The medallion was found by brothers, Darren and Baron Stanley, after 10 clues at the base of a post off Derby Field Road, near the airport and the entrance to the Humboldt Wildlife Management Area in Pershing County
Explanations for the 2024 Nevada Day Treasure Hunt Clues
Clue No. 1
Here we are, another year,
Searching Nevada, both far and near.
Enjoy yourselves, wherever you roam,
Explore and treasure our beautiful home.
Explanation: This clue welcomes treasure hunters to the 2024 Hunt.
Clue No. 2
On public land, you’ll find the prize,
No trespassing allowed, a word for the wise.
Tread with care, for safety’s sake,
And leave no trash in your wake.
Explanation: This clue reminds hunters to be respectful of Nevada lands and private property, and to follow the rules of the Hunt.
Clue No. 3
Many searched for treasure, silver and gold,
But silver’s elusive, its secrets untold.
A medal detector serves no gain,
In places of legends old stories remain.
Explanation: This clue is a nod to the prototype medallion for the 2024 hunt. The official medallion will be given to the winner after the hunt has concluded.
Clue No. 4
Echoes fall where legends dawn,
Follow the marker where lines are drawn.
A ranch where roots in shadows dwell,
With poker hands, and stories to tell.
Explanation: Pete Marker, an early Nevadan, first settled in Verdi, where he opened a lumber mill to supply timber for the V&T Railroad’s bridges and railroad ties. As the first state senator from Washoe County, he played a significant role in the region’s development. In 1875, Marker moved to the Lovelock Valley, purchasing extensive land, including the Old Reservation Ranch, Poker Brown land, and the Tule Ranch, where he raised hogs. His legacy endures in Lovelock through the “Marker Addition” and the Marker School-House. This clue pays homage to Pete Marker and could guide searchers to either the Verdi or Lovelock areas.
Clue No. 5
Meandering through Nevada’s rugged lands,
Tracing the path of dreamers’ bold plans.
Miles without water, just whispers of pain,
As wagon tracks fade, the stories remain.
Explanation: The Emigrant Trails through Nevada, including the Humboldt River Route, Truckee Trail, and Carson Route, were critical for westward migration. The area around Lovelock offered a vital stop for travelers along the Humboldt River, providing respite before they faced the grueling 40-Mile Desert, a waterless, dangerous stretch. This clue indicates that the Treasure is hidden somewhere along the Emigrant Trail.
Clue No. 6
Early Paiute lore, the giants sleep,
Near the dam’s cool, silent seep.
And ginger’s scent and guano’s gleam,
Treasure not hidden here, just your dreams.
Explanation: This clue refers to the Lovelock Cave, in which guano miners found artifacts and preserved remains of Native Americans who inhabited the cave. There is also a legend about a mysterious race of “Red-Haired Giants” (the “ginger” reference) who inhabited the cave and fought with the Paiute tribe that lived in the area. The road leading to the Lovelock Cave passes multiple irrigation waterways and a dam. This clue tells treasure hunters that the medallion is NOT in Churchill County, where the Lovelock Cave is located.
Clue No. 7
At 17 and 19, the primes align,
With pi in the circle, the digits unwind,
Subtracting 1-1, the balance is two.
Infinite wonders, in Nevada’s view.
Explanation: Pershing County is the 17th county in Nevada, created in 1919. It was created after splitting from Humboldt County due to claims by Lovelock residents that resources were being unfairly allocated to the Humboldt County seat of Winnemucca. The Pershing County courthouse was designed by famed architect, Frederick DeLongchamps. Pi refers to the unique round shape of the courthouse building. The Pershing County Courthouse is the only round courthouse in daily use in the US at this time. There is a mural of a Nevada view (the Nevada State Seal) behind the judge’s bench. This clue leads Treasure Hunters to Pershing County.
Clue No. 8
No sound escaped, yet still she spoke,
A night out in the desert, ‘neath the moon’s soft cloak.
At one in the morning, alone in despair,
No blood on her hands, yet still, he lay there.
Explanation: Edna Purviance was an American actress celebrated for her contributions to the silent film era. Born in 1895 in Paradise Valley, Nevada, her family moved to Lovelock when she was just three years old, where they ran the Singer Hotel.
As the leading lady in many of Charlie Chaplin’s early films, Edna appeared in over 30 productions with him over eight years, beginning with “A Night Out.” Fans were disappointed when Chaplin starred solo in “One A.M.,” leaving Edna out of the cast.
Edna’s career suffered a setback in 1924 due to a scandal when she and her friend, Mabel Normand, attended a New Year’s Day party hosted by millionaire oil broker Courtland Stark Dines. The gathering turned dangerous when Mabel’s chauffeur got into a dispute with Dines, drew a revolver, and shot him—though the injury was not fatal.
This clue leads Treasure Hunters to the Lovelock area, hinting that the treasure is hidden out in the desert.
Clue No. 9
Strong hands that mined the ore,
Built railroads stretching evermore.
A cache of gold coins where the park now lies,
In the quiet of the resting place beneath the lone mountain’s skies.
Explanation: The Chinese immigrant community in Northern Nevada has greatly impacted the state’s history, notably in constructing the Northern Nevada railway and contributing to mining and businesses in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
A small Chinese cemetery on Lone Mountain was neglected until 2005 when Larry DeLeeuw received permission to restore it, focusing on funerary burners used for items burned for the deceased’s afterlife. The graves are unmarked, identifiable only by artifacts and stones.
This clue references the other treasure found in the Lovelock area. Gold and silver coins were discovered under a floorboard in a Chinese house demolished for freeway construction in 1975, in the area where local Chinatown once stood. If you head east on I-80 and exit at Main Street by McDonald’s, you’ll find Amherst Avenue and a small community park where the old Chinese houses and businesses were removed.
Before the demolition, NDOT conducted an archaeological study, during which archaeologists found gold, silver, and other tokens. Since the property was purchased by the State of Nevada for the project, the collection became the property of the Nevada State Museum.
This clue leads Treasure Hunters to the Lovelock area.
Clue No. 10
No turning back, she left Eddie that day,
Mercury saved her,and led her away.
The revolver roared as the windmill turned round,
She finished the mission, then vanished, unbound.
Explanation: In 1931, Amelia Earhart flew a Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro across the U.S. to test its commercial viability. With its ability to take off steeply and land almost vertically, Earhart referred to it as a “windmill ship.” Her flight through Nevada went smoothly as she passed over towns like Wendover, Elko, and Battle Mountain. However, while en route to Reno, she encountered a dust and rainstorm. Lovelock played a crucial role when Earhart spotted an emergency field nearby and safely landed. Local surveyor Bob Anderson, who worked at the Quicksilver Mine (quicksilver being another name for mercury), rescued her and transported her to Lovelock, where she stayed overnight at the Pershing Hotel, leaving her passenger, Eddie McVaugh, with the plane. This clue guides Treasure Hunters to the Lovelock area, hinting that the treasure is hidden near the airport.