The French silver coin is composed of two parts: the ECU (3 letters) and the TESTON (6 letters). The ECU was a French gold coin first issued in 1360, and it was the first European currency to use a standardised form. The TESTON was a French silver coin first issued in 1577, and it was the first French coin to be struck with a machine. Both coins were widely used in France until the 19th century.