5 Francs Louis XVIII

The 5 Francs coin from Louis XVIII's reign cleverly reused the decimal weight standard established under Napoleon, a practical nod to stability in chaotic times. This silver piece, struck between 1814 and 1824, weighed about 15 grams with a fineness of .900 silver, helping France's battered economy limp along.

Its obverse typically bore the profile of Louis XVIII, complete with the royal engraving that made him look perpetually stern. The reverse showed the French coat of arms, a design that varied slightly by year and mint, though records from provincial mints like Bordeaux are spotty. We don't know exactly how many were produced in, say, 1816; those figures burned in an 1838 archive fire.

Minting these coins wasn't glamorous—it was a rush job to replace worn-out currency. Oddly enough, some planchets might have come from melted Spanish reales captured during the wars, a frugal reuse that numismatists appreciate more than they admit.

That said, the myth about these coins bringing bad luck is just lazy superstition; it's metal, not magic.