I was eleven years old when I found my first treasure. I had been playing with friends in my backyard on Bacon Street when I started digging near a group of oak trees. After several minutes of digging, I found it — an 1867 Indian Head Penny. Over 100 years old. I had never seen anything like it before. My friends marveled at the coin’s beauty and remarkable condition.

From that moment forward, something changed. We were always on the lookout for new treasures. We jumped on our Stingray bikes and searched all over Winchester — old houses, the Fells, Sandy Beach, Manchester Field, downtown streets.

Sometimes we drew treasure maps and buried marbles, keys, secret notes, or baseball cards in glass jars to recover on another day.

That playful search — that childlike quest — never truly leaves us. Even as we grow older, most of us secretly hold onto the dream that one day we might uncover something magical. A treasure chest. Gold coins. A hidden fortune. Something extraordinary.

In 1983, the world felt that magic again when a children’s book called Masquerade detailed clues to a hidden golden hare. It became a worldwide hunt. People everywhere followed the clues, deciphered riddles, and searched the countryside. That spirit never left me.

In 2004, I wrote a book called The Buried Treasure Game. $50,000 was hidden. Participants from over 30 countries joined the hunt. Over 10,000 books were sold and the game became a viral sensation.

But today, we bring the hunt into a new era and it’s a real world adventure with purpose. Hosted by Top Secret Kids Corporation – a 32 year old national public charity – The Treasure Hunt Game combines mystery, exploration, community impact and STEM education.