You're broke. It's Chapter 2, Dutch is already asking for more "faith" and "noise," and you've barely got enough cents to buy a box of premium cigarettes. We’ve all been there. But honestly, the West doesn't have to be that hard. Rockstar tucked away thousands of dollars in shiny yellow bars across the map, just waiting for someone with a horse and a bit of patience to find them.
Finding all gold bar locations rdr2 basically turns Arthur Morgan from a struggling outlaw into a one-man economy. You don't even need to be a high-level player or have fancy gear. Most of these can be snatched up right after the prologue.
The easy pickings: Gold bars you can grab right now
Some gold is just sitting there. No map required, no cryptic riddles, just you and a lockbox.
Limpany: The "Welcome to Chapter 2" starter kit
The first place you should go—like, immediately after setting up camp at Horseshoe Overlook—is Limpany. It’s a burnt-out town just a short ride south. Look for the Sheriff’s office; it’s one of the few buildings still standing. Go behind the desk, and you'll find a lockbox. Inside? One gold bar. It's $500 for five minutes of riding. Easy.
The Braithwaite Manor secret
This one is kinda tragic, but business is business. You can't get this until you reach Chapter 4, specifically after the mission "Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern." Once the dust settles and the manor is nothing but a smoking ruin, head back. Underneath the floorboards in the main hall (what’s left of it), there’s a lockbox with a single bar. Catherine Braithwaite won't be using it anymore, so you might as well.
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Puzzles and Parkour: The high-effort bars
If you want the real money, you’re going to have to work for it. Some of these require actual brainpower or at least some decent reflexes.
The Strange Statues puzzle
East of Donner Falls, there’s a cave. It’s tucked away behind some rocks near the road. Inside, you’ll find seven creepy statues surrounding a central figure. To get the three gold bars hidden inside the middle statue, you have to press the buttons on the statues in a specific order based on the number of fingers they have.
Basically, you only want to press the statues with prime numbers of fingers: 2, 3, 5, and 7.
- The statue with 2 fingers.
- The statue with 3 fingers.
- The statue with 5 fingers.
- The statue with 4 fingers (wait, why 4? Because it’s missing an arm, and the arm on the floor has 3 fingers. $4 + 3 = 7$. It’s a trick).
If you mess up, there’s a button on the back of each statue to reset them.
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The Vertical Train Wreck
This one is a nightmare if you’re afraid of heights. South of Cotorra Springs, there’s a derailed train at the bottom of a ravine. One of the cars is standing almost perfectly vertical. You have to climb the cliffside next to it and jump into the open end of the car. It might take a few tries, and you’ll probably die once or twice, but there are two gold bars at the bottom.
The Great Treasure Hunts
Most of the gold in RDR2 is locked behind treasure maps. You find Map A, which leads to Map B, which leads to the loot. It’s a whole thing.
Landmarks of Riches
This is the big one. It’s often overlooked because it starts at a random "Obelisk" on the far west edge of West Elizabeth. Following this trail leads you all the way to the sundial on top of Mount Shann. Digging under the rock at the 7 o'clock position nets you six gold bars. That is $3,000 in a single go.
The Poisonous Trail
This map starts in a cabin at Cairn Lake. It’s a long trek that eventually ends behind the waterfall at Elysian Pool. Word of advice: bring a lantern. The cave is pitch black and full of steep drops. If you manage to navigate the tunnels without breaking Arthur’s neck, you’ll find four gold bars tucked away in a small crevice.
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High Stakes and Jack Hall Gang
- High Stakes: Starts with a random encounter with a grumpy old man. It ends at a cliffside near Fort Wallace. Three gold bars.
- Jack Hall Gang: The classic. You buy the map from Maximo near Flatneck Station. It ends on a tiny island in O'Creagh's Run. Two gold bars.
How to actually spend the money
Once you've cleared out all gold bar locations rdr2, you’ll have thousands of dollars. Take them to a Fence (Seamus at Emerald Ranch is usually the easiest) and sell them. Don't try to sell them at a general store; they won't take them.
Honestly, the best thing to do with this cash is to upgrade your camp and buy the Leather Working Tools. After that? Go crazy on the outfits or buy that Missouri Fox Trotter you've been eyeing.
Since you’re now the richest man in the Heartlands, you might want to look into the Legendary Animals next. Hunting them gives you the materials for the best gear in the game, and with your new gold-funded arsenal, it’ll be a lot easier to take down a legendary bear than it was with that starter carbine. Go see the Fence again; he's the one who crafts the trinkets that give you permanent stat boosts.
The gold is out there. Just stay away from the cliffs at night.