Florentine Gold Florin

Timeline

1. 1252–1280Florence Mint · TuscanyThe republic issued a gold coin of stable weight and purity in response to trade demands; the lily and Saint John images served as anti-counterfeiting and identity markers, establishing a standard for later international circulation.
2. c. 1280–1300Mediterranean trade network · MediterraneanThe florin circulated among Florentine merchants and bankers in Genoa, Venice, and southern France, becoming a common gold coin unit for bulk commodities and exchange, and imitations began to appear in various places.
3. c. 1301–1310Florence · TuscanyIn the early fourteenth century, the florin was widely used as a reliable gold coin benchmark in European commercial bills, church finances, and cross-border trade, reinforcing Florence's position as a financial and monetary center.