The Royal Mint has unveiled a challenging code-breaking treasure hunt, offering participants the chance to win a solid gold bar worth up to £29,000. The competition, inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, involves solving a series of riddles and puzzles hidden within a new £5 coin and its packaging.
The hunt consists of five levels, with the first free to attempt on the Royal Mint's website. Subsequent levels require purchase of the 'penny drops' £5 coin, priced at £22.50 for the brilliant uncirculated version, £149.50 for silver proof, or £5,195 for gold. The coin features numbers, letters, and symbols that unlock layers of secrets.
The first riddle, 'Uniting the Shield,' asks players to find a six-letter password using any British coins. Further riddles include 'Seven Siblings,' 'The Constellations,' and 'Newton's Heptagon.' The competition opens on February 3 and closes on March 30, with one winner selected at random from those completing levels two to five.
Entrants must be UK-based and aged 18 or over. Broadcaster and mathematician Bobby Seagull, named 'player one,' described the coin as a 'cryptographic masterpiece.' Nicola Mitchell, Chief Commercial Officer at the Royal Mint, said the coin is 'an interactive device with more than meets the eye.'
