Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
Description
Only a small part of the Wikipedia page is relevant to Pepys’ time:
The guilder (Dutch: gulden), represented by the symbol ƒ or fl., was the currency of the Netherlands from the 13th century until 2002, when it was replaced by the euro. …
The Dutch name gulden was a Middle Dutch adjective meaning “golden”, and the name indicates the metal the coin was originally made of. The symbol ƒ or fl. for the Dutch guilder was derived from another old currency, the florijn. …
In the Netherlands, both silver and gold guilder coins were issued. In 1581, the silver guilder was established as the currency of the United Netherlands by the Estates-General. It was divided into 20 stuiver, each of 8 duit or 16 penning. At various times, other coins derived from the guilder emerged. Among them were the daalder of 1½ guilders (30 stuiver), the rijksdaalder (silver ducat) of 2½ guilders (50 stuiver) and the ducaton (silver rider) of 3 guilders (60 stuiver). The name daalder was derived from the German thaler.
Annotations
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Dutch money often used in England worth 2 shillings [not always], equivalent to the English Florin {Italian name ?}
see also
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florin -
equivalent to the English Florin {Italian name ?}
Florin An English coin representing 2s., or the tenth of a sovereign, issued in 1849. Camden informs us that Edward III. issued gold florins worth 6s., in 1337. The word is generally supposed to be derived from Florence; but as it had a lily on one side, probably it is connected with the Latin flos, a flower. (See Graceless Florin.)
(Brewers Phrase and Fable)