Louis XVIII's restoration government reintroduced the franc germinal coinage system largely intact from the Napoleonic period, retaining the decimal structure and fineness specifications that Napoleon had fixed by law in 1803. The quarter franc was the smallest silver denomination struck under the restored Bourbons, and its limited practical purchasing power meant it circulated hard and fast in daily transactions.
The Paris mint struggled with consistent output during the early Restoration years as it rebuilt civilian production capacity after wartime priorities. Dies for the smaller denominations were replaced frequently.
Louis XVIII's restoration government reintroduced the franc germinal coinage system largely intact from the Napoleonic period, retaining the decimal structure and fineness specifications that Napoleon had fixed by law in 1803. The quarter franc was the smallest silver denomination struck under the restored Bourbons, and its limited practical purchasing power meant it circulated hard and fast in daily transactions.
The Paris mint struggled with consistent output during the early Restoration years as it rebuilt civilian production capacity after wartime priorities. Dies for the smaller denominations were replaced frequently.