The Tuscan fiorino (plural: fiorini) was the currency of Tuscany between 1826 and 1859. It was subdivided into 100 quattrini (singular: quattrino), a local currency made by four denari (from the Latin: quater denarii). There was an additional denomination called the paolo, worth 40 quattrini, in circulation.
| fiorino (Italian) | |
|---|---|
 One fiorino by Leopold II | |
| Unit | |
| Symbol | ƒ |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄100 | quattrino |
| Coins | q.1, q.3, q.5, q.10, q.20, p.1 ƒ1, ƒ2, ƒ4 |
| Rarely used | ƒ1⁄4, ƒ1⁄2, ƒ20, ƒ60, ƒ80 |
| Demographics | |
| Official user(s) |  Tuscany |
| Unofficial user(s) |  United Provinces of Central Italy |
| Issuance | |
| Mint | Florence Mint |
| This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete. | |
History
editDuring the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany was annexed by France and the French franc was introduced, together with its satellite Italian lira. The previous lira did not disappear, creating a big confusion between the old Tuscan lira and the new Italian lira. So, when Duke Leopold II rose to power in 1824, he decided to introduce a new basic currency. The fiorino replaced the Tuscan lira at a rate of 1+2⁄3 lire = 1 fiorino.[1] In 1847, Tuscany absorbed Lucca and the fiorino replaced the Luccan lira at a rate of 1 fiorino = 2 lire. After a brief revolutionary coinage, the fiorino was replaced in 1859 by a provisional currency denominated in "Italian lira", equal to the Sardinian lira, with 1 fiorino = 1.4 Italian lire.
Coins
editCopper coins were struck in denominations of 1 and 3 quattrini, together with billon 5 and 10 quattrini, silver 1⁄2, 1 and 5 paolo, 1⁄4, 1⁄2, 1 and 4 fiorini. Gold coins included the sequin (Italian: zecchino), ruspone and 80 fiorini, the latter two equalled 3 and 10 sequins respectively.
See also
edit
References
edit- Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (1991). Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1801–1991 (18th ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 0873411501.
- ^ This fact was quite obvious, because the pound was equivalent to 240 denari or 60 quattrini, while the fiorino was equivalent to 100 quattrini or 400 denari.