What is "florin"

Guilder \Guil"der\, n. [D. gulden, orig., golden. Cf. Golden.] A Dutch silver coin worth about forty cents; -- called also florin and gulden.

type of coin, c.1300, from Old French florin, from Italian fiorino, from fiore "flower," from Latin florem "flower" (see flora). The 13c. gold Florentine coin was stamped on the obverse with the image of a lily, the symbol of the city. As the name of an English gold coin, from late 15c.

n. 1 The currency of Aruba, divided into 100 cents, symbol ƒ. 2 A pre-decimal British coin, worth two shillings or ten new penny. 3 A guilder (former currency unit of the Netherlands). 4 Any of several gold coins once produced in Florence, Italy. 5 A pre-decimal Australian coin, worth 24 pence or a tenth of a pound.

1. n. the basic unit of money in Suriname; equal to 100 cents [syn: guilder, gulden]

2. formerly the basic unit of money in the Netherlands; equal to 100 cents [syn: guilder, gulden, Dutch florin]

The florin or double leopard was an attempt in 1344 by English king Edward III to produce a gold coinage suitable for use in Europe as well as in England (see also half florin or leopard and quarter florin or helm). It was 108 grains (6.99829 grams) of nominal pure ('fine') gold and had a value of six shillings (i.e. 72 d).

Florin derives from the city of Florence (or Firenze) in Italy and frequently refers to the ( fiorino d'oro) gold coin struck in 1252.

This money format was borrowed in other countries and the word florin was used, for example, in relation to the Dutch guilder (abbreviated to Fl) as well as the coin first issued in 1344 by Edward III of England – then valued at six shillings, composed of 108 grains (6.99828 grams) of gold with a purity of 23 carats and 3 grains (or 23 carats) – and more recently relating to a British pre-decimal silver coin (later nickel silver) also known as a two shilling (or two bob) "bit" (abbreviation 2/-) worth 24 pence or one-tenth of a pound. Recent research indicates that the florin was once the dominant currency of Europe until accommodative policymaking led to the loss of its status as the continent's de facto reserve currency.

A regional variant of the florin was the Rheingulden, minted by several German states encompassing the commercial centers of the Rhein ( Rhine) River valley, under a series of monetary conventions starting in 1354, initially at a standard practically identical to the Florentine florin (98% gold, 3.54 grams). By 1419, the weight had been slightly reduced (to 3.51 grams) and the alloy was substantially reduced (to 79% gold). By 1626, the alloy had been slightly reduced again (to 77% gold), while the weight was more substantially reduced (to 3.240 grams). In 1409, the Rheingulden standard (at the time 91.7% gold) was adopted for the Holy Roman Empire's Reichsgulden.

The florin was a former coin of the Republic of Florence.

It may also refer to:

Florin can be a given name or surname.

In Romania it is not a surname (although the surname Florinescu is derived from Florin) but one of the most popular given names. It is also an Albanian given name.

Florin is derived via intermediary forms from Latin floris.

The feminine form is Florina. The Italian equivalent is Fiorino, feminine Fiorina.

The Florin was an Aragonese gold coin first minted in 1346 by order of king Don Pedro IV in imitation of the original gold coin from Florence, Italy. It had a weight of 3.35 g. and showed St. John the Baptist on one side and a fleur de lis on the other. Aragonese florins were minted in Perpignan, Barcelona, Girona, Valencia and Majorca but never in Aragon.

The florin (2s) coin was a subdivision of the pre-decimal Irish pound, worth of a pound. It was more commonly known as the two-shilling coin.

The original minting of the coin from 1928 until 1943 contained 75% silver, a higher content than the equivalent British coin. It is believed that this was done so that the new currency would not be seen as a poor substitute to the British currency which circulated alongside. The silver coins are quite noticeable as they have a more "whitish" look than the later cupronickel variety that were minted from 1951, also the silver coins wear less well. The cupronickel variety of coin consisted of 75% copper and 25% nickel.

The coin measured in diameter and weighed 11.3 grams. The last florins were produced in 1968. When the currency was decimalised this coin continued to circulate alongside its replacement ten pence, and the florin was finally withdrawn from 1 June 1994 as a smaller ten pence coin was introduced.

The reverse design featuring a salmon was by English artist Percy Metcalfe. The obverse featured the Irish harp. From 1928 to 1937 the date was split either side of the harp with the name Saorstát Éireann circling around. From 1938 to 1968 the inscription changed to Éire on the left of the harp and the date on the right.

Like all Irish coins, the florin may be redeemed for euro at the Central Bank of Ireland.

The Florentine florin was a coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard during that time. It had 54 grains of nominally pure or 'fine' gold (3.5 grams, 0.1125 troy ounce) worth approximately 140 modern US dollars. The "fiorino d'oro" of the Republic of Florence was the first European gold coin struck in sufficient quantities to play a significant commercial role since the seventh century. As many Florentine banks were international supercompanies with branches across Europe, the florin quickly became the dominant trade coin of Western Europe for large-scale transactions, replacing silver bars in multiples of the mark (a weight unit equal to eight troy ounces).

In the fourteenth century, a hundred and fifty European states and local coin-issuing authorities made their own copies of the florin. The most important of these was the Hungarian forint, because the Kingdom of Hungary was a major source of European gold (until mining in the New World began to contribute to the supply in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, most of the gold used in Europe came from Africa).

The design of the original Florentine florins was the distinctive fleur-de-lis badge of the city on one side and on the other a standing and facing figure of St. John the Baptist wearing a hair shirt. On other countries' florins, the inscriptions were changed (from "Florentia" around the fleur, and the name of the saint on the other), and local heraldic devices were substituted for the fleur-de-lis.

Later, other figures were often substituted for St. John. On the Hungarian forints, St. John was re-labelled St. Ladislaus, an early Christian king and patron saint of Hungary, and a battle axe substituted for the original's sceptre. Gradually the image became more regal looking.

The weight of the original fiorino d'oro of Florence was chosen to equal the value of one lira (i.e. a nominal silver pound of 20 soldi or 240 denari) in the local money of account in 1252. However, the gold content of the florin did not change while the money of account continued to inflate; by 1500, a florin was worth seven Florentine lire. The values of other countries' money continually varied against each other, reinforcing the florin's utility as a common measure of value for foreign exchange transactions.

The Australian florin was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia before decimalisation in 1966. The denomination was first minted in 1910, to the same size and weight as the United Kingdom florin. Florins minted from 1910 to 1945 were produced with a .925 sterling silver content, weighing with an actual silver weight (ASW) of . Florins minted from 1946 through 1963 were produced with a .500 silver content (50% silver), weighing 11.31 grams with an ASW of .

The florin was worth 24 pence (two shillings or one-tenth of a pound). The coin was minted until 1963, with some years omitted as follows: no florins were minted for the following years: 1920, 1929–30, 1937, 1948–50, 1955, and none after 1963. Also, commemorative florins were issued for the following year dates: 1927, 1934–35, 1951, and 1954. Two different designs were issued in each of the commemorative years (the "regular" approved issue plus the specially approved memorial designs). Also, no coins of any denomination were minted for the year 1965, in preparation for decimalisation. When Australia decimalised officially, on 14 February 1966, the florin was equal to 20 cents.

During World War II, between 1942–1944, florin production was supplemented by coinage produced at the San Francisco branch of the United States Mint. These coins bear a small "S" mint mark below the Australian coat of arms.

The image on the reverse of the coin was the coat of arms of Australia (except for commemorative coins). This comes in two forms, all with the kangaroo, emu and the shield containing the coat of arms. Those issued between 1910 and 1936 have a seven-pointed star above the coat of arms, and the Southern Cross constellation within the shield. Those issued between 1938 and 1963, inclusive, have the royal crown above, the six states represented in the shield and a golden wattle plant as a background.

Florin is a side platformed Sacramento RT light rail station in Sacramento, California, United States. The station was opened on September 26, 2003, and is operated by the Sacramento Regional Transit District. As part of the Blue Line, it has service to Downtown Sacramento, North Sacramento, California State University, Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Gold River and Folsom. The station is located north of Florin Road at Indian Lane, and serves the surrounding residential and commercial areas along Florin Road, the Department of Human Assistance, and Luther Burbank High School.