A treasure hunt worth $10,000 in prizes is taking over Philadelphia this week, giving residents and visitors a chance to track down hidden certificates that can be exchanged for rare coins and special bills.

For the second year in a row, coin dealer Stack’s Bowers is organizing the citywide hunt, set to begin Tuesday, Oct. 13, and continue through Saturday, Oct. 17.

The clues will lead treasure hunters to special certificates hidden throughout Philadelphia. Anyone who finds a certificate can claim a prize, with a combined $10,000 worth of prizes available during the five-day event.

Mark Schimel of Stack’s Bowers said the chance to win something valuable can be a powerful motivator.

“When people think about it, it’s like yeah, ‘I need the money.’ So, I think it does motivate people,” Schimel said. “Philly people get very involved. They get very excited about a lot of things. As soon as you give them something to do, they’re out.”

The event comes as social media-driven treasure hunts have become a growing trend in Philadelphia, with mystery individuals hiding money around the city and sharing clues online.

This week’s hunt includes a collaboration with the person behind the Instagram account Find the Cash PHL, which has nearly 200,000 followers. The account’s mystery creator has been hiding money around Philadelphia for months, drawing attention from people eager to join the search.

The trend has caught the attention of visitors, too.

“Modern day treasure hunting. People are hiding money under rocks. Absolutely insane man, that’s insane,” tourist Cody Collisio said.

But not everyone is rushing to join the hunt.

“That’s on them if they want that money. Me, I trust in god, never was big on having money,” said Sherbritta Hand, who was in Center City.

For some participants, the excitement of the search is part of the appeal, although the potential financial reward can be just as important.

“I do think it’s a fun activity, but most people like actually need the money,” treasure hunter Kylei White said.

With new clues arriving each evening through Saturday, Philadelphia is becoming one giant treasure map for anyone hoping to strike gold.

Participants can join the search by following Stack’s Bowers on Instagram, where a new video clue will be released each night at 5:30 p.m.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.