The gold Fioriuo

n the obverse, the coin had a fleurde-lis (a stylized lily flower) which is featured on the coat of arms of Florence. The reverse depicted the patron saint of Florence, St. John the Baptist. Because of the image of the fleur-de-lis, the coin was called Fiorino d’oro (gold Florin). The Fiorino was the first gold coin of Central and Western Europe to play a significant commercial role for around 500 years. At that time, gold was used mostly in Southern Italy, Sicily and Spain, which were under the Arabic influence. However, the increase of trade with the Levant eventually brought enough gold to Florence to entice minting gold coinage – first in Italy, and subsequently all over Europe.