Florence first minted the florin in 1252, and it became a major medieval trade currency.
The Florentine florin was a gold coin weighing about 3.5 grams. Its design showed Saint John the Baptist on one side and a fleur-de-lis, the emblem of Florence, on the other. The coin’s consistent gold content helped merchants trust it across European trading centers.
Florence’s commercial power, banking networks, and international trade helped the florin spread widely. Other rulers and cities later copied the name or design, producing related coins such as the Hungarian forint and the Dutch guilder. These later currencies should not be confused with the original Florentine issue.
The florin also influenced accounting and financial contracts. Its success illustrates why stable weight and purity mattered in an era when many coins were valued by their metal content rather than by a modern national currency system.