Porcelain Absinthe Coaster 75Cts

In the pre-ban era of absinthe, bistro saucers served a dual purpose: not only did they act as coasters, but they also signified the price of the drink. A colored rim on the outside of the saucer, corresponding with a printed price on the bottom or side, indicated how much the customer should be charged. For example, if three blue-rimmed saucers (as seen above) were stacked, the waiter would know to charge 35 French centimes (equivalent to 1.05 French francs, or 100 centimes). Payment was typically left inside the coaster when settling the bill. Similar to cents in the United States, French centimes were a currency denomination. Sized at 4.75" width and .75" height.