Absinthe bistro saucers served a dual purpose in the days before absinthe was banned. In addition to their function as coasters, they were also used to indicate the price of the absinthe served. The price printed on the bottom or side of the saucer corresponded to a color painted on the outer rim. This colored rim was used to tell the waiter how much to charge the customer by reading the different colors of saucers when stacked. For example, if three 1.85 saucers with a black rim (as shown above) were stacked, the waiter would know to charge the customer 5.55 French francs. When the bill was paid, the money was usually left inside the coaster.

This saucer features a hand-painted green rim with pinwheel lines accented in green and silver. The franc mark is printed on the bottom of the saucer.

• High-quality porcelain.
• Hand-painted rim and paddlewheels.
• The paint and text are baked in the saucer.
• The colors won't fade.
• The saucer measures approximately 12 cm in diameter by 1.9 cm in height.
• The height inside the saucer measures 1.2 cm.
• Accommodates glass bases up to 8.3 cm in diameter.