NEW YORK, Dec 2 — Ever dreamt of channelling your inner Jacques Cousteau and hunting for treasure? Well, Jon Collins-Black is making that dream a reality — but with a twist.

His new book, There’s Treasure Inside, isn’t just a fun read; it’s a treasure map that’s sending adventurers across the United States on a thrilling quest to find five hidden chests, each containing riches worth over US$2 million (RM9 million).

Collins-Black, a lifelong fantasy fan who grew up immersed in games like Dungeons & Dragons, told CNN that he has always been fascinated by the idea of treasure hunts.

By 2015, after a successful career as a musician and entrepreneur, he was ready for a new challenge.

Inspired by Forrest Fenn’s famous 2010 treasure hunt, Collins-Black set out to create something that would ignite the imagination of treasure seekers nationwide.

"I wanted to have the chests spread out to give people the optimistic, adventurous possibility,” Collins-Black explained to CNN.

Instead of a single hidden chest tucked away in the mountains, he envisioned multiple chests spread across the country, offering everyone a chance to get close to the treasure.

Each chapter of There’s Treasure Inside holds detailed clues leading to one of the chests, and while Collins-Black isn’t spilling the beans on specifics, he assures readers that all the clues needed to find the treasure are in the book itself.

To keep things under wraps, Collins-Black worked with as few people as possible. Even his wife didn’t get the scoop.

"I couldn’t really consult other people because I didn’t want them to have the burden,” he was quoted as saying by CNN.

It was a massive undertaking, and Collins-Black admits he had to experiment with the difficulty level of the clues through trial and error, but the result is a hunt that promises to challenge even the most dedicated treasure hunters.

As excitement builds, thousands of treasure seekers are already gathering online, discussing theories and speculating on where the treasure might be hidden. Some are even convinced they’ve pinpointed the states where the chests are located.

But don’t worry — this hunt is designed to be safe for all adventurers. No dangerous diving, climbing, or trespassing required. The sites are accessible to those in average health, and no digging is necessary.

For Collins-Black, it’s all about fun — but don’t expect a treasure hunt that lasts for decades.

"I do hope and think it might take a little while, but I don’t need this to take forever,” he told CNN.

If the chests remain unfound, he may release more clues, or even write a sequel to keep the adventure alive.

So what exactly is hidden inside these chests?

Collins-Black carefully curated the treasures, working with historians and attending auctions to gather a one-of-a-kind collection.

He even financed the pieces with money he saved from early bitcoin investments.

Inside the chests, treasure hunters will find everything from rare Pokémon cards and shipwreck bounty to sports memorabilia, gold, and precious medals.

There are even items with deep historical significance, like artefacts from Pablo Picasso, George Washington, Amelia Earhart, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

While it’s tough for Collins-Black to pick a favourite, a few items stand out: a brooch once owned by Jackie Kennedy Onassis, a 96-carat emerald, and Wilma Rudolph’s 1960 Olympic gold medal.

One item that didn’t make the cut, though, was an Albert Einstein pipe — Collins-Black lost it in a bidding war.

To make things even more exciting, one chest has been made larger and more valuable than the others, raising the stakes for anyone brave enough to hunt it down.

So will you be the one to find the grand prize? Time to start the hunt!