Witter Coin Third Annual Scavenger Hunt
Witter Coin will send collectors and casual treasure hunters across San Francisco on Saturday, April 25, for its third annual citywide scavenger hunt. The San Francisco dealer says it will hide 10 rare coins worth more than $50,000 across the city, then release clues on Instagram at @wittercoin beginning at 7 a.m. and continuing through the day.
The idea fits the city. San Francisco rose with the Gold Rush, and Witter wants to tap that history with real numismatic prizes, not replicas. That angle gives the event an immediate local hook. It also gives the public a direct way to engage with rare coins outside the usual auction room or coin show.
A Gold Rush Theme With Real Coins at Stake
Witter Coin has operated in San Francisco since 1960. Founder Dean Witter opened the business in the Financial District in 1960 after first creating a coin album in 1959. Seth Chandler took over the company in 2016, and the firm now works from its showroom at 2299 Lombard Street in San Francisco’s Marina/Cow Hollow district.
That history matters here. This is not a pop-up promotion from an unknown brand. It is a long-running Bay Area coin business using San Francisco’s own minting legacy as the backbone of a public event. Witter says the hunt will place the coins in publicly accessible locations, and the company directs participants to its website for rules, details, and updates. The clues will appear on Instagram throughout the day.
The Hunt Has Grown Every Year
The 2026 version looks like the biggest Witter scavenger hunt yet. In 2024, local coverage described the first hunt as a giveaway of $10,000 in rare coins hidden around San Francisco. In 2025, the second-year event expanded to about $25,000 in coins and other historical items, with clues posted hourly starting at 7 a.m. Those earlier hunts drew broad local attention and helped establish the event as an annual San Francisco numismatic tradition.
That year-over-year growth also explains why the 2026 edition carries more weight. The prize pool is larger. The format is familiar. And the public now knows the hunt is real.
A Rare 1894-S Barber Dime Adds Serious Numismatic Gravity
Witter also says it will display the 1894-S Proof Barber Dime in its showroom on April 24 and 25. For collectors, that may be the weekend’s biggest attraction. The 1894-S Barber Dime stands among the most famous rarities in American numismatics and ranks as one of the signature coins of the San Francisco Mint. PCGS lists a mintage of 24 pieces and records a $2.16 million auction result on January 19, 2025. CoinWeek’s recent research notes nine confirmed survivors, while some specialists still debate whether a tenth example may exist.
That matters for readers beyond San Francisco. A public hunt for hidden coins already makes good copy. However, pairing that hunt with a public viewing of an 1894-S Barber Dime gives the story real authority. It turns a fun local event into a weekend that connects newcomers with one of the hobby’s true legends.
Why the Timing Works
The event also lands during National Coin Week 2026, which runs April 19-25, according to the American Numismatic Association. This year’s theme, “Striking Independence: 250 Years of American Numismatics,” puts fresh attention on the history, artistry, and meaning of America’s money. Witter’s scavenger hunt fits that theme well because it invites people to experience coins as objects with history, not just as collectibles behind glass.
For Bay Area readers, the call to action is simple. Follow @wittercoin. Watch for clues. Then move fast. For the wider hobby, the message is just as clear: when a respected local dealer puts rare coins back into the streets of San Francisco, numismatics stops feeling distant. It feels immediate, local, and alive.
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