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Find the missing artifacts

Still missing

Nearly 250 years after the founding of the United States, some of the American Revolution's most remarkable artifacts remain missing - stolen from museums, removed from churches, or simply lost to history. To mark the 2026 Semiquincentennial, we have hidden five real missing Revolutionary-era treasures within June’s Journey, inviting players to investigate genuine historical mysteries.


The initiative is inspired by real-life discoveries. In 2009, art historian Gergely Barki famously identified the long-lost painting, Sleeping Lady with Black Vase, after spotting it in the background of the film Stuart Little. His discovery proved that missing historical objects can turn up in the most unexpected places.


From the missing two-thirds fragment of King George III's Coat of Arms, torn from a Philadelphia church at the outset of the Revolution, to the original Battle of Cowpens medal awarded to General Daniel Morgan, each artifact has its own mystery. Players will also encounter cannons surrendered by General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in 1777, a Revolutionary-era military cap adorned with three ostrich feathers, and a historic sampler depicting the long-demolished New Jersey home of William Alexander, better known as Lord Stirling.


Beyond the game integration, additional lost or stolen Revolutionary-era artifacts are highlighted on this page. 


To compile and verify the list of objects, we conducted extensive research drawing on museum collections, historical records, academic sources, and expert commentary.


Among the key experts who contributed insight to the project is Don Hagist, author and managing editor of Journal of the American Revolution, whose knowledge of Revolutionary War history and missing artifacts helped provide important context for several featured objects. These contributions highlight the historical significance of the artifacts and the importance of locating and preserving them for future generations.


Spotted something?

If you've inherited something unusual, spotted an item that matches one of these descriptions, or simply have a lead to share, we'd love to hear from you. Browse the artifacts below and get in touch at [email protected] if anything looks familiar. You could help uncover a missing piece of American history!


Submissions will be reviewed by Don Hagist.