Florin 1887 Jubilee, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

The pre-decimal florin (2s) was a unit of currency equalling two shillings, or one tenth of a pound sterling, or twenty-four pence. The denomination was introduced in 1849 (with a pattern minted in 1848) as the first move towards decimalisation of the British coinage.

The first type of florin was the so-called Godless Florin (1848 and 1849), followed by the Gothic Florin (1851 - 1887). In 1887, it was replaced with a new design on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne (her Golden Jubilee), consequently called the Jubilee Florin. Its reverse continues the tradition of having four cruciform shields representing the three constituent parts of the United Kingdom (the Shield of England is featured twice), but with sceptres replacing the floral symbols. The reverse design was created and engraved by Leonard Charles Wyon (who also engraved the obverse), as an adaptation from the five guinea coin of Queen Anne. The obverse displays the Queen's Jubilee portrait by Joseph Edgar Boehm. Double Florins issued during the same period are exactly the same in appearance (including all inscriptions, which do not indicate the denomination), and only differ in size.

The type was only issued until 1892, when it was supplanted by a three shields design consistent with that of the contemporary shilling.

The composition is Sterling Silver (0.925 silver) and the coins have 0.3364 oz ASW (ounce of Absolute Silver Weight). When the currency became decimal in 1971, by which point the denomination was already debased to copper-nickel, florins were re-denominated as ten new pence; they remained legal tender until 1993, when a smaller type of ten pence replaced them.