Edward Florin III

Edward Florin III by Maksims Ter-Oganesovs

The ‘double Leopard’ is a truly magical coin for many reasons. Firstly, it dates back to 1344 and was introduced to England by King Edward III. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the gold coin was discontinued after just a few months.

There are only three copies of this coin currently known to exist, and two of those are in British museums. The other was sold for £680,000 in 2006 to surpass the previous British record of £516,000 for a 1937 Edward VIII gold proof sovereign.

The gold coin itself carries a fascinating design. It depicts the then-king with two leopards’ heads, which is where the alias name derives. Britain bleeds tradition, and this is believed to be the rarest coin in existence. Quite frankly, the Edward Florin III is one of the most significant coins in history.

Coin details

• Title: Gold florin of Edward III of England
• Date Created: 1344
• Physical Dimensions: 6.940 g
• Registration number: 1915,0507.5
• Production place: England
• Material: gold

By the 1340s England was in a position to join other western European lands in successfully adding a gold coinage to its money. Florentine and French gold coins were widely used. The English Parliament petitioned the monarch, Edward III (reigned 1327–77), for the innovation of gold coins to help with international trade. The new coins, ordered in an indenture of December 1343, consisted of a florin, or double leopard, of fine gold, exactly double the size of the Florentine florin, to be worth six shillings, along with its half and quarter.

Although the new coinage’s standards were based on the florin, its designs followed French influence. The king is shown seated, holding orb and sceptre, with two heraldic English leopards beside him, and a Gothic canopy overhead, with a background of fleurs-de-lis. These, and the title ‘king of France‘ included in the inscription, reflect Edward’s claims to the French throne which underpinned the beginnings of the Hundred Years War (1339–1453).

The new coinage was not a success: it was over-valued – that is, its face value was higher than the value of the gold. Also, a coin worth six shillings did not fit well into the English monetary system, with 20 shillings in the pound, or 13s 4d in the mark. It was soon replaced by the noble, a coin worth 6s 8d which, being worth a third of a pound, and half a mark, was much more useful.

Review by Maksims Ter-Oganesovs