1 Florin - Victoria Pattern (1848)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1848 |
| Denomination | 1 Florin |
| Face value | 10p |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Silver (.925) (925/1000 fine) |
| Weight | 11.170g · 0.3322 t oz |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Obv. artist | William Wyon |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Head of the Queen facing left wearing ribbon in hair.
At centre witin four arches, a rose, thistle, plumes of the Prince of Wales and shamrock.
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Daily limit reachedAbout the 1848 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern
The 1848 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern is a collector 1 florin coin, struck in 92.5% silver. It weighs 11.17g. Reverse design: At centre witin four arches, a rose, thistle, plumes of the Prince of Wales and shamrock.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1848 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern worth?
No verified sale of the 1848 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern has been logged on MyCoinage yet. Its silver content is worth about £13.26 at today's spot price, which puts a floor under its value.
What is the 1848 ribbon-head pattern florin?
It is one of the trial designs struck in 1848 for the new florin, a two-shilling coin worth one tenth of a pound. Museums Victoria, which holds an example, describes it as a rejected pattern. The coin issued in 1849 used a crowned bust instead.
Who designed the ribbon-head pattern florin?
Museums Victoria credits William Wyon, Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint, as the artist. Wyon also designed the crowned bust of the florin that was adopted in 1849.
Was this pattern florin ever legal tender?
No. Patterns were struck to show proposed designs and were never issued for circulation. No number struck is recorded, and Museums Victoria describes this design as rejected in favour of the 1849 florin.
How do I identify the 1848 1 Florin - Victoria Pattern?
Check the weight 11.17g and the metal (92.5% silver) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The florin was introduced as a step towards decimal coinage: Wikipedia records that in 1847 the government promised a coin worth one tenth of a pound to test public opinion. During 1848 the Royal Mint struck a number of trial designs, and the Royal Mint Museum alone holds twelve pattern florins of that date.
Museums Victoria in Melbourne, which holds this piece, describes it as a rejected pattern for the florin prepared in 1848. The coin issued in 1849 used a crowned bust and crowned shields instead, and became known as the Godless florin.
The obverse shows the young Queen facing left with a ribbon in her hair, with VICTORIA REGINA around and 1848 below. The reverse has the letters VR at the centre of four arches, with a rose, thistle, the Prince of Wales's plumes and a shamrock, and ONE FLORIN above and TWO SHILLINGS below. Museums Victoria names William Wyon as the artist. The museum's example is 28 mm across, weighs 11.17 g and has a plain edge, with the sides aligned like a medal.
Collecting notes
No mintage is recorded for this pattern. It is easily confused with the laureate-head 1848 pattern florin, which has a similar cypher reverse: check whether the Queen wears a ribbon or a laurel wreath. The adopted design is the 1849 Godless florin.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Pattern Coin - Florin (2 Shillings), Queen Victoria, Great Britain, 1848 (NU 32068), Museums Victoria (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Florin (British coin), Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Object search: Victoria pattern florin 1848, Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
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