Liard

The Liard, a tiny copper coin, was minted in such vast quantities that it often represented over half of France's circulating currency by the late 1700s.

That ubiquity meant it turned up everywhere, from a farmer's pocket to a noble's bribe, struck on irregular planchets that sometimes included recycled metal from older coins. Designs varied by ruler—Louis XIV's featured his bust, while later ones under Louis XVI showed a simple cross—but quality was consistently poor, with edges often uneven and strikes off-center. Mintage figures are spotty; records for many years vanished during the Revolution.

As for myths, I've heard tales of Liards being cursed or lucky. Nonsense. They're just coins, and after thirty years, I've yet to see one bring fortune or folly.

Production ceased abruptly in 1793 with the Republic's rise, leaving behind a coin that, for all its flaws, greased the wheels of daily trade.