History of Slovak coins - florin stand

The fourth issue in the series by historian Marcel Pecník, which commemorates the history of Slovak coinage, takes the form of a reissue of the florin.

In medieval Europe, silver was the dominant metal, and gold coins were minted on a large scale only in Byzantium or the Muslim world. Gold was, in fact, a rare commodity. In 1252, however, a turning point occurred in European monetary history when the wealthy city of Florence began minting so-called florins, and these successful gold coins soon became a model for mints in other countries. In 1325, Slovak mint masters were also inspired by Italian coinage. At that time, King Charles I Robert of Anjou sat on the Hungarian throne; he sought to consolidate his power and stabilize the economy through extensive reforms. These included, for example, the reorganization of the tax system and the mining industry. As part of the monetary reform, gold florins were introduced in a country where silver denars had previously been in use. Kremnica became a major center for their minting. The local mint, founded in 1328, produced over 400,000 gold florins annually. Hungarian coins quickly spread throughout Europe, where they became a recognized form of currency known for their high quality and stable value. They represented not only an economic tool but, above all, a symbol of Hungary’s economic power…

A replica of the florin of Charles I Robert of Anjou, featuring the Florentine lily and St. John the Baptist, is minted from gold-plated silver. Based on the original historical minting, it was designed by medalist Lenka Nebeská, DiS.

This replica, which will delight not only children, comes in educational and entertaining packaging filled with interesting facts and cheerful illustrations by Mgr. art. Bohdan Jankovič.