The Afghan War Medal was awarded to all British participants in the Second Anglo-African War, which was fought between England and Afghanistan from 1878 through 1880. The medal is silver and depicts Queen Victoria on one side and an elephant carrying a gun accompanied by cavalry on the reverse. The medal was designed by Randolph Caldecott, the noted illustrator of children's books in the late 1800's. The medal is 3.6 cm in diameter and has the initials "R.A." on the rim, so it was awarded to a member of the Royal Artillery. The ribbon is missing, but would have been green with a crimson panel down each side; a rare military piece.