Artist Luke Jerram was commissioned by 20-21 Arts Centre in Scunthorpe to produce the work.
From February the gold replicas - each cast in £1,000 worth of 18-carat gold - will be hidden around the town for the public to find and keep.
Clues to their whereabouts will be disguised in five paintings which will be on display at the venue.
Officials said the paintings were created with the aid of a professional code-breaker, and the locations of the hidden gold artefacts would range in difficulty.
Dominic Mason, 20-21's exhibition officer, said one would be so hard to crack that the gold may not be found.
"As a legacy for the project ,this painting will remain on display in the North Lincolnshire Museum with the associated golden artefact remaining hidden for the public to find one day," he said.
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A Janus train engine - as used in Scunthorpe's steel industry - and a Viking brooch are among the five objects from North Lincolnshire Museum selected by the artist to reflect the heritage of the region.
Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram said: "I like the idea that ancient objects that were once hidden beneath the earth and were discovered and displayed at the museum are now being re-hidden."
Upon finding an artefact, the member of the public will get to keep the object, as well as being able to decide which venue in the area will get to keep the associated painting.
The exhibition, funded by the Lottery and Arts Council England, will run from 18 February until 29 April.
Finders keepers
An artist has recreated five historic museum artefacts in gold as part of a treasure hunt art exhibition.