Object-finding divination

[ffone]

What is good magic for finding objects? Scrying appear to require targeting a creature, not an object. Locate Object and Discern Location require that you've already seen-in-person or touched the object, so they seem kinda useless for a typical 'find the lost/stolen/ancient MacGuffin' quest. (What *do* people use them for, given that restriction? Recovering PC gear than an NPC pickpocketed?)

If I'm a DM and want the PCs to be able to use Creature-targeting divination spells, will making the item intelligent suffice?

[Forged Fury]

Locate Object and Discern Location require that you've already seen-in-person or touched the object, so they seem kinda useless for a typical 'find the lost/stolen/ancient MacGuffin' quest. (What *do* people use them for, given that restriction?

You can locate general items as well. So if you find a locked chest that no one can open, you could theoretically search for a key within range.

[dextercorvia]

Contact other Plane.

You can either ask where the object is directly, or who the nearest creature(s) are to it, or all of the above.