Half écu (constitutional monarchy type)
1792 ・ silver ・ 18th century ・ The constitutional monarchy (Louis XVI)
A silver coin of the constitutional monarchy type, half the value of the six-livre écu. As two papers one after the other, the assignat and the mandat territorial, lost their credit, specie of this kind was hoarded and left daily life. What remained to France after paper had died twice was a national memory that paper money cannot be trusted. The currency had nowhere to return but metal, and at the end of that return stands this silver coin.