Episode 249: The Beale Ciphers Treasure, An American Mystery

Welcome to “Episode 249: The Beale Ciphers Treasure Mystery”! In the 1820s, a mysterious traveler named Thomas J. Beale left a locked box with a Virginia innkeeper, instructing him not to open it unless ten years passed without anyone coming to claim it. When the box was finally opened decades later, it contained three coded messages and claims of buried treasure worth millions hidden somewhere in Bedford County, Virginia. More than 200 years later, only one cipher has ever been cracked, revealing the treasure’s contents but not its location. Treasure hunters have dug up mountains and cemeteries, cryptographers (and even reportedly the NSA) have analyzed the codes, and theories range from an elaborate hoax by entrepreneur James B. Ward to secret ties with President Thomas Jefferson or poet Edgar Allan Poe. Is the treasure still out there somewhere or has it already been found? Somebody call Nic Cage because on this episode of Let’s Get Haunted, Aly and Nat break down the Beale Ciphers’ history, codes, government intrigue, and theories. TIME STAMPS 00:00:00 - HOOK/INTRO 00:04:48 - NUTRAFOL AD 00:06:35 - PART I: THOMAS BEALE’S TREASURE 00:33:39 - VERACITY AD 00:35:30 - PART II: THE HUNT IS ON 00:52:43 - BLISSY AD 00:54:28 - PART III: LINGERING QUESTIONS 01:30:52 - PART IV: THE THEORIES 01:41:55 - CLOSING CREDITS THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED!! Find out more about this week’s advertisers below: NUTRAFOL: Get $10 off your first month's subscription and free shipping at https://nutrafol.com with promo code HAUNTED. VERACITY: For up to 60% off your order, head to https://www.veracityhealth.co and use code Haunted. BLISSY: Wake up with clearer skin, smoother hair, and cooler sleep—use code LGHPOD for an extra 30% off at https://www.blissy.com/LGHPOD. Link to Aly’s Slideshow: https://bit.ly/4tI66Hz —— Other Important Stuff: Join the Patreon today! https://patreon.com/letsgethaunted LGH Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/letsgethaunted Buy Our Merch: https://www.letsgethaunted.com Check out the photo dump for this week’s episode: https://www.instagram.com/letsgethaunted Send us fan mail: PO BOX 1658, Camarillo, CA 93011 Send us your listener stories: www.letsgethaunted.com OR LetsGetHauntedPod@gmail.com —— BACKGROUND MUSIC: “MAGIC TRANSITION SOUND - NO COPYRIGHT” BY SOUND TRUST, LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNHMu3Upgu4 “(Free) Horror Ambiance - Ominous Background Music” by ESN Productions, link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAO3x-Uhfoo “Elevator” - Local Forecast, License Dar Golan - Elevator Music - Royalty free music, “Elevator Music (Royalty Free, Infinite Loop)” by Dar Golan, free download link here: https://www.dargolan-free.com/funny-music “Haunted Memories” by David Fesliyan, link: https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/downloads-c/detective-music/80 Fesliyan Studios purchase license code 4d8f4582-7de6-4a3f-acc8-b492041f011a “Wild West | Country Ambient Guitar | Relaxing Cowboy Western Music” by Western Ambient, link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k80JI9DvvJA VIDEO ASSETS USED IN THIS EPISODE WERE ALL PURCHASED AND LICENSED VIA STORYBLOCKS.COM ALL OTHER AUDIO ASSETS INCLUDING MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS LICENSED AND PURCHASED THROUGH: artlist.io —— KEYWORDS: Virginia, America, American, United States, Civil War, Treasure, Mystery, Unsolved, Unresolved, Unknown, Cipher, Code, Codebreaking, computer, algorithm, NSA, government, conspiracy, Edgar Allen Poe, Thomas Jefferson, freemason, freemasons, esoteric, secret society, secret, history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices