{{short description|Coin issued by King Edward III of England}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2013}} {{Multiple image|total_width = 300 <!-- Layout parameters --> |perrow=2 |maxwidth=300px <!--image 1--> |caption1=Obverse|caption2=Reverse | image2 = Medieval coin, Edward III quarter-florin (FindID 730465).jpg | image1 = Medieval coin, Edward III quarter-florin obverse (FindID 730465).jpg | footer = Quarter florin minted in London, 1344.}}The '''quarter florin''', '''half leopard''' or '''helm''' was an attempt by [[England|English]] [[Edward III of England|King Edward III]] to produce a gold coinage suitable for use in Europe as well as in England (see also [[Florin (English coin)|double leopard]] and [[leopard (coin)|leopard]]).<ref>Clancy, Kevin. "Gold Coins and Medals," ''[[Interdisciplinary Science Reviews]]'', Volume 17, Number 4, December 1992, pp. 332-338</ref> The Helm, based on contemporary European [[gold coin]]s had a value of [[pounds, shillings and pence|one shilling and sixpence]] ({{frac|3|40}} [[pound sterling]]). However, the gold used to strike the coins was overvalued, resulting in the coins being unacceptable to the public, and the coins were withdrawn after only seven months in circulation, and eventually demonetised in August 1344, to be melted down to produce the more popular [[Noble (English coin)|gold Noble]].
The obverse of the coin shows the royal [[Helmet (heraldry)|helmet]] surmounted by a [[cap of maintenance]] and a [[leopard (heraldry)|leopard]]; the legend is <small>EDWR R ANGL Z FRANC D HIB</small> (Edward [[King of England]] [[English claims to the French throne|and France]], [[Lord of Ireland]]). The reverse of the coin shows a [[cross fleury|floriated cross]] with a [[quatrefoil]] in the centre; the legend is <small>EXALTABITUR IN GLORIA</small> ("He shall be exalted in glory", [[Psalm 112]]:9).
In 2015, an example was found in [[Colyton, Devon]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Museum|first=The British|last2=Street|first2=Great Russell|last3=T: +4420 73238618|first3=London WC1B 3DG|title=Record ID: FASAM-638757 - MEDIEVAL coin|url=http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/730465|access-date=2022-02-12|website=The Portable Antiquities Scheme|language=en|archive-date=2022-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212085336/https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/730465|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was sold for £50,000.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spink To Sell Incredible Leopard Coinage This September|url=https://www.spink.com/media/view?id=268|access-date=2022-02-12|website=www.spink.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Portal|Money}} {{Reflist|2}}
{{Coins of England}}
[[Category:Coins of medieval England]] [[Category:English gold coins]]
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