The Secret treasure hunt spans multiple cities across the United States, creating one of the most enduring mysteries in modern treasure hunting history. Since 1982, Byron Preiss's cryptic puzzle book has challenged seekers to decode riddles and locate buried ceramic casques hidden in parks and public spaces from coast to coast. Josh Gates brought national attention to this decades-old mystery on Expedition Unknown, reigniting interest in the remaining nine unfound treasures.
The Secret is a conceptual treasure hunt spanning multiple locations across the United States and Canada, created by author and publisher Byron Preiss in 1982. The book contains 12 verse-and-image puzzle pairs that cryptically encode the locations of buried ceramic casques, each containing a key redeemable for a jewel from Preiss himself. Only three of the twelve treasures have been recovered since publication—in Chicago (1984), Cleveland (2004), and Boston (2019)—leaving nine casques still hidden across North America. Josh Gates investigated this enduring mystery across two episodes, attempting to crack the decades-old cryptic clues and locate one of the remaining treasures using modern investigative techniques and consultation with dedicated Secret hunters.
Byron Preiss publishes The Secret, burying 12 ceramic casques across North America
First casque discovered in Chicago's Grant Park
Second casque found in Cleveland's Cultural Gardens
Byron Preiss dies in an automobile accident, taking definitive puzzle solutions with him
Third casque unearthed in Boston's Langone Park
Gates investigates The Secret mystery for Expedition Unknown
The Secret represents a unique intersection of puzzle design, public art, and treasure hunting that has captivated amateur sleuths for over 40 years. Byron Preiss, a New York publisher and author, collaborated with fantasy artist John Jove Palencar to create twelve paintings and twelve verses that, when correctly paired and deciphered, reveal specific burial sites in North American cities. The puzzles incorporate local history, architecture, geographical features, and cultural landmarks, requiring solvers to possess deep knowledge of their target cities. The death of Preiss in 2005 eliminated any possibility of official solutions, meaning the remaining nine casques can only be found through collaborative deduction and, ultimately, physical excavation.
The Secret hunting community has developed extensive analytical frameworks over decades, with online forums serving as clearinghouses for theories about which verses pair with which images and which cities might contain the remaining treasures. The three confirmed finds have validated certain interpretive approaches—solvers must recognize that clues may reference features that existed in 1981 when Preiss conducted his burial trips, not necessarily present-day landmarks. This temporal dimension adds complexity, as urban development has altered many locations over four decades. Some parks have been redesigned, trees have been removed or planted, and pathways have shifted, making precise location identification challenging even when solvers believe they have correctly interpreted a puzzle.
Gates' investigation brought national television attention to a hunt that had largely remained the province of dedicated online communities. By consulting with veteran hunters and applying investigative resources to promising theories, the episodes explored how modern technology might assist in narrowing search areas within large public spaces. The hunt's longevity speaks to the quality of Preiss's puzzle construction—cryptic enough to resist quick solutions, yet structured enough that dedicated analysis feels potentially solvable. Whether Gates' investigation successfully located one of the remaining casques, the episodes highlighted both the intellectual challenge of the puzzles and the practical difficulties of conducting searches in public spaces that require permissions and careful excavation.
The enduring appeal of The Secret lies partly in its attainability—these are not treasures requiring expeditions to remote locations or expensive equipment, but rather prizes hidden in accessible public spaces, theoretically findable by anyone with sufficient puzzle-solving skill and determination. This democratic accessibility has sustained interest across generations of hunters, with the 2019 Boston discovery proving that solutions remain possible decades later and inspiring renewed search efforts nationwide.
The ceramic casques buried by Preiss each contained a key that could be redeemed for a jewel—though Preiss's death in 2005 complicated the redemption process for any subsequently discovered keys
The Chicago casque was found in 1984 within months of the book's publication, but the second discovery did not occur until 2004, a gap of 20 years
The Boston casque discovery in 2019 was the first new find in 15 years and reignited widespread interest in the hunt
Some Secret hunters believe certain puzzles may reference locations that no longer exist or have been substantially altered by urban development, potentially making those casques unrecoverable
The Secret's treasure locations are by definition unknown until discovered, but the hunt primarily focuses on public parks and accessible spaces in major North American cities. Potential searchers should note that any excavation in public spaces requires proper permits and permissions from local authorities—all three confirmed casques were recovered with appropriate approvals. The Secret hunting community generally discourages unauthorized digging, emphasizing that solving the puzzles intellectually should precede any physical search attempts.
The hunt spans multiple major cities across the United States and Canada, including confirmed past locations in Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston, with suspected remaining casques potentially in cities such as San Francisco, Charleston, New Orleans, Milwaukee, St. Augustine, and Roanoke Island.
Since potential Secret locations span diverse climates from Canada to the Gulf Coast, optimal visiting conditions vary by suspected site. Spring and fall generally offer the most comfortable conditions for extended outdoor puzzle-solving reconnaissance in most North American cities.
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Best time to visit: Spring through fall offers the best conditions for exploring outdoor locations and parks where the remaining casques may be hidden.
Travel tip: Bring a metal detector if visiting suspected sites, but always check local regulations and obtain proper permits before digging in public parks or spaces.