Read about US history, then hunt for treasure

Ms Kelly Wakefield, a professional gardener, was doing her spring clean-up of a public park in Saint Albans City, Vermont, when she stumbled upon a mysterious metal box under a pile of leaves.

- Talya Minsberg

She shook the box and heard the telltale jangle of coins.

She opened the metal box and was floored by the bounty inside.

Ms Wakefield, 46, soon learnt that she had stumbled upon a treasure chest intentionally hidden by American author Michael Cloherty O'Connell, who had written two history books leading readers on scavenger hunts around the Northeastern United States.

The box contained various coins, antiques, a Civil War-era bullet, a map and a note from the author. It is now in a safe-deposit box, Ms Wakefield said, and has yet to be appraised.

O'Connell, the creator of the treasure hunt, is a 61-year-old, recently retired history buff who took money out of his retirement funds to create multi-state treasure hunts guided by his two books. One of his books, Lady Liberty's Treasure Hunt (2024), is aimed at adults, and the other, Riley's Treasure Chase (2024), at children.

Collectively, the hidden chests have antiques worth upwards of US$100,000 (S$129,000), he said, though that has not been independently verified by The New York Times. He declined to say how many chests he had hidden. Nearly 10 have been found, he said.

O'Connell encouraged treasure hunters to read his books carefully for clues.