The famous Golden Owl, a sculpture made of gold and diamonds, was found in France after 31 years. Interestingly, the identity of the person who made the historic discovery, as well as the location, has not been disclosed.
The Golden Owl Has Finally Been Found. It Was Carefully Hidden Years Ago
The discovery of the final clue that led directly to the Golden Owl was announced by the last living organizer of the hunt, French artist Michel Becker. "We confirm that the replica of the Golden Owl was unearthed last night and that the solution to the puzzle was simultaneously submitted via the online verification system," Becker wrote on a treasure hunter forum, as reported by the BBC.
To recap, in 1993, Becker and his partner Max Valentin published a book containing 11 riddles with clues and a description of the place where they had hidden the treasure they created—the Golden Owl, valued at around 150,000 euros. Over the past three decades, more than 200,000 people searched for it.
The Discovery Almost Never Happened. Treasure Hunters Breathe a Sigh of Relief
When Max Valentin passed away in 2009, there was a real possibility that the treasure might have been forgotten entirely. After his death, a legal battle ensued over who truly owned the Golden Owl, and some people refused to accept Michel Becker taking over Valentin’s role. During this time, interest in the treasure hunt waned for a while.
Currently, on the forum, treasure hunters have expressed relief that the Owl has finally been found. "I didn’t think I would live to see this day," wrote one user. "It’s like COVID. I felt so good when it ended," added another. "I feel relieved, but I desperately want to know the solution to see if I was on the right track," summed up another treasure hunter.
