Sark Medal returned to Guernsey museum after nearly 50 years

The medal was donated to the States of Guernsey in 1956

A medal that was stolen nearly 50 years ago has been returned to a museum in the Channel Islands.

A museum catalogue recorded the Sark Medal as being stolen from the Lukis and Island Museum in Guernsey in 1970.

The item was purchased by a private collector in the UK who was later "horrified" to discover he had the missing medal.

The collector died this year and the medal has now been returned to Guernsey Museum.

Dr Jason Monaghan, head of heritage services, said: "We still don't know what happened in 1970."

The medal was made from the first silver to be mined from Sark.

The museum made a case that the States of Guernsey was the legal owner of the medal and would like it returned, Dr Monaghan added.

It was presented to Charles de Jersey, King's Procurer, in 1837 and donated to the States of Guernsey in 1956 by his great-grandson Col J A Graeme.

The medal was made from the first silver mined from Sark

An inscription on the medal reads: "This Medal Manufactured from the First Silver obtained from the Serk Mines is presented by Mr John Hunt, To Charles de Jersey Esq.r the King's Procureur for the Island of Guernsey For his valuable services 1837."

Daniel Fearon, who helped the collector research the history of the medal, is now acting for both the estate and London auctioneers Baldwin's of St James's after the collector's death.

He explained the situation to the executors who were happy for the medal to be returned to Guernsey.

It has been cleaned by a museum technician and is now safely back in the collection.