Michigan jeweler buries $ 1 million in jewelry and launches treasure hunt


A Michigan jeweler says he quit after 23 years and is taking prospective adventurers on a treasure hunt.

Johnny Perri, owner of J&M Jewelers in Washington Township, Michigan, had an “epiphany” after being forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Although I enjoyed doing business on my own and have been blessed in serving our wonderful clients, I have found that I was never really happy,” Perri writes on the website created for his “Treasure Quest.”

Perri said she read the news one morning and learned of the man who discovered art dealer Forrest Fenn’s $ 1 million treasure chest. He decided he wanted a piece of that magic himself.

He and his fiancee, Amy, embarked on their own adventure, burying the contents of all their jewelry, and “thousands upon thousands” of precious metals and antiques, throughout the state of Michigan.

In total, he has buried $ 1 million in treasures.

“We traversed waterfalls, streams, kayaked everywhere,” Perri told WJBK-TV in Detroit.

Each piece of buried treasure has an “X” painted on the spot, as well as a GPS so you know if the treasure has been discovered.

A word of warning: sharing tracks online is prohibited. And during the pandemic, Perri notes that “good judgment” is crucial, making social distancing and frequent handwashing important.

The first treasure hunt will begin on August 1, with the value of the treasure, two 100-ounce silver bars, worth around $ 4,200.

Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote