$50K treasure hunt hits San Francisco streets with rare coins hidden across iconic neighborhoods

Participants won’t need shovels or shortcuts to win big.

According to owner and CEO Seth Chandler, all coins will be placed in safe locations with no digging or trespassing required.

The rules are simple but intense: starting at 7 a.m. on the day of the event, clues will be released “every hour on the hour” via the shop’s Instagram account, @wittercoin. Each riddle points to the location of one hidden coin.

The event coincides with National Coin Week and doubles as a promotional push for the business, but Chandler says it’s also about reconnecting the city with its roots.

“This city was built around the pursuit of gold,” Chandler told a local FOX affiliate. “We wanted to create something that brings that spirit back. Something real, tangible, and rooted in San Francisco’s history. These aren’t replicas. These are genuine, high-value coins.”

The scavenger hunt has grown significantly since its 2024 debut, when 11 coins worth a few hundred to $2,500 were scattered across the city.

This year’s prize pool is dramatically larger, reflecting both rising interest and bigger ambitions.

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Chandler has carved out a unique lane in the coin world, leaning into social media and live selling platforms like WhatNot, where he auctions off collectibles, from Liberty Head nickels to Morgan silver dollars, sometimes starting bids at just $1.

That approach has helped drive annual revenues between $4 million and $5 million.

Now, he’s taking that energy to the streets.

“Don’t be a spectator, be a prospector,” the shop teased in its Instagram announcement.

For one day only, San Francisco becomes the hunt, and the clock starts ticking at sunrise.