In 1922, Scientific American made two US$2,500 offers: (1), for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions, and (2), for the first psychic to produce a "visible psychic manifestation." Harry Houdini was a member of the investigating committee. The first medium to be tested was George Valiantine, who claimed that in his presence spirits would speak through a trumpet that floated around a darkened room. For the test, Valiantine was placed in a room, the lights were extinguished, but unbeknownst to him his chair had been rigged to light a signal in an adjoining room if he left his seat. Because the light signals were tripped during his performance, Valiantine did not collect the award.[1]
Since then, many individuals and groups have offered similar monetary awards for proof of the paranormal in an observed setting. These prizes have a combined value of over $2.6 million dollars.[2] As of June 2011[update], none of the prizes has been claimed.
Contents |
| Date | Moderator(s) | Prize | Details | Unclaimed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Abraham Kovoor | 100,000 LKR | (US$901 approx) Kovoor initiated the Abraham Kovoor's challenge starting in 1963. | Yes |
| N/A | Alfredo Barrago's Bet | €50,000 | (US$67,922 approx) "... shown at least a "phenomenon" produced by "medium, seers, sensitive etc." of paranormal nature."[3] | Yes |
| N/A | Association for Skeptical Enquiry | £13,000 | (US$20,942 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Australian Skeptics | AU$100,000 | (US$101,374 approx) For proof the existence of extrasensory perception, telepathy, or telekinesis. | Yes |
| N/A | Basava Premanand | 100,000 INR | (US$2,190 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Center for Inquiry West | US$50,000 | For "a demonstration of so-called paranormal ability scientifically tested onstage".[4] | Yes |
| 2000 | Independent Investigations Group | US$50,000 | Contact www.info@iigwest.org for more information. Challenge rules located at http://www.iigwest.org/challenge.html. | Yes |
| N/A | Fayetteville Freethinkers | US$1,000 | Yes | |
| 1989-present | Skepsis ry (Finnish Association of Skeptics) | €10,000 | (US$13,584 approx) For anybody in Finland who can produce paranormal phenomenona under satisfactory observing conditions or prove that she/he/it is an extraterrestrial by providing a DNA sample for investigation. Money partially from Hannu Karttunen and Iiro Seppänen. | Yes |
| N/A | Indian Skeptic 100,000 Paranormal Challenge | 100,000 INR | (US$2,190 approx) | Yes |
| 1968–present | James Randi Educational Foundation | US$1,000,000 | Largest prize money in US dollars. (Also see the Sima Nan prize.) | Yes |
| N/A | Kazakhstan Commission for the Investigation of Anomalous Phenomena | US$1,000 | Yes | |
| N/A | Les Sceptiques du Quebec | CA$10,000 | (US$10,132 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | New York Area Skeptics | US$2,000 | Awarded to the successful completion of the James Randi Educational Foundation prize winner. | Yes |
| N/A | North Texas Skeptics | US$12,000 | Yes | |
| N/A | Philip J. Klass (deceased) | US$10,000 | For proof of an extraterrestrial visit to the Earth. | Yes |
| N/A | Science and Rationalists' Association of India | 2,500,000 INR | (US$54,758) Prabir Ghosh will pay Rs. 2,000,000 to anyone can demonstrate a supernatural power in his presence.[5] | Yes |
| N/A | Scientific American | US$2,500 | Two US$2,500 offers: (1) for the first authentic spirit photograph made under test conditions, and (2) for the first psychic to produce a "visible psychic manifestation." From 1922. | Yes |
| N/A | Sima Nan | 10,000,000 CNY | (US$1,524,157 approx) Can be won in conjunction with the James Randi Educational Foundation prize.[6] | Yes |
| N/A | SKEPP | €10,500 | (US$14,263 approx) In association with the Sisyphus project. | Yes |
| N/A | Stuart Landsborough's Puzzling World | NZ$100,000 | (US$76,989 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Swedish Humanist Association | 100,000 SEK | (US$15,421 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Eesti Skeptik | 1000 EUR | (US$1,300 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Raul Jaanson | 6,000 EUR | (US$8,000 approx) | Yes |
| N/A | Eng. Sanad Rashed and Dr.Ahmed Khaled | US$5,000 | For proof ouija boards function as claimed. | Yes |
| N/A | Bitva Ekstrasensov | No money | Prize is the chance to participate in the James Randi challenge with full media and academic support. | Yes |
| 1987–2002 | Henri Broch, Jacques Theodor, Gérard Majax | €200,000 | International Zetetic Challenge | Yes |