The double florin, or four-shilling piece, was produced by the Royal
Mint between 1887 and 1890, and was one of the shortest-lived of all
denominations of British coinage. Its obverse, designed by Joseph Boehm
and engraved by Leonard Charles Wyon, depicts Queen Victoria, whilst the
reverse (pictured), featuring national symbols of the United Kingdom,
was designed by Wyon based on the coinage of Charles II. When issued in
June 1887, the Jubilee coinage, of which the double florin was a part,
provoked an outcry. The small royal crown Boehm had depicted on
Victoria's head provoked widespread mockery. The double florin was
criticised as it was similar in size to the crown, worth five shillings,
which led to confusion. The issue was said to be particularly acute in
public houses, where barmaids accepted it believing it to be a crown,
giving it the nickname "Barmaid's Ruin". The coin was no longer minted
after 1890, though it remained in circulation for many years, and is
still legal tender for 20 pence (£0.20).
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_florin>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1864:
Second Schleswig War: The Battle of Heligoland (depicted), the
last naval engagement fought by squadrons of wooden ships, took place
between the Danish and Austro-Prussian fleets.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Heligoland_%281864%29>
1918:
First World War: Germany repelled Britain's second attempt to
blockade the Belgian port of Ostend.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Ostend_Raid>
1992:
An underground methane explosion occurred at the Westray Mine
in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, killing all 26 Canadian coal miners who were
working at the time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westray_Mine>
2012:
The pilots of a Sukhoi Superjet, ignoring alerts from the
terrain warning system, crashed the aircraft into Mount Salak in
Indonesia, resulting in the deaths of all 45 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Mount_Salak_Sukhoi_Superjet_crash>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
system:
1. A collection of organized things; a whole composed of relationships
among its members.
2. (derogatory) Preceded by the word the: the mainstream culture,
controlled by the elites or government of a state, or a combination of
them, seen as oppressive to the individual.
3. (computing) A set of hardware and software operating in a computer.
4. (mathematics) A set of equations involving the same variables, which
are to be solved simultaneously.
5. (music) A set of staves linked by a brace that indicate instruments
or sounds that are to be played simultaneously.
6. (physiology) A set of body organs having a particular function.
7. A method or way of organizing or planning.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/system>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Russia has forgotten everything that was important to the victors
of World War II. But Ukraine and the whole free world will remind it.
So that then no one will forget. So that really important words —
"never again" — which are repeated all over the free world every year
on the days of remembrance of the victims of World War II regain their
weight again. I am grateful to all our defenders who are defending and
saving Ukraine from the modern descendants of that old evil. Eternal
glory to all our heroes! Eternal glory to all our warriors! I am
grateful to all the friends of Ukraine and freedom! Glory to Ukraine!
--Volodymyr Zelenskyy
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy>