RARE wartime artefacts are hard to come by in the 21st century, but that's exactly what Kazz Preston discovered when metal detecting in Kyogle.

Ms Preston discovered a 'love token' from Papua New Guinea in 1947 which is inscribed with "To Lucy Love Len Papua New Guinea 1947" on the back.

Love tokens were often given by soldiers to their partners before they ventured off to war as a way to remember them while they were away.

Now Ms Preston wants to reunite the token with its rightful family and she is hoping to enlist community support to do it.

"I got hold of the local museum … she's been going through the war records and we're looking for a Leonard or a Len, there's a lot of them from the area so it's not going to be an easy one to track down," Ms Perkins said.

"They've been going through the war records with the war memorial to see if they've married a Lucy."

Common during the 1800s, love tokens can sell on eBay for $20 each, but Ms Preston rates this find as one of her best.

"Happened to be down Kyogle way and surrounding suburbs just detecting around an old tree and up it came … and sort of sat on it for a while wondering 'what is this?' … but I looked into it and found it was a love token," Ms Preston said.

"Probably one of the best because it's so personal.

"I find a lot of rings, watches and phones, a lot of old coins … that is one of the greatest finds I think I've ever found."

The love token is an ode to a different time and a reminder of what the soldiers who fought in the trenches had to leave behind.

"It's a beautiful history … it's just a really personal thing from the war era that you just don't hear about being done anymore," Ms Preston said.