The term French Coin can refer to several different coins that have been used in France throughout history. The ECU (3 letters) was a gold coin first issued in the late 14th century and was used until the French Revolution. The obole (5 letters) was a silver coin used in the Middle Ages. The sou (3 letters) was a copper coin used from the 16th century until the 19th century. The euro (4 letters) is the current currency of France, introduced in 2002. The NAPOLEON (8 letters) was a gold coin issued by NAPOLEON I in 1803. The franc (5 letters) was the currency of France from 1795 until 2002. The CENTIME (7 letters) was a small denomination coin used from the 1790s until the introduction of the euro. The DENIER (6 letters) was a silver coin used in France from the 8th century until the 13th century.