Head or Tails?


Struck in the mid 1200’s, the gold florin made its impact across medieval Europe for nearly three centuries. Crafted with approximately 3-3.5 grams of 24-carat gold, the coin displays the "fleur-de-lis" badge (lily flower) of Florence on one side, and St. John the Baptist is displayed on the other side. The gold florin, named after the Republic of Florence, Italy, played a crucial role in medieval business, banking, and trade. The gold florin was one of the first international currencies exchanged in Europe, and is considered to be the “Euro” of medieval times. The gold florin was convenient for larger transactions such as trade and banking, and was commonly used to issue loans. As mentioned by an article highlighting medieval banking, “Florentines also invented the letter of exchange, whereby a banker would give a client an amount of Florins in one city, with a pledge that the loan would be paid back at a later date in another city/bank.” (NPR)      


                                                                                                           
The gold florin was one of the most important currencies during medieval times. The florin was recognized by many kingdoms across Europe, and quickly became the standard for exchange in international transactions. Economies were booming in medieval Europe at this time, and trade was increasing greatly. The trade fairs in Champagne, France testify to this medieval economic boom. The gold florin provided a stable currency exchange rate during this time period. Without the gold florin, numerous currencies would intermingle across borders. The gold florin provided financial consistency in medieval Europe, and was the standard of exchange for banks, trade, and organizations for centuries to follow. (ERF pg.115)




Works Cited


Poggioli, Slyvia. In Italy, Art As A Window Into Modern Banking. 31 January 2012. National Public Radio.  Accessed 15 October 2019. Web.


Richard A. Goldthwaite. The Economy of Renaissance Florence. 2009. The John Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. Ebook: Accessed 15 October 2019. https://books.google.com/books?id=OM2ckx49QFYC&pg=PT71&lpg=PT71&dq=gold+florin+florence+coin&source



4 comments:

  1. Having a currency recognized by multiple states and governments is extremely important for trade to prosper. Also, 3-3.5 grams of gold, WOW that is a lot of money now. I wonder how it would compare to the English or French gold coins. Just about every monarch made their own coinage.

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    Replies
    1. The modern value of these coins would really show why people want to find them so badly

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  2. interesting post. I wonder how much is it worth it today? Collectors must pay a lot to have them. It is crazy to think that every region of Italy for example had a different type of coin.

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  3. This is a beautiful coin. Todays coins are not near as much value or of such beauty as they were back then. I also love the lily flower, I did not know was that was for the longest time until class the other day, when we were looking at heraldic crests.

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Medieval University

Medieval University

Italy, 1400

Italy, 1400

900s, Jewelled crown

900s, Jewelled crown