forrest fenn treasure found

The Forrest Fenn treasure hunt, for the chest of gold and other relics hidden in the Rocky Mountains, waited for ten years to be discovered. A poem leading to the treasure was released by Forrest Fenn in the fall of 2010. The poem was included in Forrest’s memoir entitled, The Thrill of the Chase. By the surprise of many, the chase for the treasure ended in June 2020. Forrest announced the chest had been retrieved from his hiding place.

Events following the ending were less than ideal. However, eventually, it became known that Jack Steuf had been the searcher who retrieved the treasure, and who would later sell it to Justin Posey, and other members of an LLC. Tesouro Sagrado Holdings LLC then auctioned off the contents of the treasure, including the unopened olive jar (believed to contain Forrest’s autobiography), in the fall of 2022. Multiple searchers of the Chase were able to attain a piece of the treasure they actively sought for years. They were grateful to finally hold a piece of history.

However, the chest, with a few items from Forrest Fenn’s legendary treasure, were kept by Justin Posey. Justin was one of the most active searchers in the Chase for Forrest Fenn’s million-dollar treasure. A bit of his adventures has been shared in multiple media articles- such as The Great 21st Treasure Hunt or The New Yorker Documentary.

It was a pleasure to catch up with Justin, and chat about his latest thoughts on the Chase. Enjoy!

Six Questions with Justin:

  • 1Q) Congrats on the purchase and being the current owner of the Forrest Fenn Treasure Chest! You were an active searcher and fully involved in the chase. When did you first join the search?

Thank you, Jenny! I feel blessed to have procured the treasure chest. I consider myself merely a steward of the chest for a small period of its epic lifetime. A thousand years from now, I hope its possessor might contemplate its significance with the depth of reverence I hold today. I started searching in 2012; it’s been an epic journey for the last decade!

  • What did you enjoy most about it, and how did you feel when Forrest announced the Chase was over in June 2020?

The hours devoted to adventuring with friends and family, and the consequent fortification of those cherished bonds, constitute what I value most profoundly. The end of the chase was the end of an era. The Fenn treasure hunt offered an unparalleled adventure, and I believe we all yearn for the resonance of that experience to endure.

  • Also, the ending of the Forrest Fenn treasure hunt has turned out to be less than ideal, but in fairness to the hunt, it was the most extraordinary, first of its kind, with a poem, free for anyone to access, leading to a hidden million dollar treasure. I believe Forrest never imagined the difficult issues which the Chase eventually presented for him, his family, and others, in a multitude of ways. None the less, the ending could have been different – one of which could have had the treasure found, the finder having never come forth stating it was found, and with no one else ever knowing there wasn’t a chest remaining out there to find – all other searchers chasing an illusion for eternity. I’m just wondering if that would have been worse or better, in your opinion?  

A noble endeavor is achievable, albeit challenging. However, an endeavor rendered impossible because someone conceals its fulfillment stands in stark contrast.

  • Plus, do you ever regret being active in the Chase? If another came along, would you recommend or be part of something like it again?

Overall, I do not regret being part of the chase. True adventures and fresh frontiers wither with each passing year. If someone offers, take the ticket and relish the ride.

  • 2Q) Why was the LLC formed to purchase the chest and its contents?

The LLC was formed for basic legal protection and temporary anonymity.

  • Who decided upon the name, Tesouro Sagrado Holdings, LLC?

An LLC member chose the name hastily and not much thought was given to it.

  • Can you please explain what you all had to do to acquire the chest – had you talked with Jack, Forrest Fenn’s family, etc.?  How stressful was the process for you?

If memory serves me right, the negotiation process spanned more than a year, a tumultuous period marked by an intense whirlwind of emotions, oscillating highs and lows, and even consequential hair loss! The process involved discussions with Jack, multiple attorneys, LLC members, and the Fenn estate. Having engaged in numerous business dealings over the years, I can assert with conviction that this negotiation stands unparalleled as the most taxing and stress-laden negotiation I’ve endured to date.

  • In addition, was there anything not in the contents of the chest you were expecting there to be?

Jack has attested that everything in the chest was included in the inventory sent to me. Virtually all that I expected to find within the treasure was enumerated in the reported inventory. There has, however, been some discourse concerning the whereabouts of the emerald ring and a certain “something special” that Forrest had designated for the discoverer. To my understanding, the ring resides with the family, yet the fate of the “special” item intended for the finder remains unknown to me.

Currently, I own the treasure chest, the dragon bracelet, a few coins, dust, and flakes. At least one LLC members has one of the coins dubbed counterfeit by the NGC. By Heritage policy, the counterfeit coins could not be auctioned. Additionally, one item was returned to Heritage by a winning bidder and a handful of other items remained in LLC possession due to non-payment by bidders. All in all, LLC members retained somewhere around 21 items.

  • Now that the LLC is closed, chest in your possession, do you have closure?

There are a few loose ends that would preclude me from saying I have the closure I seek, one of which is to see the video with the nine clues that Forrest recorded. I remain hopeful that the Fenn estate will consent to the release of this video, thereby quelling myriad lingering conspiracies and bringing a sense of finality to this chapter.

  • Do you feel the Olive Jar held any additional information or possibly even included this elusive supposed second poem?

If I were to hazard a guess, the olive jar likely contains Forrest’s autobiography. I hope we will all know what it contains in due time.

  • Do you wish you had opened or kept the Olive Jar?  It seems it is one item left that still holds secrets.

I pondered the possibility of retaining the jar, but in the end, I determined that I was not the most suitable custodian to unveil its contents. This realization, coupled with discussions with fellow LLC members, guided the decision to consign the jar to auction. In doing so, the jar’s fair market value has been ascertained, a factor that serves to benefit the winning bidder, particularly in the event that insurance becomes a consideration.

  • 3Q) You have stated you searched at 9 Mile Hole and were within possibly 10 feet of where it is claimed the treasure chest was found. Jack has not yet to date shared his meaning of the 9 clues in the poem that led him there. Can you share the meanings you had applied to each of the 9 clues in the poem that led you to search near this same location?

WWWH: Madison Junction

Canyon down: Go down Madison Canyon

NFBTFTW: Drive your car

HOB:  Cross the river below the Brown trout hole (NMH). It’s the easiest and safest place to wade across the river.

Meek: You are not on a trail. You’re going into the wilderness.

End nigh: you are almost there

No paddle up creek: No need to go upstream

Heavy loads water high: the water upstream is deep and there are boulders

Blaze: mark on a tree, or it could be referring to Fenn rock. As Jeremy has pointed out, if you were to walk due south (quickly down) starting 20 feet south of Fenn rock, you go straight to the treasure.

  • 4Q) Although there are many who question the final location of 9MH, you’re confident it is the actual location as claimed by Jack Steuf, correct?

“The statements of science are not of what is true and what is not true, but statements of what is known with different degrees of certainty” — Feynman

I have a reasonably high degree of confidence. If hard evidence came to light that challenged NMH, it would need consideration.

  • What details have you collected or garnered to make you feel certain this was the accurate hiding spot of the chest? Had you taken soil samples, visited the spot, heard it was confirmed by the family via the video of Forrest sharing the clues, knew Jack was searching there, or what?  etc?

Engaging in dialogues with an array of trusted sources, scrutinizing various documents, visiting the site, consulting with independent photo forensic analysts, and conducting soil analysis have collectively forged the degree of confidence I now possess.

  • 5Q) It is being questioned exactly when Jack found, and then retrieved, the treasure chest. Evidence in the photos taken suggest it was not found in early June 2020, because the vegetation and other items seen in the photos seem more in tune with a late summer/early fall discovery. What are your thoughts about this?

Your suggestion is on point, in my opinion. Photo forensic analysis has lent credence to the idea that Jack unearthed the treasure in the waning summer of 2019. The careful and deliberate syntax Jack employed in his sales contract attestations is telling; he utilized the term “retrieved” in reference to the treasure in June of 2020, rather than asserting he “discovered” it.

  • And in speculation, If Jack had discovered the treasure in 2019, do you feel he moved the chest to a different location or had left it there for retrieval upon return?  Please share any thoughts on the treasure’s timeline.

I am inclined to believe that he allowed the treasure to remain concealed throughout the winter, secure in its seclusion. After resting undisturbed for nearly a decade, the likelihood of its discovery during those cold months seemed remote. He must have been confident that he would return to reclaim it on the very day the park reopened. Here’s my speculative chronology:

Late Summer 2019: With the aid of a metal detector, Jack discovered the treasure, electing to leave it untouched as he devised a strategy and explored the legal nuances.

Fall 2019: Over a series of emails, attempts were made to persuade Forrest to formally declare his intention to bequeath the treasure to Jack, thereby sidestepping tax implications. These overtures were consistently rebuffed by Forrest.

Fall 2019-Spring 2020: During this six-month span, Jack sought to establish residency in Puerto Rico, anticipating that such a move would shield him from taxation upon retrieving the chest.

June 5, 2020: Jack reclaimed the treasure, subsequently journeying to Santa Fe for an audience with Forrest and legal representatives. The treasure was gifted to Jack, rendering his Puerto Rican residency somewhat futile. It might also be surmised that the relocation was conceived as a precautionary measure, a safeguard to expedite a hasty retreat should his secret become public, thereby jeopardizing his safety.

  • 6Q) It seems you are free to talk about a wide range of topics about the Chase, even though you have some contractual obligations that limit you in connection to a Netflix documentary in making/releasing. What topics are you not allowed to discuss in regards to this, and can you share anything about this possible upcoming Netflix documentary?

Matters directly pertaining to media engagements fall under the purview of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), and as such, I find myself unable to provide comment on this subject.

  • Also, besides the definite meaning to the nine clues, do you have any other questions left about the Chase? What do you feel there is left to discuss or wish you knew on the Chase?

Most of my questions have been answered. Although private, it would be interesting to hear the unfettered discussion between Jack and Forrest when they met one another in Santa Fe in June of 2020.

  • And since not searching for the chest, what now do you do enjoy doing in your free time?

I have a wide variety of hobbies, some of which may be considered a bit unconventional. At the moment, I’m enjoying some downtime fishing the creeks and rivers of my youth. For me, fishing  is more than a mere pastime; it’s a communion with nature, an opportunity to reconnect with a simpler way of life that resonates with the core of my being. The gentle sway of the water, the rhythmic dance of the rod and reel, and the anticipation of a bite on the line all merge into a meditative experience. Whether I am navigating the meandering streams that once witnessed my youthful exuberance or exploring the grander rivers that have etched their paths across the land, I am enveloped by a sense of tranquility. The sport not only hones my patience and persistence but also rekindles memories, as I cast my line into waters that have both shaped and reflected the contours of my life.

In these quiet moments, with the natural world as my sole companion, I often reflect on the wisdom imparted by the ebb and flow of the waters: that life, like fishing, requires patience, attentiveness, and respect for the delicate balance of the ecosystem. These are lessons I strive to carry with me, well beyond the riverbanks, enriching my understanding of life’s greater tapestry.

  • BONUS Q: Have you investigated under the wood lining of the chest? Did you find anything?

I am enamored with the notion of mystery. A friend of mine acquired a jar from another friend, who retrieved it from the depths of a shipwreck. It remains unopened, and he resolutely refuses to breach its seal. To do so would dispel the enigma that envelops it. This preservation of the unknown resonates with me, and I find the idea captivating.

Should I choose to dismantle the chest to investigate its contents, if indeed there are any, I anticipate I will restrain any initial impulse to peruse what I may discover within.

  • NOTE: Justin added to the above comment on his Twitter account (@ReelLifeJustin). There he added the following:

At times, the allure of the “what ifs” may eclipse the certainty of the “what ares.” Should I choose to remove the liner, I assure you the information will not be confined to a select few. If I move forward, I intend to share it here, perhaps even through a live stream. I have no intention of disseminating information exclusively to a privileged group. It will be shared with everyone or with no one at all.

forrest fenn treasure hunt chest