Start at Limpany's burned-out sheriff's office, where the lockbox beneath the desk holds an early Gold Bar worth $500. The other stashes sit in puzzles, treasure hunts and story rewards, with Le Trésor des Morts reserved for qualifying preorder copies.
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Fixed locations and puzzles
Spots like these don't depend on a chance meeting, so you can plan a route around them without waiting on luck.
Treasure hunts
Story and stranger rewards
One comes from a story mission and the other from a stranger, so neither is a map you can buy. Plan around the mission and treat the stranger as a bonus stop.
Preorder bonus
Each stash is one hiding spot, even when it holds several bars, and its Fence value is the total for that spot. The availability labels show when a stash opens: “Chapter 2+” means from Chapter 2 onward, “in patched Story Mode” means the stash is part of the patched version of the game, and “random encounter” means the stash starts with a chance meeting that doesn't always happen.
Early Gold Bars in Chapter 2
The sheriff's office lockbox in Limpany is the easiest early pickup. It sits beneath the desk in the burned-out office, is worth $500, and there's no map to chase.
The Cotorra Springs train wreck is worth $1,000 and takes more work. Save before the climb, since the jumps around the wreck are dangerous. Then follow the rocks above it into the upright carriage.
The Strange Statues cave is worth $1,500 and is the puzzle stash. The seven-finger statue has a broken arm, so the detached arm counts too.
Treasure Hunt Gold Bars: Which Maps to Get First
Treasure hunts hold the biggest payouts. Landmarks of Riches is worth $3,000 at the stone sundial on Mount Shann. The hunt starts at the obelisk northwest of Owanjila, and it's part of the patched Story Mode, not every release.
Start with the hunts you can plan around. Maximo sells the first Jack Hall Gang map near Flatneck Station, and the chain ends on a small island in O'Creagh's Run worth $1,000. The first Poisonous Trail map sits under the bed at Cairn Lodge by Cairn Lake. Its cave behind Elysian Pool is worth $2,000, so bring a lantern. Neither first map depends on luck.
High Stakes works differently. Its map comes from a treasure hunter you meet at random, and the cliffs near Bacchus Station hold a $1,500 stash. If he escapes you three times, buy the first map from a Fence.
Elemental Trail is also part of the patched Story Mode. It waits until John can reach New Austin in the epilogue. The grave at Coot's Chapel is worth $500 and also holds the Crow Beak Trinket.
The Gold Bars are at the final stash in each hunt. Follow every clue to reach it.
Story and Stranger Gold Bar Stashes
The Braithwaite Manor lockbox opens after the story mission “Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern.” Head back to the burned ruins and open the lockbox there. It's worth $500.
The Rhodes stash comes from a stranger rather than a map. Free the chained survivor at Crawdad Willies, then follow his tip to the rocks southwest of the Rhodes water tower. That's worth $500, too.
The Le Trésor des Morts Preorder Stash
Le Trésor des Morts is edition content, not part of standard Story Mode. Console copies needed a qualifying digital preorder before August 15, 2018. PC had a separate 2019 Rockstar Games Launcher preorder that also included the bonus. Special or Ultimate Edition ownership alone doesn't give you the map.
The map comes from the dead prisoner in Limpany jail. Follow the clues through Saint Denis to the cemetery mausoleum. The payout is $2,500 to $3,000 at a Fence.
If your copy didn't come with the bonus, skip this stash. No other stash depends on it.
Where to Sell Gold Bars
Sell at the Fences in Rhodes, Saint Denis and Van Horn from the start of Chapter 2. “The Spines of America” unlocks Seamus at Emerald Ranch, which gives you one more seller.
Plan Your Route by Region
Most stashes open from Chapter 2, so that's when the big sweep starts. Working one region at a time keeps the travel short:
- New Hanover: the Limpany lockbox, the Roanoke Ridge cave and the Cumberland Forest cliffs.
- Ambarino: the Cotorra Springs train wreck, the Strange Statues cave and the O'Creagh's Run island.
- West Elizabeth: the Mount Shann sundial in Big Valley.
- Lemoyne: the Rhodes rocks, the Braithwaite Manor ruins and, with the bonus, the Saint Denis cemetery.
- New Austin: the Coot's Chapel grave, once you reach the epilogue.
FAQ
Are Gold Ingots and Gold Nuggets part of the Gold Bar stashes?
No. Gold Ingots and Gold Nuggets are separate items with their own sale values, so they don't count toward any stash here.