San Francisco Coin Shop Hides $50,000 in Rare Coins for 3rd Annual Scavenger Hunt

Witter Coin celebrates National Coin Week with a treasure hunt across iconic city neighborhoods.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 2:19am by

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A bold, graphic illustration of a single gold coin repeated in a grid pattern, rendered in a high-contrast, silkscreen style with a neon color palette, conceptually representing the excitement of a community treasure hunt.A vibrant, pop art-inspired illustration celebrates the thrill of the hunt for rare, valuable coins hidden across San Francisco.San Francisco Today

For the third year in a row, San Francisco's Witter Coin, a Marina District coin shop founded in 1960, is holding a scavenger hunt where they will hide 10 rare coins valued at over $50,000 throughout the city. The hunt will take place on April 25, with clues posted hourly on the store's Instagram account, leading participants to the hidden treasures in safe, publicly accessible locations across San Francisco.

Why it matters

The scavenger hunt is a nod to the California Gold Rush and aims to bring back the spirit of that era's pursuit of valuable, tangible assets. It also aligns with National Coin Week, an annual celebration of numismatics and the history of currency.

The details

The rare coins hidden throughout the city will include a $25,000 gold coin from the 1851 Gold Rush era. In previous years, the scavenger hunt has featured $10,000 in rarities in 2024 and $25,000 worth of coins, a gold nugget, and a historic five-dollar bill in 2025.

  • The scavenger hunt will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
  • Clues will be posted on the store's Instagram account (@wittercoin) every hour starting at 7 a.m. on the day of the hunt.

The players

Witter Coin

A Marina District coin shop founded in 1960, claiming to be one of the country's oldest coin dealers.

Seth Chandler

The owner and CEO of Witter Coin, who says the scavenger hunt is a nod to the California Gold Rush and the city's history.

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What they’re saying

“This city was built around the pursuit of gold. We wanted to create something that brings that spirit back. Something real, tangible, and rooted in San Francisco's history. These aren't replicas. These are genuine, high-value coins.”

— Seth Chandler, Owner and CEO, Witter Coin

“We spend every day talking about the value and history of these coins. This time, we're putting them back into the city where the Gold Rush began.”

— Seth Chandler, Owner and CEO, Witter Coin

What’s next

On the day of the scavenger hunt, participants will follow the clues posted on Witter Coin's Instagram account to locate the hidden rare coins across San Francisco.

The takeaway

Witter Coin's annual scavenger hunt taps into San Francisco's rich history and the enduring allure of the California Gold Rush, offering residents and visitors a chance to uncover genuine rare coins worth thousands of dollars in a fun, community-driven treasure hunt.