A First World War victory medal has been discovered among foreign coins donated to the RSPC's charity's shop in York.

Georgie England, a volunteer at the shop in Gillygate, discovered the medal as she sorted through the donated coins before sending them off to be converted into sterling.

Mrs England said the British medal, which was issued to all those who served in the war, is inscribed with the name H Daft.

She has now sold the medal for £34 to a collector on the internet auction site eBay and has discovered from her buyer that the medal was given posthumously to Second Lieutenant Harry Daft, who died in action during the Battle of Arras on April 13, 1917.

Mrs England said she was not expecting the medal to sell for so much money, which will go to the RSPCA.

She said: "We collect foreign coins at the shop and we send them off to a company that converts them into cash for us.

"I noticed a large coin, a big solid thing, and my husband spotted that it was a medal.

"I went on to the internet, on to eBay and I noticed that one of these medals was on sale.

"I checked the details of the medal and saw that it was exactly the same and was therefore a Victory medal. I could also see that it was given to a Second Lieutenant H Daft.

"I found out from the collector who bought it that it was given posthumously.

"We don't know how this medal came to be in the pile of coins, and we don't know if Harry Daft had a connection to York. It would be interesting to find out."

Are you the person who handed the medal in to the RSPCA, or do you know who it was? If so, please contact Rosslyn Snow on 01904 653051 extension, 312, or email rosslyn.snow@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 08:42 Monday, February 14, 2005