1849 AD., Great Britain, Victoria I, Royal Mint London, 1 Florin, KM 745.
Great Britain, Victoria I, engraver: William Wyon (obv.) and William Dyce (rev.), Royal Mint London, 1849 AD.,
Florin (= 2 Shillings, the 'Godless' type) (ø 27,6 mm / 11,15 g), 0.925 silver, 11,31 g theor. mint weight, mintage 413.820 , axis coin alignment ↑↓ (180°), reeded edge,
Obv.: VICTORIA – REGINA 1849 / W.W. , her crowned and draped bust facing left, engraver´s initials behind.
Rev.: ONE – FLORIN / ONE TENTH - OF A POUND , crowned cruciform shields of England (two), Scotland and Ireland, with rose, thistle, rose and shamrock in the angles and a rose in the centre.
KM 745 ; Spink 3890 .
Year / Mintage / Details
1848 ? Proof
1848 ? smooth edge; Proof
1849 413.820
1849 ? without WW
known as the 'Godless' Florin since there was no abbreviation "D.G." or Dei Gratia in the legend (meaning "by the Grace of God")
From http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/florn.html : In 1847 a proposal was put forward for decimalisation of the pound, with the introduction of coins worth a tenth and a hundredth of a pound. As a consequence a tenth of a pound coin was introduced to test public opinion.
The first coin, issued in 1849, was unusual in two respects. First the queen, Victoria, was portrayed wearing a crown for the first time since the reign of Charles II, and secondly because the coin omitted the Dei Gratia, or even DG in the inscription, so it became known as the Godless Florin. It's diameter was 28 mm.
The obverse of the Godless florin has the inscription VICTORIA REGINA 1849, with Victoria's crowned bust draped left. The reverse is inscribed ONE FLORIN ONE TENTH OF A POUND, with cruciform shields with rose, thistle, rose and shamrock in the angles and a rose in the centre.
The type was issued with only that one date (although scarce proofs exist dated 1848), and was superseded by the Gothic florin in 1852. In the meantime production of the halfcrown ceased to allow the new coin to become established.