1887 Victoria Silver Double Florin Arabic Date Coin

What Is A Double Florin?

Double-Florins are British coins worth four Shillings, struck by the Royal Mint between 1887 and 1890. The Double Florin was close in size to the Crown, and easily confused in a dimly lit pub, leading to the short-lived denomination earning the nickname 'Barmaid's Ruin'.

Browse the range: Queen Victoria Double Florins

Small Crown Portrait Of Victoria

The words 'VICTORIA DEI GRATIA' appear around Joseph Edgar Boehm's Jubilee Head portrait of Queen Victoria, so-called because it was introduced in her Golden Jubilee year. The Queen is shown wearing a small crown and a long, lace veil with the artist's 'J.E.B.' initials at her shoulder.

Arabic 1 1887 Double Florin

Designed by Leonard Charles Wyon, the reverse of these silver coins features four shields of royal arms arranged in a cross pattern with sceptres between and a Garter star in the centre, an inscription reading 'REG: 1887 FID: DEF: BRITT:' around the edge. The date on this type of Double Florin features an Arabic-style '1' rather than the Roman 'I' also seen on coins struck in this year.

Double Florin Specifications

Double Florins weigh approximately 22.6 grams and measure 36 millimetres from milled edge to milled edge. These British coins are struck in .925 sterling silver.

1887 Double-Florin Mintage Figures

1887 is the second lowest mintage year for the sought-after Double-Florin, with only 483,347 of these coins struck for circulation. This figure includes both the Arabic 1 and the Roman I variations.