Rechenpfennig - Louis XIV - Paix de Ratisbonne - Le repos suit la victoire ND

Reverse

Female sitting, crown on lap.

Script: Latin

Lettering: LE REPOS SVIT LA VICTOIRE

Translation: Victory is followed by rest

Engraver: Cornelius Lauffer

Edge

Plain

Comment

Jetons came into wide use in Europe in the 14th century. They were used as counters for doing sums in the ridiculously complicated monetary systems of western Europe (England excluded). Recall please that in France until the 18th century there were royal coins and provincial coins in gold, silver, billon, and copper with different and odd exchange rates. An apocryphal example: a gold Louis might get 5.23 silver ecus, 23 silver quarter ecus, etc., then 136.34 billon deniers, then 1441 copper Liards. Plus the provincial money that circulated locally. What you did was you went to a money changer, who set your money on a board with various spaces for the various coins. Then he stacked jetons on the spaces for your change until it came out even, then he gave you your change, minus the fee.