Bummed the search ended so quickly? Take heart. You'll get another chance with Treasure Hunt II.
At first, hearing that the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt medallion had been found Tuesday in near-record time was "like being kicked in the stomach," said Dan Fleming, a lifelong medallion hunter.
What now?
Hmmmmmm. Well, how about another go-around?
After a St. Paul man found the medallion in Hidden Falls Regional Park after a record-breaking three clues, the newspaper hurriedly organized Treasure Hunt II.
That announcement, made by publisher Par Ridder during an impromptu news conference in the lobby of the Pioneer Press building, was greeted by cheers and applause from an assembled crowd of medallion diehards.
"It's the best news I've heard. It's just crazy," said an elated Tim Petrie, 21, of Cottage Grove. "The day the medallion is found is always one of the worst days of the year, because it's over."
Not this year. The Treasure Hunt, a staple of the city's Winter Carnival celebrations since 1952, continues with up to nine more riddles to beguile the brave, bold and curious. A new clue for the new hunt appears in today's edition of the Pioneer Press.
This is the second time in the hunt's 55-year-history the paper has hosted two contests back-to-back
"In 1953, that was the second year of the Treasure Hunt, and the clues were written by my great-uncle Dan and my great-uncle Robbie," said Ridder, holding the same small weathered chest his uncles once used to stash their prize. "What they did in 1953 is what we'll do this year."
The second medallion finder is eligible to receive up to $5,000, including $1,250 for returning the medallion to the Pioneer Press, $2,500 with a registered 2007 Winter Carnival button and $1,250 for providing clippings of the published clues. The winner also will receive a free lunch with columnist Joe Soucheray.
"That's fantastic news," said Fleming, 49, a sign and screen-printing distributor from St. Paul who attended his first medallion dig with his father at age 9.
After hearing the medallion had been found, hunters were heartbroken. Becki Pope, 45, of South St. Paul, said her sister flew in from Dallas to join her in the search. "I said, 'How could I tell her?' She was just greeting my grandkids, and I didn't want to ruin the moment. … Last year, she got here on the day after it was found."
Jake Ingebrigtson, 27, found the 2007 medallion at 3:30 p.m.Tuesday. Encased in ice, the treasure was decorated with logos for Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers union. St. Paul's Ford plant is near the medallion site.
No one has ever found the medallion after so few clues.
The previous daily record was five clues, which has happened twice. Last year's victors discovered the medallion after six of the 12 clues, which has occurred three times.
In 1980, a couple found the medallion after five clues on the third day, when the Pioneer Press was published twice daily.
Ingebrigtson, one of many medallion hunters featured in the 2005 documentary film "No Time for Cold Feet," said he dedicates two vacation weeks each year to searching. After comparing previous hiding sites, he began examining satellite photos of Hidden Falls in December, "based on a process of elimination," he said.
Ingebrigtson will receive the full $10,000 cash prize. The prize includes an automatic $2,500 award, $2,500 for providing clippings of the published clues and $5,000 for having a registered 2007 Winter Carnival button. He also gets $1,200 worth of groceries from Treasure Hunt sponsor Cub Foods.
Laura Yuen contributed to this report. Frederick Melo can be reached at fmelo@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-2172.
Copyright 2007 Pioneer Press.
