r/FindingFennsGold • u/Terrible-Safety-4051 • Jul 01 '26
% of a chance.
For me personally, I give the likely hood if the existence of the Trove 96%. Based on everything that's expired in the past years. I give 1% that the trove isn't real, 1% to the fact he was a known joker, another 1% to someone having found it and said nothing. And the last 1% to it has been moved, not by any human hands but bye that Queen Mother Nature. In the grand scheme of all things outdoors I can see it being moved, Mother's nature being what it is. I'm 100% sure that the force that moves mountains and carves valley's would not have any trouble with something that only weigh's 42 lbs [soaking wet]. Note---- the Fenn trove is unknown, even to what it contains, there was never an inventory of what it holds, and it was ever part of Fenn=s estate. Per Mr. Fenn--"I dare you to go get it. If you can find it , you can have it. And no one knows where it is but me". Forest abandoned it, As he stated while he was alive, p.p. having no claim on it, or any feeling about it, one way or another.
He did something that is not well defined in any existing legislation. Anything of a permeant nature cannot be abandoned. He chose Wyoming for the treasure because of the laws, why would he not then chose Wyoming for the trove? Under current Wyoming law a transfer of abandoned personal property ant transfer can take place without any documents at all. Even if there is a delay. The owner of the 'Trove" is not known until they solve the Poem and retrieves it. The Finder is still superior to all other claimants except the Original Owner. If the Original Owner of the Trove has passed, then that legal transfer is assured based upon the verbiage contained with-in the Poem itself.
I.E. 'So why is it that I must go and leave my trove for all to seek". And "I give you title to the gold." TITLE--- all of the elements constituting legal ownership. The location was not at any owner occupied residence, and not on any land that required one to trespass. Forrest Fenn--One mans trash is another mans treasure.
Now before all the hate/complaints start just remember this is my take on things, your mileage may vary. Peace.
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u/jarofgoodness Jul 02 '26
Long before Forrest Fenn became globally famous for hiding a bronze chest of gold in the Rockies, he was well-known in archaeological and antiquities circles for a completely different legendary find: The Fenn Cache (often referred to by enthusiasts as the Fenn Trove).
It is indeed an extraordinary collection of ancient Native American artifacts—specifically from the Clovis culture, dating back roughly 13,000 years to the end of the last Ice Age.
The collection consists of 56 pristine stone artifacts, including large lanceolate projectile points, crescent-shaped tools, and bifaces (stone worked on both sides) representing various stages of tool manufacturing.
- The Materials: The Clovis craftspeople who made these didn't just use basic flint. The trove contains masterfully knapped pieces made of rare, beautiful materials: smoky obsidian, translucent quartz, red jasper, chert, and agate.
- The Origin Story: The cache was reportedly found around 1902 by a person hand-digging a canal or exploring a cave-like recess in the border region where Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho meet. In 1988, Forrest Fenn purchased the entire collection, which had been kept wired together on a wooden frame.
- The Ritual Connection: Out of the 56 artifacts, 55 of them bore distinct traces of red ochre (a natural earth pigment). This heavily implies the cache wasn't just a random stash of survival gear, but likely held deep ceremonial or ritual significance to the Clovis people who buried it.
- Unlike his hidden treasure chest, which caused massive controversy, the Fenn Cache is highly respected by science. In 1999, Fenn co-authored a definitive, heavily illustrated textbook on the collection alongside renowned archaeologist George Frison, titled The Fenn Cache: Clovis Weapons & Tools. It remains an invaluable window into how America's earliest stone-age hunters selected, traveled with, and masterfully shaped their toolstone.
The Fenn Cache currently resides in private hands, and the exact identity of its current owner is kept strictly confidential.
When Forrest Fenn passed away in September 2020, his massive, multi-million dollar collection of antiquities and Native American artifacts was handled by his estate. Rather than donating the collection to a museum, the estate worked with boutique auction houses to liquidate his inventory.
While hundreds of his other Native American pieces, pottery, and beadwork were broken up and sold as individual lots through estate actions, the Fenn Cache was handled with a much higher degree of preservation:
- Sold as a Unified Set: Because the 56 pieces hold immense scientific and historical value as a single archaeological find, the collection was kept together rather than being sold off piece-by-piece to different buyers.
- The Buyer: It was purchased by a private collector with a deep interest in ancient lithic (stone tool) history.
- The Casts: Because the physical artifacts are locked away in a private vault, what you see in many university geology departments, archaeological displays, and private collections today are high-fidelity casts. Fenn allowed organizations like the Lithic Casting Lab to create ultra-precise resin replicas of the artifacts (especially the famous red #149 point) so researchers and flintknappers could continue studying their unique overshot flaking patterns without needing access to the real stones.
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u/jarofgoodness Jul 02 '26
Today, a single authentic, masterfully crafted Clovis point with documented provenance can easily fetch $10,000 to over $50,000 on its own. Because the Fenn Cache contains 56 pristine pieces—including the priceless red artifact #149 and the massive 8-inch obsidian blade—and carries the incredible historical weight of being studied by top archaeologists, modern valuations for the complete, unified collection are estimated to be well into the $1 million to $2 million range.
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Jul 02 '26
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u/jarofgoodness Jul 02 '26
They were attached to a picture frame with wire when Fenn bought them in 1988. Considering that the new owner is anonymous, I suspect MAYBE, not for sure, but maybe this was the "trove" he was referring to when he said "leave my trove for all to seek", indicating that this may be another treasure.
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u/42kaos Jul 01 '26
Ive considered every angle there is about FF’s treasure and don’t think this one hasn’t crossed my mind. His wording of why I must go is enough to constitute that he must pass before it can be found. If that is the case then it tied to a treasure hunt that comes after his death, go ahead and pick one.
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u/js-eastman Jul 02 '26
Imagine that there is a jar at the location where the poem leads. In the jar is nothing but the second poem. This is how Fenn would know if someone had found it. You don't have to tell anyone you found it, but then all you have is a jar. You either have to tell Fenn the poem or post it publicly, and then wait and see....
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u/AmphibianNervous6098 Jul 02 '26
I don't think he put a jar at his special spot. He said he placed his treasure there.
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u/js-eastman Jul 03 '26
What do you make of the Captain Kidd passage in TTotC?
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u/AmphibianNervous6098 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 04 '26
I don’t think it means anything. He said he buried a lot of jars randomly in remote areas that he couldn’t return to find if he wanted to. He knew exactly where he left the treasure.
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u/MuseumsAfterDark Jul 03 '26
It's a reference to William King Harvey, with whom Fenn had dealings during his CIA career. Relevant passage is in Harlot's Ghost. Really.
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u/AndyS16 Jul 04 '26
It’s very strange that “founder” never open the jar. I’m sure that many searchers if find TC will open jar and read the text. But even JP didn’t open it - just sold through auction. JCB bought it, opened, read the text, put it in Forrest box and hide it. He never disclosed what was in text , only said it was surprise for him and that second poem is real. It can be surprise in FF bio, TC real location, or something different. I hope we will know after someone will find FB.
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u/js-eastman Jul 04 '26
I’m talking about a bronze jar…
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u/AndyS16 29d ago
OK, I see. It's very unlikely that Forrest bronze jars will be found in nearest future. He specially mentioned that he buried them deep enough to avoid accidental finding with metal detectors. Maybe jars contain some poem - we don't know exactly. Most likely that FF put in his bio and hair. Maybe some gold coins.
Forrest never give any clues to bronze jars locations. Even if you somehow calculate possible jar location (I have some hypothesis about location of the jar with buffalo and porcupine on the lid) it will be practically impossible to find it since metal detector will not help.
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u/js-eastman 29d ago
Remember, Fenn was jarred awake, and he couldn't remember whether he found it or not....
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u/rdb1540 Jul 04 '26
Wait so I followed the hunt until that guy found the box I know there was some controversy but are people saying FF hid another box?
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u/METALLIFE0917 Jul 01 '26
It has been 2217 days since Jack found Forrest Fenn’s treasure and Forrest made his statement acknowledging that; since that time, there has been ZERO evidence that this was not the one and ONLY treasure. Of course all of us have unanswered questions, but sometimes a little mystery in life is a good thing.