Coding enthusiasts have reason to celebrate, as the Royal Mint has launched an extremely difficult challenge to test their skills.
The Great British Treasure Hunt will challenge amateur geniuses across the country with a series of increasingly complex codes. Whoever manages to solve the five levels of the code will have the chance to win a pure gold bar worth over £28,000.
The centrepiece of the treasure trove is the new £5 coin, called “The Penny Drops”, which coders will have to study, manipulate and line up to solve subsequent puzzles.
However, the first four questions can be tested immediately using some coins that you probably already have in your wallet.
The first puzzle, titled "Uniting the Shield," requires a six-letter word to advance to the next level.
Riddle text:
"Upon the coins a shield is shown, six fragments split yet not alone. Seek in your change, the puzzle starts, to find the whole from broken parts.
Set them down where the arrows guide, the shapes unite, the shield's inside. From these the letters shine in view, the path ahead is marked for you."
Once you solve this difficult test, three more puzzles still await you: Seven Siblings, The Constellations, and Newton's Heptagon. Hints and instructions are available, while the answers can also be found in the challenge's information section.
After completing the first level, to complete the remaining four levels, you will need to purchase the special coding coin, which contains a code for recording and the symbols that will be necessary for solving the subsequent code. The coin is filled with letters, symbols, a compass, and a diagram that appears to show the alignment of the planets. Its packaging also hides the remaining puzzles and codes.
Whoever manages to complete all five puzzles by March 30, 2026, will be entered into a draw to win the main prize. In addition to the sole winner, there will be five “side” challenges with opportunities for other prizes.
The coin's design is inspired by the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton, who, in addition to being one of Britain's greatest scientists, served as Master of the Mint and fought against coin counterfeiting.
The new £5 coin was unveiled at the Science Museum in London, where mathematician Bobby Seagull received the first issue and was named "Player One" in the treasure hunt.
Seagull said:
“As a math enthusiast, I am thrilled to be 'Player One' for this coin that is a cryptographic masterpiece. Its design, inspired by Newton's genius, is a physical key that turns symbols and numbers into a brilliant puzzle. This is not just a coin; it is an invitation to a nationwide intellectual adventure!” /GazetaExpress/
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