The Eagle Diamond is a gemstone discovered in Eagle, Wisconsin in 1876. It was one of more than a dozen rare gems stolen in a heist from the American Museum of Natural History in 1964 and remains missing to this day. History The stone was originally discovered by workers hired by Samuel Wood of Eagle, Wisconsin to dig a well. At that time, none knew it was in fact a valuable diamond. Eventually it came into the possession of Samuel Wood's wife, Clarissa Wood. According to court testimony provided by Ms. Wood, in September or October of 1883, she went to Samuel B. Boynton, a jeweler in Milwaukee, to have a pin mended. As she was paying for the repair, Wood asked Boynton what he thought of the stone. Wood told Boynton she had been told it was a topaz. Boynton, said it might be, and offered to buy it for one dollar. Wood declined Boynton's offer and left. About two months later, Wood, needing money, returned to Boynton's shop and sold it to him for the one dollar he had previously offered. Boynton took the stone to Chicago to be appraised, where he discovered it was a diamond worth $700. When Wood learned of the appraisal, she attempted to buy the stone back from Boynton for one dollar, plus ten cents interest. When Boynton refused her offer, Wood sued unsuccessfully to have it returned to her in a case that was ultimately decided by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Eventually, Boynton sold the diamond to Tiffany's in New York City for $850 ($20,500 in 2020). It remained at Tiffany’s until World War I. Later, J.P. Morgan bought the diamond, and presented it as a gift to the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, of which he was a benefactor. It was displayed in the J.P. Morgan Memorial Hall along with the Star of India and the DeLong Star Ruby until October 29, 1964 when it was stolen, by Jack "Murph the Surf" Murphy and his two accomplices, Allen Kuhn and Roger Clark. The diamond has never been recovered and is thought to have been cut into smaller stones. See also List of diamonds References External links The AMNH Gem and Mineral Collection Pathmarking case of Wood v. Boynton resulting when Clarissa Wood sought to recover the stone Diamonds originating in the United States Waukesha County, Wisconsin 1876