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. The color of the rim was used as a code to tell the waiter how much to charge the customer by reading the different colors of the saucers as they were stacked. For example, if three green-edged 2f25 saucers (as shown above) were stacked, the waiter would know to charge the customer 6.75 French francs. When the bill was paid, the money was usually left inside the coaster.

This saucer features a hand-painted green rim, with a gold accent line and green and gold pinwheel lines. The frank mark is imprinted in the porcelain before the saucer is glazed and fired, ensuring that the mark will not fade.

• High-quality porcelain.
• Hand-painted rim.
• The paint and text are baked in the saucer.
• The colors won't fade.
• The saucer measures approximately 11.7 cm in diameter by 2 cm in height.
• The height inside the saucer is 1.4 cm.
• Accommodates glass stems up to 8.2 cm in diameter.