In 1252 the city-state of Florence in Italy adopted the gold standard and began minting its own currency. This adoption was supported by an influx of gold from West Africa via trans-Saharan trade routes. Florins were stamped with a fleur-de-lis on one side and an image of John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city of Florence, on the other. A mint mark appears above John the Baptist’s right hand, indicating where the coin was produced. Florins could also be hammered out to form valuable gold leaf, which was used to embellish objects including religious paintings.
