The Beale Cipher: Final and Ultimate QUEST Code of the Year!

Our 4th and 5th graders have been conducting a whole-class research project on one of the most intriguing real-life buried treasure stories in history. If you except this final code-cracking challenge of the year, you'll have some work to do. First you'll need to learn the background story (but the videos below will make it fun and easy) and you'll probably get sent off in a few different directions before you even get to the actual code challenge.

Are you up for it? Bring all the thinking skills we've been developing in QUEST all year (critical, logical, creative and so on) and plenty of patience and persistence, too. Those who stick with this challenge and crack it will receive a special certificate of merit.

OK, then, let's start by building some background...

What is the story of the Beale Cipher?
This basic Wikipedia entry lays out the story.

Wait, the Declaration of Independence is part of this mystery?
Yep, and here is what you need to know about that. Just be patient--at the end of this clip they make the connection to the Beale Cipher:

OK, now they are talking about Edgar Allen Poe, the guy who wrote those really scary stories?
Exactly. Here is a clip that explains the Poe connection.

Oh, and to save you some time, here is a link to The Gold Bug.

So no one has cracked this yet?
Actually, there are a few treasure hunters who claim they've found the location of Beale's treasure. Use your critical thinking and decide if you think they are on to something.

In Philadelphia?

In New Orleans?

And now for your code challenge!
Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to decipher letters 1 and 3 and bring me a piece of the treasure (although if you do find it a little token of thanks for telling you about it would be appreciated). Instead, I'd like you to watch the film below ABOUT the Beale Cipher and crack a code in it. It is said the film makers included 16 different codes/ciphers in this short movie, but there is one in particular I'd like you to crack. Throughout the movie you will notice several numbers appear with circles around them. These seem to be connected to a specific book or story, and are most likely the key to unlocking something important about the mystery within this movie. It will be hard work, but hard work brings the best rewards.

PARENT NOTE: The film does contain some MINOR language. It is nothing I wouldn't allow my own elementary age children to watch in context, but contact me if you have any doubts!

Your mission is to pay close attention to the circled numbers, figure out which book or text they are connected to, and crack the code!