Lena Rivera
The Secret is a treasure hunt created by Byron Preiss, involving 12 treasure boxes buried in secret locations across the United States and Canada. Each box, called a casque, is associated with a painting and a poem, containing clues to its location. As of 2024, only three of the twelve boxes have been found. While some clues in the paintings have been deciphered, leading searchers to the correct cities, it is unclear if all the paintings in The Secret have been fully solved.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the book | The Secret |
| Author | Byron Preiss |
| Year of release | 1982 |
| Format | 12 paintings and 12 poems |
| Reward | A precious gem |
| Number of casques found | 3 |
| Cities where casques were found | Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston |
| Artist | John Jude Palencar |
| Artist's confirmation | All commonly accepted cities are correct |
| Other clues | Quotes from books, latitude and longitude coordinates, outlines of prominent buildings, and references to specific parks |
| Issues with reprinted editions | Subpar paper and printing quality, dark and unclear images |
| Recommended image resolution | 300-350 dpi |
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What You'll Learn
The Secret's paintings and their corresponding poems
In 1982, Byron Preiss published a book called *The Secret: A Treasure Hunt*, which included 12 paintings and 12 poems. The paintings were created by John Jude Palencar, and the poems were written by Preiss. The goal was for readers to match each painting with its corresponding poem, decipher the clues within, and locate a hidden treasure box (called a "casque") buried by Preiss. The casques were buried in 12 cities across North America, and each contained a jewel that the finder could redeem for a monetary reward.
Despite the book being released over 40 years ago, only three casques have been found: the first in Chicago in 1983, the second in Cleveland in 2004, and the third in Boston in 2019. The remaining nine casques are yet to be discovered, and the exact locations of all the casques are still a mystery.
While some individuals claim to have solved certain paintings and their corresponding poems, there is no definitive confirmation as Preiss passed away in 2005 without leaving any solutions. However, it is believed that most of the paintings have been correctly paired with their respective cities. For example, Painting 11 has been associated with Boston, and Painting 12 has been linked to New York or Santa Catalina, CA.
The paintings and poems contain various clues, including latitude and longitude coordinates, outlines of prominent buildings, references to specific parks, quotes from books, and depictions of ethnic groups. For instance, the first casque found in Chicago was linked to the Irish and the gem was an emerald, reflecting Ireland's nickname as the "Emerald Isle".
The Secret has sparked widespread interest and has led to the formation of online communities dedicated to solving the puzzles and locating the remaining casques. While some critics have questioned the quality of reprinted editions, original scans of the paintings are available online for enthusiasts to study and discuss.
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The author, Byron Preiss, and his death
Byron Preiss, the author of The Secret, died on July 9, 2005, at the age of 52. Preiss was a native of Brooklyn, New York City, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972, later earning a master's degree in communications from Stanford University.
Preiss was a writer, editor, and publisher, and founded Byron Preiss Visual Publications in 1974. He was recognised as a pioneer in digital publishing, being among the first to publish in formats such as CD-ROM books and ebooks. He was also the co-author of Dragonworld, a novel published by Bantam Books in 1979, and produced The Block, an anti-drug comic book designed for low-level reading skills.
Preiss died in a traffic accident in East Hampton, New York. He was attempting to make a left-hand turn from Stephen Hand's Path onto the Montauk Highway when his car was struck by a Hampton Jitney. Preiss was pulled from his car by witnesses and a nurse who attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he had no pulse and could not be revived.
Following his death, Preiss's company was purchased by Bricktower Press, which began reprinting The Secret in the mid-2000s. These reprints are of inferior quality, with dark and muddy images. It is recommended that readers use the original 1982 images, which can be found on the 12treasures website.
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The physical casques and their contents
The Secret is a treasure hunt created by Byron Preiss. The 1982 book contains twelve paintings and twelve poems, and readers can pair them correctly to dig up a hidden casque. The casques are buried in secret locations in cities across the United States and Canada. The casques are buried in locations that symbolically represent events and peoples that played significant roles in North American history. Each casque contains a unique but specific figure painted on it.
As of 2024, only three of the twelve boxes have been found: the first in Chicago in 1983, the second in 2004 in Cleveland, and the third in 2019 in Boston. The Boston casque was almost lost forever due to renovation work in Langone Park, where it was buried. The casques found in Chicago and Cleveland had metal in their lids, while the Boston casque had no metal and has burlap in the lid. The Cleveland casque also had metal in the key. The lids of the casques have different times that match the puzzle month, and each has a unique painting. The casques are signed and appear to have never been fired.
The casques contain jewels, and anyone who found one was entitled to exchange it with Preiss for a precious gem. The jewels were collectively worth $10,000 in 1982. The first casque found in Chicago contained an emerald, linking to Ireland's nickname, the "Emerald Isle".
Preiss died in 2005 and left no record of the treasure boxes' exact locations. This means that the remaining boxes may never be recovered.
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The role of John Jude Palencar, the artist
John Jude Palencar is the artist behind the paintings in The Secret. He is also the owner of the original paintings. Palencar has stated that the images do not need to be at a pixel resolution higher than 300-350 dpi. The images on 12treasures.com are scanned at a much higher resolution, allowing readers to zoom in and see the original printing dots.
The Secret is a treasure hunt book created by Byron Preiss and first published in 1982. It contains twelve paintings and twelve poems, and readers must pair a painting and a poem correctly and decipher the hidden clues to find the treasure boxes, or "casques," buried by Preiss. Each casque is said to contain a precious gem, and anyone who found one could exchange it with Preiss for the jewel.
Palencar has played a significant role in confirming the correctness of the cities associated with the paintings. All but one of the paintings contain latitude and longitude coordinates pointing to specific cities, and most contain the outline of a prominent building or the city itself. Palencar recently confirmed that all the commonly accepted cities are correct, providing assurance that the cities are accurately paired with the paintings.
Despite the artist's confirmation of the cities, the exact locations of the casques remain a mystery. Even Palencar himself has stated that he does not know the exact locations of the casques or the correct solutions to the puzzles. The death of Byron Preiss in 2005 further complicates the situation, as he did not leave any record of the treasure boxes' exact locations.
The paintings in The Secret have sparked interest in exploring the history and hidden gems of various cities. People have been attempting to decipher the clues in the paintings, and some have shared their theories and potential locations online. However, the challenge of changing landscapes over time adds another layer of complexity to the hunt, as clues may no longer match the altered surroundings.
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The impact on local history and exploration
The Secret, a 1982 book by Byron Preiss, has had a significant impact on local history and exploration. The book contains 12 paintings and 12 poems, each containing clues leading to buried treasure boxes called "casques" in 12 cities across North America. The casques are said to contain precious gems, and finding them has sparked a treasure hunt that has captivated people for decades.
The impact of The Secret on local history and exploration is evident in several ways. Firstly, it has encouraged people to explore their cities and local areas in search of the hidden casques. This has led to a deeper appreciation and understanding of local history and geography, as hunters scour their cities for clues and hidden gems. For example, one person hunting for the San Francisco casque shared that the experience made them explore parks and corners of their city that they had never visited before, resulting in a newfound appreciation for their city's history.
Secondly, The Secret has brought attention to specific locations within cities that may have otherwise been overlooked. Each painting in the book contains latitude and longitude coordinates pointing to specific cities, often including the outline of a prominent building or the city itself. This has led to increased exploration and interest in these locations, with hunters seeking to match the paintings to their corresponding real-life settings.
Additionally, the book has sparked discussions and theories about local history, archaeology, and hidden treasures. Online communities and forums have formed, such as the r/nonmurdermysteries and r/12keys subreddits, where people share their ideas, discoveries, and theories about the casques' locations. These discussions often delve into the historical and cultural significance of the cities and locations featured in the paintings, fostering a deeper understanding of local history.
The Secret has also influenced people to explore beyond their immediate surroundings and embark on journeys to distant cities in search of the casques. This has likely resulted in increased tourism and exploration of the featured cities, as hunters travel to these destinations to uncover their secrets.
Lastly, The Secret's impact on local history and exploration is evident in the discovery of three casques to date: Chicago (1983), Cleveland (2004), and Boston (2019). These discoveries have validated the accuracy of the book's clues and encouraged further exploration, as hunters remain hopeful that the remaining casques can be found. However, it's important to note that the changing landscape over time may render some clues obsolete, as seen with the Boston casque, which was almost destroyed during renovation work.
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Frequently asked questions
'The Secret' is a treasure hunt created by Byron Preiss. The hunt involves a search for twelve treasure boxes, buried at secret locations in cities across the United States and Canada. Each box contains a precious gem.
Clues for the treasure's location are provided in a puzzle book named 'The Secret', which was produced and published by Byron Preiss in 1982. The book contains 12 paintings and 12 poems, and by pairing a painting and a poem correctly, then deciphering the clues hidden within each, the reader can find the treasure box.
No. As of 2024, only three of the twelve boxes have been found. The first was found in Chicago in 1983, the second in 2004 in Cleveland, and the third in 2019 in Boston.
Anyone who finds a treasure box can send the key held inside back to Byron Preiss and his estate and exchange it for a jewel that is represented in that treasure box’s corresponding painting.
