A rare coin treasure hunt kicks off in 4 American cities

For Americans wishing they could participate in The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt, there is a new opportunity stateside. This month, the rare coin dealer and auction house Stack’s Bowers Galleries is inviting the public to join in on a treasure hunt to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the firm’s first auction. 

Certificates for rare coins and banknotes will be hidden in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami, all cities where the auction house has retail store fronts. The certificates will be tucked away in five iconic locations in each city, with one location revealed per day. The treasure hunt will run in each city for five days:

• Boston, Massachusetts: October 7-11   

• New York, New York: October 14-18

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: October 21-25

• Miami, Florida: October 28-November 1

Clues for the hiding places will be posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Stack’s Bowers Galleries Retail Store Page. There will be a different location each day and the winner can bring their certificate to that city’s gallery to claim their prize. 

The roughly $10,000 worth of prizes vary by each city and range from $300 up to a grand prize valued at about $3,500 total. Each winner will also receive a copy of the 2026 Guide Book of United States Coins. Finders are welcome to keep their coin, or  sell it back to Stack’s Bowers. The auction house team hopes that this activity will spark an interest in collecting. Colonial silver coins found in cabinets, symbolic dollars flown in space, or those specially made by the United States Mint are only some examples of the exciting world of coin collecting. 

“What began as a coin store in mid-town Manhattan in the depths of the Great Depression has grown into an international numismatic powerhouse, with offices throughout the United States and in Europe (Paris and Denmark), Hong Kong, and Canada,” company President Brian Kendrella said in a press release. “As we look toward our centennial, we continue to spread our love of numismatics to the general public. Timing our nationwide treasure hunt to coincide with the 90th anniversary of our first auction in October 1935 is a wonderful way to do that.”

Participation in the treasure hunt is free to anyone and everyone.