Great Iowa Treasure Hunt Newsletter
Newsletter Archive
Harvest Hidden Treasures This November
Issued November 2025
As we wrap up another year, I’m reminded some of life’s best surprises come when we least expect them. For many Iowans, one of those surprises is discovering unclaimed property through Great Iowa Treasure Hunt. Whether it’s a forgotten savings or checking account, funds left in a digital payment service, uncashed checks or items from a safe deposit box, these hidden treasures are waiting to be reunited with their rightful owners.
Schools, families, even YOU—unclaimed money is waiting
Issued September 2025
This year’s Iowa State Fair brought more than just food on a stick and blue-ribbon contests—it brought exciting discoveries at the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt booth! From couples teasing each other about who had more properties to individuals uncovering dozens of claims, the fair was full of surprising finds.
Missed us at the fair? You can still search anytime at GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov. Catch the full story and more in our September newsletter!
Treasure Hunt Heatwave: Cash You Didn't Know You Had
Issued July 2025
This summer, Great Iowa Treasure Hunt has accomplished some amazing things, returning money to community fixtures, like the YMCA of Greater Des Moines, and reaching the impressive milestone of returning over $400 million to individuals and businesses, not just here in Iowa but across the country! But we aren’t stopping here, with more than $580 million in safekeeping and more coming in regularly, we plan to continue to break records and reunite people with their missing money. Our next step in that journey is happening at the Iowa State Fair!
This newsletter covers all that and more! So, no matter what you are up to this summer, spending your days at what feels like every youth sports complex in the state or relaxing lake or poolside, take a minute to catch up with me, and you might just discover you have money waiting for you!
Purple Heart Finds Permanent Home
Issued January 2025
Did you know John F. Kennedy is the only U.S. president to receive a Purple Heart? Or, the first woman to receive a Purple Heart was Army Lt. Annie G. Fox, who was serving as a chief nurse in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor? There are many untold stories from Purple Heart recipients (an estimated 1.8 million, to be exact), and Treasurer Smith was lucky enough to be part of one by reuniting it with the rightful owner.
Get the details of this story and more in our first unclaimed property newsletter of 2025.
A Salute to Service
Issued November 2024
Some days at the Treasurer's office are filled with opportunities to speak and share information, and other days are quiet discoveries – the latter usually resulting from abandoned safe deposit boxes. As with other forms of unclaimed property, the contents of these boxes are turned over to the Treasurer's office after financial institutions lose contact with the owner.
When military items are found in unclaimed property, their return is of the utmost importance to respect the service and sacrifices of our veterans. These items, serving as physical reminders of a person’s dedication to their country, often hold significant sentimental and historic value. This Veteran’s Day, we honor the bravery of all of Iowa’s soldiers as we ask for your help in reuniting these service items and documents with their rightful owners.
Claiming Your Lost Funds Just Makes Cents
Issued August 2024
When it comes to unclaimed property, one of the most common remarks Treasurer Smith hears about Great Iowa Treasure Hunt is, “This is amazing! You should tell people about this.” Most people believe they will never lose track of their assets, but it happens all the time; this is why he never stops sharing about Great Iowa Treasure Hunt and how easy it is to search for your name and the names of family and friends. Spreading the word about unclaimed funds and how they come into his safekeeping, what Iowans can do to keep their property from being turned over to the State and what someone needs to do to claim their property are highlighted in this quarter's newsletter.
Help Us Reunite Military Mementos
Issued May 2024
Observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day honors the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. At the State Treasurer’s Office, we are holding many military-related decorations for veterans and families of those who served, and we dedicate this newsletter to helping these lost items find their way home.
Over $2.9 Million Returned from Unclaimed Property Day Efforts
Issued February 2024
When Treasurer Smith reflects on the time he got to hold a Purple Heart that was turned over as unclaimed property, he thought, “If something as monumental as a Purple Heart can be left behind, it’s no wonder millions of dollars are also waiting to be claimed.”
We work tirelessly at the Treasurer’s Office to get these assets, from military medals to money, back to the rightful owner. After a record-breaking 2023 and the Unclaimed Property Day celebration on February 1, we’ve made great strides – but the work isn’t done. We will continue to spread the word about Great Iowa Treasure Hunt’s mission to help Iowans “click, claim and collect,” and you can too! Encourage every family member, friend, business and non-profit you know to search for their name, and they could strike gold from Iowa’s best treasure hunt.
Returning Your Money to Where it Belongs
Issued August 2023
Treasurer Smith had the pleasure of reuniting an Iowan with a record-breaking $4.5 million in unclaimed property from the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt. He talks about the journey to reuniting them with their unclaimed funds, provides a recap of the Iowa State Fair, gives a list of local 4H & FFA clubs with money to claim and more.
Prevent your property from becoming part of the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt
Issued May 2023
Spring is the perfect opportunity to freshen up your financial accounts to help ensure your assets don’t become unclaimed property. This quarter’s newsletter is “blooming” with tips on preventing your property from becoming unclaimed, which includes a document to help you keep track of your various accounts and financial institutions’ contact information. Treasurer Smith also share results from the recent Great Iowa Treasure Hunt claimant survey, a spring-themed list of people and businesses with money to claim and information for businesses needing to report unclaimed property.
Claim Your Cash
Issued February 2023
Because of our National Unclaimed Property Day efforts, there are more than 10,000 Iowans and businesses being reunited with their unclaimed property after searching for their name – claiming a total of over $3 million. In this newsletter, Treasurer Smith shares more about our Unclaimed Property Day celebration, a themed St. Patrick's Day list of businesses and Iowans with unclaimed money, three ways lost funds end up in our office and more!
