An international
treasure hunt is about to be unleashed with the publication of a
puzzle book that gives clues to the whereabouts of
jewels worth $1.76 million (£1 million). This will be the first time such a craze will be seen since the publication of Masquerade in 1979 which cause a frenzy of people searching for a golden hare.
The book is due to be release in September and is titled, Secrets of the Alchemist Dar by Michael Stadther, who is himself a millionaire. The book comprises of 100 riddles that all lead to 100
gems hidden around the world. Each jewel is worth $931,000 or £530,000 and they are described as "one of the most
precious stones on earth."
The
author is secretive about what form the hunt will take place and claims that a person in one country has the same chance of finding the gems as another on the other side of the world.
Stadther said, "It might be physical; it might not. People might have to get in
cars or on
planes; they might not." However he did give one hint, "I have found the
power of the
Internet it's vast."
This is not the first book Stadther has published, in 2004 a book called "A Treasure’s Trove in the
United States," had thousands of "trovers" searching for 18 carat
gold coins which he and his wife had placed in parks across the country. The coins were hidden under debris, in the bark of trees and were redeemable for
jewellery encrusted with rubies, emeralds and diamonds.
One such finder of a
gold coin was Jason Davis, a student in cognitive neuroscience. He borrowed
money for his two day journey from
California to Foss State Park in
Oklahoma where he found a coin and was able to redeem it for jewels to the value of $263,500
Stadther’s book was inspired by artist Kit Williams’s book "Masquerade" which sold more than a million copies and led to the jewelled hare being found two years later in Ampthill,
Bedfordshire under a stone cross.
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