The gold Florin, according to Villari, was first coined in the Republic of Florence, in the year 1252. The obverse bore a full-length figure of St. John the Baptist, with the legend S. IONNES. B., i.e., Sanctus Johannes Baptista. On the reverse was a lily, the arms of the city of Florence, and the inscription FLORENTIA, usually preceded by a small cross.

The excellence of the gold made the fiorino d'oro, as it was commonly called, speedily current throughout Europe, and the type was adopted by all the principal powers, as well as by other potentates who possessed the right to strike money.

In England the gold Florin was first issued by Edward III in 1343, for Aquitaine. The indenture made states that it was "to be equal in weight to two petit florins of Florence of good weight," i.e., 108 grains, and of the same fineness, namely, 23 carats, and 3 1/2 grains pure gold to half a grain of allow; and the half and quarter Florin in the same proportion. By the proclamation of January 27, 1343, these coins were described as "one coin with two leopards, each piece to be current for six shillings, another piece of one helm, being respectively the half and quarter of the larger coin," and they were ordered to be accepted by al persons. It was, however, soon discovered that the coins were valued too high, and they were consequently generally refused; this led to their being discontinued in the following year. The half Florins were commonly called Leopards (q.v.).

In France, King Charles V issued a gold coin called the Florin d'Or, which was copied after the Florentine type; it was, however, not very long in use, as, according to Leblanc, it was considered "derogatory to the dignity of the crown, being borrowed."

The gold Florin was also extensively copied in other parts of Italy, as well as in Spain, the Low Countries, and especially in Hungary and Germany. These imitations usually retained the obverse inscriptions of the Florentine type, but to the same were added small marks, letters, figures, crowns, and similar devices; while on the reverse the name of the mint appears in some cases, and the armorial shield of the locality or the mintmaster is frequently substituted for the lily.

Prior to the introduction of the Florin the coinage of the German States consisted chiefly of silver of the denarius and pfennig types, all of which were more or less base. The new coin was, therefore, called the Gulden Penning, or gold Pfennig, a designation which was gradually abbreviated into Gulden (q.v.).