Great Iowa Treasure Hunt gives one Iowan $4.5 million. How you can find unclaimed money too:

An Iowan got a record-breaking $4.5 million in unclaimed property Wednesday from the state's Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.

"At some point, the owner invested in over 15,000 shares in McDonald’s Corporation. When the company deemed the property unclaimed, it was turned over to the State since the owner’s last known address was in Iowa,” State Treasurer Roby Smith said in a news release. “Like we do for all owners, my office sent a due diligence letter to inform them of the unclaimed funds in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt."

How does the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt work?

Businesses and financial institutions are required to send assets to the State Treasurer's Office if they've had no successful contact with the owner, normally after three years. The office holds on to the shares for a least a year before they're sold. The proceeds are then held for the owner.

The owner of the McDonald's investment, who requested to remain anonymous, was quick to respond to the letter, so the shares and dividends were returned to them.

"Success stories like this are what puts the thrill into searching your name at GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov each year. You never really know what or how much you are going to find," Smith said in the release.

What unclaimed money can I find?

The treasurer's office has so far returned nearly $347.5 million in unclaimed property to Iowans and is currently safekeeping $485 million. Approximately 1 in 10 people have unclaimed property waiting for them.

Other examples of unclaimed property include:

• Forgotten checking and savings accounts

• Stocks

• Uncashed checks

• Life insurance policies

• Utility refunds

• Abandoned safe deposit boxes

Top 10 unclaimed properties

Though it's hard to estimate, the treasurer's office said people typically find less than $1,000. Roughly $100 is the average, though some Iowans have far more, including these, who should contact the office to claim their funds:

• Douglas Lankhorst in Hawarden has $808,591.84 in cash

• Gary Thomsen in Olin has $404,747.69 in cash dividends

• Joint owners First National Bank of Chicago and Curtis Companies Retirement Trust in Clinton have $360,010 in cash liquidation

• Wellmark Inc. in Des Moines has $336,338.07 in cash

• Joint owners Richard and Theresa Reinders in Ford Dodge have $329,987.53 in liquidated shares

• Janet Peters in Davenport has $317,449.53 in cash

• Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Clinton has $292,441.53 in liquidated shares

• Pauline Durgin in Urbandale has $272,065.96 in cash

• Carlson Thomas Bruce in Vinton has $265,220.46 in cash

• Herbert O Stiefel in Burlington has $243,778.67 in liquidated shares

How to see if you have unclaimed money

To find out if you have unclaimed property, go to greatiowatreasurehunt.gov. There you can search using your last name or name of business.

Once you've found property that belongs to you, click the claim button to begin the process. The site also allows you to upload documentation and check your claim's status.

Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Follow her on Twitter @NoelleHannika or email her at NAlvizGransee@registermedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How to find your unclaimed funds from the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt