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Florentine Florin Gold Coin
The florin (fiorino d'oro), a gold coin minted in Florence in 1252 with stable weight and fineness, was by the late 13th century a widely accepted me…
Timeline
- 1252–1280Florence · TuscanyThe Florentine commune promulgated a standard gold coin specification of about 3.5 g of gold at 24K fineness, supporting the wool trade and municipal finances with a stable currency value and rapidly replacing various local gold coins.
- 1291–1300Western European and Mediterranean trade network · Western EuropeBy the end of the 13th century the florin circulated widely along the trade routes of Venice, Genoa, France, and England, becoming the benchmark currency for exchange and bulk commodity settlement and promoting the development of cross-border credit instruments.
- 1300–1500Minting centers of European states · EuropeVarious states successively imitated the florin or issued competing gold coins, but the Florentine original maintained dominance thanks to its reputation and fineness, until later reforms of national minting systems.
Sources
- Florin https://www.britannica.com/topic/florin
- The Origins of the European Economy: Communications and Commerce, A.D. 300–900 — Michael McCormick (2001)