France’s Three-Decade Treasure Hunt for Golden Owl Has Finally Ended
The lengthy treasure hunt for the Golden Owl in France, which spanned over three decades and captivated thousands of enthusiasts, has concluded. The coveted token was discovered on Thursday, according to official social media announcements associated with the hunt.
The adventure, titled ‘On the Trail of the Golden Owl,’ originated from a riddle book released in 1993. Participants were tasked with solving 11 riddles contained within the book, along with an additional hidden riddle, to pinpoint the precise location of the token. The replica of the Golden Owl, a ten-kilogram sculpture made of gold and silver adorned with diamonds, was buried in April 1993.
A message on a Discord channel, boasting tens of thousands of followers, confirmed the discovery of the replica and advised against further searching, stating, “The Golden Owl countermark was uncovered last night, thus it is pointless to continue searching”. The solutions from those who claimed to have found the token are currently under examination.
The book, authored by Régis Hauser and illustrated by Michel Becker, has garnered a dedicated following of over 200,000 enthusiasts, known as ‘owlers,’ both from France and other countries. Becker revealed in a documentary that he managed and funded the creation of the prize, a magnificent owl crafted from three kilograms of gold and seven kilograms of silver, adorned with diamond chips.
The discovery marks the end of a three-decade search across France, accompanied by numerous legal and financial battles over the Owl. The ultimate prize for the successful finder was the actual golden owl, valued at approximately €150,000.
