Treasure hunting is a mystery, sometimes easy, sometimes hard, but some treasure hunts seem more outrageous than others. In 1982, author Bryon Preiss created one of the most ambitious treasure hunts of all time. Currently, This treasure hunt still has not been fully solved and treasure hunters are continuing their search to this day! 

The Secret (Treasure Hunt) by Preiss, is a treasure hunt for 12 buried boxes. These boxes can be discovered at a location somewhere in North America. Only 3 boxes have been discovered, the latest being in 2019. Each hidden box can be found by using a poem along with an image in the book. Each poem has to be very carefully deciphered which can reveal a possible location of the box. Bryon Preiss knew where all the boxes were hidden, however he died in a car crash in 2005, taking his secret to the grave. 

The first box was found in 1983, a year after the book was published. The first verse of the poem read, “Where M and B are set in stone”. Four young hunters followed the poem along with the image attached. The hunters were led to Chicago, Illinois, specifically in  Grant Park. After digging a few dozen holes, a small ceramic box was found containing an emerald. At the time, it was worth around $500. Currently, the emerald would be worth around $1,500.

After the first discovery, no one was able to find any of the boxes for 21 years. Until two treasure hunters were able to follow the picture and the poem to uncover another box in a Greek garden in Ohio. Because of the age of the box and how long it has been in the ground, the box was damaged, but the prize still remained in the box. The prize was an aquamarine gemstone worth around $1,000. One of the treasure hunters, Brian Zinn, was determined to find the treasure because the jewel was his birthstone. 

In 2019, another box was found. This time, it was found by a family in Boston, Massachusetts. The location of the box was found in Langone Park / Puopolo Field on Commercial street. It was featured in the final season of Expedition Unknown on Discovery. A T.V crew followed Jason Krupat and his family who have solved the poem and picture to their box. Krupat arrived at the construction site of the Langone Park. At first the construction crew dismissed it as a wild goose chase, but the construction crew found the box at home plate. This led to a call to discovery where they would re-enact the find.

9 boxes are still buried in North America. Today, hunters are still searching for these boxes; however, it is getting more and more complicated to dig up the treasures as more homeland security laws are being passed. Hunters who want to start digging for the treasure of a lifetime can still purchase the book and analyze the poems and pictures along with the help of the wiki that still continues to update with new information.