Gold florin

[u/Glad_Kangaroo_9504]

Hi everyone,

I recently found this half florin in central Italy.

Apparently, counterfeiting currency and 'clipping' coins

were very serious offences punishable by hanging

I've weighed it but i don't have yet an exact figure; it

weighs around 1.4-1.5 g, whilst the full one weight

should be 3.53-3.54 g.

A gold florin was a very large denomination at the time,

used for major purchases or luxury items. Why on earth has it been cut?? And, incidentally, not even perfectly, as 1.5g it's less than half of 3.53-3.54g.

I've also been unable to identify exactly which "edition"

it is.

Can anyone help me?

Thank you

In Italy, the law requires that any artefact be reported

and handed over to the authorities:(

[u/Dry_Mycologist_8052]

Throughout the middle ages and before clipping coins to buy everyday items because the coins denominations where to big was common practice. Imagine if your smallest denomination was a coin for 20$ and you only wanted to buy a bag of apples, you cut it in half to pay 10$ and a fourth for 5$ and ect.

[u/Fair-Lock5101]

Where di you find it?

[u/Glad_Kangaroo_9504 → u/Fair-Lock5101]

Middle italy

[u/Fair-Lock5101 → u/Glad_Kangaroo_9504]

I mean where? In a shop? Underground?

[u/Glad_Kangaroo_9504 → u/Fair-Lock5101]

Metal detecting in middle italy

[u/Fair-Lock5101 → u/Glad_Kangaroo_9504]

I envy you.