The 60th anniversary of the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt features some new bells and whistles, a change in clue distribution and a treasure hunt first: The medallion used in the past five hunts will be given away.
Clues will be released at 11:30 p.m. on TwinCities.com each day of the hunt, with a “scrambled” clue for true noodlers released online an hour earlier. The site will also feature a discussion board and exclusive video about the hunt.
And, because of the light-rail construction in downtown St. Paul, printed copies of the clues will not be available at the newspaper headquarters on Cedar Street. Instead, hunters can pick up copies beginning about 11:30 p.m. at the Original Gabe’s by the Park, 991 N. Lexington Parkway.
For treasure hunters looking to win a piece of hunt history, enter the medallion drawing twice a day during the hunt – once on the Pioneer Press Facebook page and once at TwinCities.com. Hunters also can answer daily trivia questions on Facebook and post hunt chatter to Twitter by including #pphunt in their tweets.
And in another hunt twist, 1,000 miniature medallions will be hidden in parks in Ramsey County. Each medallion is good for free admission to the “Real Pirates” exhibit opening Feb. 18 at the Science Museum of Minnesota.
The Pioneer Press held the first treasure hunt in 1952. The sought-after medallion is hidden on public land in Ramsey County and can be found by hunters who sleuth out its resting spot through a series of clues. This year’s winners can take home up to $10,000 in prize money.
The hunt, presented by Fury Jeep, begins Jan. 22 with the release of the first daily clue and will run through Feb. 2, unless the medallion is found before then.
The medallion finder should promptly return it to the Pioneer Press, 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, to qualify for the $2,500 initial cash prize. The finder can win an additional $2,500 for bringing in all of the published daily clues, clipped or copied from the newspaper or printed from the website, and providing them along with the medallion.
The paper also will award $5,000 to a finder with a registered 2012 Winter Carnival Button. Official entry forms must be postmarked by Jan. 20 to the Winter Carnival office or registered online at winter-carnival.com by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 20.
John Brewer can be reached at 651-228-2093.
Copyright 2012 Pioneer Press.