many “owlers” are grappling with mixed emotions. Some feel disappointed, having spent years searching for the treasure, while others express relief that the mystery has finally been solved after more than three decades.