Key Highlights:
- The Scratched Emerald is inside a crow’s nest just outside the Castle Courtyard.
- Selling the Scratched Emerald completes the Chapter 12 Jewel Thief Merchant Request.
- Leon can collect and sell the jewel early during Chapter 8.
Quick Links:
The Scratched Emerald in Resident Evil 4 Remake is found inside a crow’s nest above the corridor between the Courtyard and the nearby Merchant room.
Shoot the nest, collect the Scratched Emerald and sell it to the Merchant. This completes the Jewel Thief Merchant Request, rewards Leon with 3 Spinels and also provides 5,000 Pesetas from the sale.
Jewel Thief officially becomes available in Chapter 12, but Leon can collect and sell the Scratched Emerald as early as Chapter 8.
Where to Start the Jewel Thief Request
The Jewel Thief Blue Request Note appears at the beginning of Chapter 12.
After Leon leaves the Underground Laboratory by lift, he arrives beside the Merchant and the gondola leading towards the Clock Tower. The Jewel Thief note is attached to the wall near the Merchant.
Objective → Sell a Scratched Emerald.
The note identifies the Courtyard as the search area. However, the crow’s nest is not inside the Courtyard maze itself. It sits above the short exterior passage immediately west of the Courtyard.
Do not ride the gondola towards the Clock Tower before completing any remaining Castle tasks. Progressing through the Clock Tower eventually prevents Leon from returning to the Courtyard and other earlier Castle areas.
Where Is the Scratched Emerald?
Starting from the Grand Hall, enter the Courtyard through its eastern entrance.
Cross the Courtyard and leave through the western gate. Turn right towards the nearby Merchant and typewriter room.
Before entering the Merchant room, look upwards towards the roof above the passage. The crow’s nest is attached to the rooftop beside the vine-covered wall.
The nest is easier to identify by its yellow markings. A crow may also be perched on or near it.
Shoot the nest with any firearm. The Scratched Emerald falls onto the ground beneath it, where Leon can collect it.
The in-game request describes the nest as being in the Courtyard, but its exact position is just outside the western Courtyard exit. This location difference is why players can reach the correct area and still overlook it.
How to Complete RE4 Remake Jewel Thief Request
Take the Scratched Emerald to any Merchant before leaving the Castle and open the Sell menu.
Sell the Scratched Emerald for 5,000 Pesetas. The sale completes Jewel Thief and awards 3 Spinels.
Simply collecting the emerald does not finish the Request. Leon must sell the specific Scratched Emerald to the Merchant.
This requirement can cause confusion when a player destroys the nest early and later sees Jewel Thief listed as incomplete. Check Leon’s Treasures inventory and sell the Scratched Emerald if it is still being carried. Community reports show that this is the most common reason players believe the Request is bugged.
How to Get the Scratched Emerald Early in Chapter 8
Leon can collect the Scratched Emerald at the beginning of Chapter 8, several chapters before Jewel Thief officially appears.
After Ashley becomes separated from Leon, follow the main route towards the Merchant near the Courtyard. The same crow’s nest is already present above the passage outside the western Courtyard exit.
Look towards the rooftop beside the Merchant room and shoot the nest. Collect the Scratched Emerald from the ground, then sell it to the Merchant.
Selling the emerald during Chapter 8 completes Jewel Thief in advance. The Chapter 12 Blue Request Note should no longer appear because the objective has already been satisfied.
This early route is particularly useful during runs where Leon needs additional Spinels before later Castle trades. The Request still grants its normal 3-Spinel reward, despite being completed before its note would ordinarily become available.
Can You Keep the Scratched Emerald Until Chapter 12?
Yes. Leon can shoot down the nest in Chapter 8 and keep the Scratched Emerald in his Treasures inventory until Jewel Thief becomes available in Chapter 12.
However, there is no practical benefit to waiting unless you deliberately want to complete the Request in its intended chapter. Selling the emerald early awards the Pesetas and registers the Request as completed.
Do not insert the Scratched Emerald into another treasure. It is a standalone treasure and cannot be combined with gemstone slots.
Is Jewel Thief Missable?
Jewel Thief is missable if Leon reaches the Castle’s point of no return without collecting and selling the Scratched Emerald.
Complete the Request before committing to the Clock Tower route in Chapter 12. Once Leon progresses beyond the later Clock Tower sequence, he cannot return to the Courtyard.
Collecting the Scratched Emerald in Chapter 8 removes most of this risk because the jewel can be sold long before the Castle closes.
Players completing every optional Merchant Request can track Jewel Thief as Merchant Request 14 in our complete Resident Evil 4 Remake Merchant Requests guide.
