There has been plenty of hype circulating on the search for a specific coin that brings about rewarding cash bonuses to whoever that successfully hunts for it. The introductory of such a challenge existing literally caught me by surprise only until recently when the topic came in rather trendy among the many hunters participating in this hunt. Established by a group of university students back in 2017 when they first launched this challenge with a price hunt of $50,000 as a reward to those who never give up, they have certainly transverse a long way in establishing their reputation through their belief of giving. Mainly a local start-up that aims to feature exciting great deals, promotions and offers here in Singapore and sharing it so everyone can enjoy through their own smart application. I can only guess that this was just one of the many distinct methods for them to gain deeper exposure and make themselves known to locals alike.
Since their inception, they have garnered plenty of support from many organization partners willing to collaborate and to making such a challenge possible. It can be inferred that the hunt was prominently targeted to determined individuals who are more than willing to step out from the comfort of their own homes in search of a specific coin that can be exchanged for cash prizes. I wouldn’t deny that this was a truly intuitive and perceptive way in promoting healthy lifestyle habits and a deeper appreciation on our daily surroundings through manual trekking and walking. Despite plenty of clues being heavily disclosed by the organizers themselves and through various discussion forums of many relevant sources from online article writers such as Mothership and Reddit, it simply developed a vested interest of speculations and debate on the exact location of the coin for until someone manages to hunt it. Through the course of the hunt, to say that the organizers were consistently criticized with negative reactions and remarks would be an understatement. With the endless assumptions put forth by plenty of netizens, many speculated on possibility of the challenge being rigged from the start was highly imminent. The wide array of negative criticisms and destructive remarks expressed from all walks of life who either proclaim themselves to be one of the hunters participating in the game or simply just trying to be a typical naysayer in the business of the hunt, has never changed the main idea of the challenge one bit. Afterall, having one bad critic from the challenge would only mean one less hunter to worry about and that would only pose as an added advantage to all the other prevailing hunters in the challenge.
In that year, a winner eventually emerged after twenty-three days through into the hunt for the gold coin. Picked up under leafy foliage positioned under a lamp post within Marina South Pier, the coin’s location came out rather surprising especially so when that was an area where I would normally take a breather with my partner overseeing the cityscape whenever we find the time to from work and nights off from the army. Nevertheless, if we have known back then about this hunt, maybe the odds would have been on our side? As the hunt for the highly demanding gold coin ended, the criticisms just kept on multiplying drawing attention on the debate on how anyone would have possibly thought of wanting to hunt at such a location. Much of the speculation were biased toward how many have assumed that the winner was predominantly an inside man on this challenge and that it was simply rigged from the start. Netizens portraying such intolerable level of negative reactions could only be a result of a quandary. With some mentioning on how perhaps they could have been the more deserving one, spending countless hours and effort scavenging for the coin under the scorching hot weather. Not forgetting those advocating for the cash incentive to be given to the less fortunate as they were more needing than many others. Regardless of all the comments, here’s what I feel, the organizers have a direction and goal in mind that needs no questioning. Where the whole authenticity of the game is merely to reward those, who succeeds in finding the coin and without doubt in every game, there’s always going to be a winner and a loser. In such a cosmopolitan society, everyone wants to feel inclusive and certainly wants a bite of the prize for the effort they partake, but to hear a start-up as such wanting to reward anyone who thrives in the hunt with monetary rewards, that isn’t something you hear every other day. The least that everyone should respond to it would be to make the best out of it be it whether to participating in it or support such an activity existing that aims to inculcate positivity. Afterall, it was simply anybody’s game and the prize money were just a matter of time before someone discovers the coin.
Having been drawn to the huge masses of captiousness, it simply made me ponder like what if those who criticize and condemn were the ones given the full attorney to run the show. Being entitled the full honors and privilege to place the gold coin anywhere in Singapore that wouldn’t hinder relevant aspects of safety and trespassing, yet an essential need to provide relevant hints self-crafted in relation to the coin’s location. With such high price money up for grabs, it is with undeniable fact that it wouldn’t be as simple as it may seem. Let’s not forget that there are specific clauses put in place by organizing partners in ensuring that the challenge isn’t one that is easy getting by and the level of integrity is kept at the highest level and strictest confidentiality.
With the hunt not being too highly publicized back in the day, there was simply too much unheard of from the organizers until they decided to up their game to a $100,000 prize money up for reach to anyone who manages to hunt the gold coin. To be blatantly honest, I’ve only heard of this hunt the mouse challenge by Sqkii, the organizers of the game, in early January of this year. By then, a couple of invaluable hints has already been disclosed to the hunters participating in the search. This post was very much published to put into context a better understanding of the challenge itself and to better articulate all the criticisms and remarks of netizens, for someone like myself having been part of this recent hunt. There’s just so much to talk about. An activity filled with plenty to relook back on and simply worth sharing because of how immersive this whole experience has been for my partner and I having partake in the search for the gold coin on a more personal front. When Sqkii announced to the public about another gold coin being hidden somewhere in Singapore on December 13 in 2018, hunters got onto their gears once more and began searching for the coin. Receiving relentless media attention, disclosing relevant clues through train station advertisers and being invited to local radio stations to promote and garner more hunters for the challenge. Intensity and impatient patrons started developing as days passed. Basically, the entire thought of hunting got to me a week after new year, nearly three weeks through into the challenge and it somehow invoked a certain feeling. That so much has been said yet too little of a news on anyone possibly being a step closer to finding that coin was worth mentioning. I could only tell likewise simply because there were plenty of search areas still being looked upon and questioned despite the clues given in the moment of time. Hence the thought, what if I found it? Ultimately, everyone has got to start from somewhere. My entire journey on this hunt was merely less than a week before it was ultimately found by someone, and it couldn’t have come any sooner.
Many areas have already been struck out by then through the many daily clues disclosed and thus, streamlining the areas of interest to focus more vividly. Venturing across different areas of Singapore under the scorching hot sun, was indeed a real test of sheer determination and patience. Travelling from Upper Seletar Reservoir, Labrador Park, to the external boundaries of The Interlace condominium, HortPark and lastly to the historic Mount Faber Peak. The night before the hunt, on the 8th of January, some planning was discussed on how we were going to comb the places down with the aid of Google Maps on various spot locations within the zone. Having been convinced of how many of the clues were matching to our thought process, we headed down in the late morning and it was quite journey since both of us reside in the western and eastern part of Singapore. Nonetheless, the thought of wanting to be there first was constantly lingering at the back of our minds. Unexpectedly as soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a family of monkeys and one other hunter. The area was straight forward, which made us further probe questions on the possibility of a coin being placed there looking at the simplicity of the location. Wasn’t the best of experience with those ‘obstacles’ but we still managed to comb through the important areas, especially so near and within the rocket tower. Despite all the effort, we couldn’t locate the coin and it just crossed my mind that the location wasn’t right after being close to an hour there. The most basic clue of the location being accessible all round the clock simply sparked doubts as Upper Seletar Reservoir had highlighted specific operating hours near at its entrance. At around noon, another daily hint was dropped on Sqkii’s Facebook page stating about how the ‘dragon looked oriental’. Dragons were one of the many clues released previously by the organizers and hence, this clue got us thinking especially when they were specifying distinct traits of that clue. Noticing how our current location did not have any interest of landmarks of dragons in the vicinity, we thought of the next possible location being the historic dragon’s tooth gate at Labrador Park.
Without much hesitation, we travelled down to the southern western region of Singapore in the mid afternoon and saw a couple of hunters scavenging near the same dragon tooth we were headed for. We weren’t the first there and certainly not the last. Spent close to two good hours there and after realizing all hopes were almost lost, we literally decided to try some luck at The Interlace condominium nearby of where we were since many hunters were speculating of that vicinity. With the clock ticking, it was only good news till then as no one had successfully hunted the coin yet. The following day on January 10th, we literally rethought through the whole process of where the possibilities of the coin could be at. Every single clue led us to the HortPark and seeing how it is accessible and connected to many other areas such as to Mount Faber Peak and Telok Blangah Hill Park. The hunt was addictive in all ways, like how we clearly wanted to thrive and get to the coin first, even planning of what we would do with the cash award. As much as it seems worthy of leaving it all behind and getting on with life since efforts have yet to prevail, there was an inner soul within us that didn’t want us giving up looking at how every clue seems to be getting us closer. With my partner back to work the following day and only joining me in the evening, I went ahead to do some solo hunting keeping her in close tabs with the overall progress. Literally spending the first half of the day by myself there along with plenty of other hunters in the vicinity. Many of the monuments and landmark found there were highly connected and making lots of sense throughout the search which made me less doubtful. Despite feeling confident of the venue, I was still finding it difficult to accurately pinpoint the exact location since the park was huge. Simply did almost everything possible to scavenge the various zones of the park effectively. My partner came as the sun started setting in, making it more difficult to hunt for the coin with the darkness sinking in. With the hunt reaping no rewards at the end of the day, the day was called off, and fatigue simply sat in quick being out in the hot sun almost the entire day. And yes it can be quite exhaustive most times.
The day next day, I was mainly alone as I dropped by HortPark once more. The weekends were not going to be as productive since my partner was on vacation abroad and only if the coin wasn’t found by the time she’s back, we shall continue hunting for the coin together at a new location. Comparing to all the other locations, most of the time was spent at HortPark, with close to two good days of searching. Through the process, apart from just hunting, I personally felt that I have learned quite a whole lot on the many undiscovered spaces, not forgetting to mention that was the first time I’ve been to Upper Seletar Reservoir Park and HortPark particularly. Got to grasp some history lessons and general knowledge of relevant monuments and places. The view to the many places that we ventured on was rather iconic especially when its been a tough and tiring day of hunting. Regardless, the coin was still nowhere to be found and thus taking a short break was ideal before our very last location which was set at Mount Faber Peak. By then, many hunters would have already strike off that place, but I suppose there’s really no harm trying to convince ourselves that it could possibly be there with a little bit of hope still burning in within.
Remembering that day very clearly, it was on a Tuesday, January 15th where the both of us have decided to go for another try at Faber Peak.
Did some trekking and climbing up to the peak and apparently as usual, there were many other hunters there too. Searching relentlessly for the gold coin and there were many mural carvings and engravings that had all the clues which was mentioned, making us persistent on combing the area more thoroughly. Circling around the vicinity, seeing the same old faces of the many hunters eagerly trying to locate the coin first. Some hunters being rather pleasant and friendly by the eye, and some just giving a death stare hoping we leave the vicinity. We thought we were so close to finding it until news came in the early afternoon of a group of hunters having successfully retrieved the gold coin from Jalan Naung at Hougang. That was when we knew we’ve been in the wrong place at the wrong time and especially so when we’ve never thought of that district in Singapore. Perhaps, a deeper appreciation for all the not so well-known places would have been better preferred. We knew at that very moment that we were unsuccessful and well hopefully there’ll be another year for such a challenge existing. Although Sqkii has recently launched a new gameplay on making this coin hunt a daily affair for all for whomever that has time to kill, I simply do hope they do another challenge with such a huge prize money up for grabs. Now imagine how this whole challenge would have turned out if it was organized in other regions of the world with such huge land masses presented. Unlike in Singapore where we appear rather tiny on the world map, but finding a coin is literally the same as finding a pin in a haystack.
All in all, it was truly a memorable experience because there was technically some good time spent with my partner hunting for the coin. Ultimately it wasn’t about being the overall winner. As much as we were hopeful winners, what remained most critical was the idea of fun, spending quality time, trekking and discovering places together. Who would have thought that we’d find such a challenge addictive and fun, like how our minds were constantly occupied with the experience. One important takeaway from such a hunt is that no one should really treat this like its their life, because it is a game after all. Looking at the kind of negative remarks and comments raised by many netizens have certainly made me realize how shallow minded some people can be. We’re were all just living fine before this game was introduced, so why is it when we lose, we regard the game like it revolves around our lives? A good thought to ponder about for the many hopeful winners and hunters in the game. What’s most important is that we all have fun, and for that we’re certain we both did. Perhaps yes we've been looking at the wrong location from the very beginning but who would have thought that the hunt would bring about so much to discover and forging fun times. A gratitude of thanks to the organizers goes a very long way. Congratulations to the winners of the hunt and may the odds be on our side if there would ever be another challenge like this again. Overly glad to be part of this experience despite all the criticisms being raised by many.
Thank you Sqkii and the team.