Franc,

Franc, a French silver coin which forms the unit of the French monetary system. Introduced into France 6th May 1799, it was extended to the other countries comprised in the Latin union—viz. Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland by the convention of 1865, and has since then been adopted by Roumania (1868), Spain (1871), Servia (1874), Bulgaria (1880), and Greece (1882). In Belgium and Switzerland the coin is known as the franc; in Italy, lira; in Greece, drachma; in Roumania, lei; in Servia, dinar; and in Spain, peseta. The franc is coined of silver, $\backslash frac\{835\}\{1000\}$ fine, and weighs five grammes, its value being about 9½d. English money, or 19 cents of United States. One pound sterling = 25·2 francs. The franc is divided into 100 centimes, but the old division into 20 sous, valued at 5 centimes each, is still made use of in common life. There are in France silver coins of $\backslash frac\{1\}\{5\}$, $\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$, 1, 2, and 5 francs; and gold pieces of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 francs. See DECIMAL SYSTEM.