Florin 1887 Gothic, Coin from United Kingdom - detailed information

Florin 1887 Gothic, Coin from United Kingdom (demonetised 1993)
CoinFlorin 1887 Gothic

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, the obverse of which omitted the traditional "DEI GRATIA" ("By the Grace of God") part of the Queen's legend. After much public outcry, this second type replaced it in 1851, showing the full legend. This second issue is known as the Gothic Florin because of the use of Gothic lettering in the legend.

The general style of the florins differs considerably from that of the rest of the contemporary coinage, especially in the obverse which uses the so-called "Gothic Portrait" of Queen Victoria not used on other British coins, excepting the Gothic Crown. This design was issued until 1887, when the Jubilee Florin was introduced on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne.

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. Florins issued in 1887 remained legal tender for 106 years until 1993, when a smaller type of ten pence replaced them.

MintRoyal Mint Mint MarkNo mint mark Total Mintage 1,776,903 (1.8 million)
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Obverse
United Kingdom / Florin 1887 Gothic - obverse photo

Within a decorated border, the obverse of the coin shows the young crowned bust of Queen Victoria, facing left; the effigy is by William Wyon and is widely known as her "Gothic Portrait".

The Queen is crowned with the Crown of Saint Edward, which has been used in the coronation of English monarchs since the 13th century. Her hair is braided and held back in a bun, with a braid looping around her ear. Her dress is decorated with rose, thistle and shamrock - the national plants of the constituent nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland and Ireland respectively).

Unlike earlier issues, there is no WW (artist's initials) or die number below the Queen's bust.

Around, the monarch's legend: Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: (abbreviated from Victoria dei gratia britanniarum regina, fidei defensor - Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith). Following that is the date of issue, mdccclxxxvii (MDCCCLXXXVII is the year 1887 in Roman numerals). The lettering is in ornate Gothic script, giving the coin type its name, the Gothic Florin.

Note: the legend has "britt" (double t) unlike florins before 1868.

Obverse Inscription Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxvii
Reverse
United Kingdom / Florin 1887 Gothic - reverse photo

Within a roped border, the reverse design depicts crowned cruciform (in a cross pattern) shields bearing the three lions passant of England (twice, in positions 1 and 3), the lion rampant of Scotland (2), and the harp of Ireland (4). The shields are contained within a deeply tressured circular panel. In the angles are two roses, a shamrock and a thistle - the national plants of England, Scotland and Ireland respectively. In the centre there is a four-leafed flower.

Around above, interrupted by St Edward's crown on top of the English shield, the name of the denomination: One florin; around below, its value as a fraction of the Pound Sterling: one tenth of a pound. As on the obverse, the lettering is in ornate Gothic style.

Reverse Inscription One florin one tenth of a pound
EdgeMilledEdge InscriptionNone
Notes

The mintage number includes Jubilee florins of the same year.

Remick 1971 lists a "33 arcs border" variety not listed in later sources.

Florin 1887 Gothic: Known varieties
Variety Proof
Mintage Issued: unknown
Details

According to Spink, "extremely rare".

Florin 1887 Gothic: References to Information Used
Showing 100 from a total of 117 coins of type: Florin (Two Shillings)
Coin NameMintageEffigyLegend
Florin 1848 Godless (Proof only) unknown Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait VICTORIA REGINA 1848
Florin 1849 Godless 413,320 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait VICTORIA REGINA 1849
Florin 1851 Gothic 1,540 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdcccli.
Florin 1852 Gothic 1,014,552 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclii.
Florin 1853 Gothic 3,919,950 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdcccliii
Florin 1854 Gothic 550,413 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdcccliv
Florin 1855 Gothic 831,017 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclv
Florin 1856 Gothic 2,201,760 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclvi
Florin 1857 Gothic 1,671,120 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclvii
Florin 1858 Gothic 2,239,380 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclviii
Florin 1859 Gothic 2,568,060 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclix
Florin 1860 Gothic 1,475,100 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclx.
Florin 1862 Gothic 594,000 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxii
Florin 1863 Gothic 938,520 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxiii
Florin 1864 Gothic 1,861,200 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxiv
Florin 1865 Gothic 1,580,040 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxv
Florin 1866 Gothic 914,760 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxvi
Florin 1867 Gothic 423,720 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: brit: reg: f: d: mdccclxvii
Florin 1868 Gothic 869,940 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxviii
Florin 1869 Gothic 297,000 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxix
Florin 1870 Gothic 1,080,648 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxx
Florin 1871 Gothic 3,425,605 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxi
Florin 1872 Gothic 7,199,690 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxii
Florin 1873 Gothic 5,921,839 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxiii
Florin 1874 Gothic 1,642,630 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxiv
Florin 1875 Gothic 1,117,030 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxv
Florin 1876 Gothic 580,034 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxvi
Florin 1877 Gothic 682,292 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxvii
Florin 1878 Gothic 1,786,680 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxviii
Florin 1879 Gothic 1,512,247 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxix
Florin 1880 Gothic 2,161,170 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxx
Florin 1881 Gothic 2,576,337 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxi
Florin 1883 Gothic 3,555,667 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxiii
Florin 1884 Gothic 1,447,379 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxiv
Florin 1885 Gothic 1,758,210 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxv
Florin 1886 Gothic 591,773 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxvi
Florin 1887 Gothic 1,776,903 Queen Victoria - Gothic Portrait Victoria d: g: britt: reg: f: d: mdccclxxxvii
Florin 1887 Jubilee 1,776,903 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1888 Jubilee 1,547,540 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1889 Jubilee 2,973,561 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1890 Jubilee 1,684,737 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1891 Jubilee 836,438 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1892 Jubilee 283,401 Queen Victoria - Jubilee Head VICTORIA DEI GRATIA
Florin 1893 1,667,415 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1894 1,952,842 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1895 2,182,968 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1896 2,944,416 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1897 1,699,921 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1898 3,061,343 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1899 3,966,953 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1900 5,528,630 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1901 2,648,870 Queen Victoria - Veiled Head VICTORIA · DEI · GRA · BRITT · REGINA · FID · DEF · IND · IMP ·
Florin 1902 2,204,698 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1903 995,298 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1904 2,769,932 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1905 1,187,596 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1906 6,910,128 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1907 5,947,895 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1908 3,280,010 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1909 3,482,829 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1910 5,650,713 King Edward VII - Bare Head EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:
Florin 1911 5,957,291 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1912 8,571,731 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1913 4,545,278 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1914 21,252,701 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1915 12,357,939 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1916 21,064,337 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1917 11,181,617 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1918 29,211,792 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1919 9,469,292 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1920 15,387,833 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1921 34,863,895 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1922 23,861,044 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1923 21,546,533 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1924 4,582,372 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1925 1,404,136 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1926 5,125,410 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP:
Florin 1927 (Proof only) 15,000 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1928 11,087,186 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1929 16,397,279 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1930 5,733,568 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1931 6,556,331 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1932 717,041 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1933 8,685,303 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1935 7,540,546 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Florin 1936 9,897,448 King George V - Bare Head GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1937 13,033,183 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1938 7,909,388 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1939 20,850,607 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1940 18,700,338 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1941 24,451,079 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1942 39,895,243 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1943 26,711,987 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1944 27,560,005 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1945 25,858,049 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1946 22,300,254 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1947 22,910,085 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1948 67,553,636 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1949 28,614,939 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Two Shillings (Florin) 1950 24,375,003 King George VI - Bare Head GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX
Showing 1 to 100 of 117 Coins.
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Florin 1887 Gothic: Details
CountryUnited Kingdom
CurrencyPound Sterling (pre-decimal)
Coin TypeGothic Florin
Issued1887
MonarchQueen Victoria
EffigyQueen Victoria - Gothic Portrait by William Wyon
Face Value2 (x Shilling)
Total Mintage1,776,903 (1.8 million)
CurrentNo; demonetised 1993
Material0.925 Silver
DesignerWilliam Wyon
TechnologyMilled (machine-made)
ShapeRound
OrientationMedal Alignment (Axis 0)
Mass11.3104 g
OCC IDNRWK-ZOJN-CAQD-OXGL
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Florin 1887 Gothic: Photos
ImageDetails
Florin 1887 Gothic: Photo Coin - Florin, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887 / thumbnail Coin - Florin, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
Florin 1887 Gothic: Photo Coin - Florin, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887 / thumbnail Coin - Florin, Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1887
Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY
Author:
Source
Florin 1887 Gothic: Catalogue Reference IDs