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 blue-edged saucers (as shown above) were stacked, the waiter would know to charge the customer 1.95 French francs (or 195 French centimes, since 100 centimes equals 1 franc). When the bill was paid, the money was usually left inside the coaster.

This saucer features a hand-painted blue rim with pinwheel lines accented in dark blue and gold. The franc 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.