Porcelain Absinthe Saucer, 35Cts Black/Silver, with Lines

Absinthe bistro saucers served a dual purpose in the pre-ban absinthe era. Besides serving as a coaster, they were also used to indicate the price of absinthe or a drink. The price printed on the bottom or side of the saucer corresponded with a color painted on the outside rim. This colored rim was used to tell the waiter how much to charge the customer by reading the different saucer colors when stacked. For instance, if three blue-rimmed saucers (as shown above) were stacked, the waiter would know to charge the customer 35 French centimes (or 1.05 French francs, since 100 centimes equals 1 franc). When paying the bill, the money was generally left inside the coaster. The French centime was a currency unit, like the United States cent.