The First French Republic was founded on 21 september 1792, with the vote of the deputies of the National Convention who abolished the monarchy in France, and established the new republican order.

Initially the Republic used the currency previously in circulation, the Livre Tournois, and only in 1795 (in the period called the Directory) the Franc was introduced, with a first set composed by the values ​​of 1 and 5 cents, 1 and 2 decimes (in copper and bronze) and the value of 5 francs (in silver).

Subsequently, following the coup d'état by Napoleon Bonaparte who established the government of the Consulate, new coins were coined (while the previous remained in circulation), the values ​​of ¼ franc, ½ franc, 1 franc, 2 francs and 5 francs (all in silver), 20 and 40 francs (in gold). All the coins of the new set featured the effigie of the First Cousul, Napoleon Bonaparte, on the obverse.

The French State produced the coins in a considerable number of mints, which were located on the territory of France. Each mint engraved its mint mark on the coins, ie:

• A - Paris
• AA - Metz
• B - Rouen
• BB - Strasbourg
• D - Lyon
• G - Geneva
• H - La Rochelle
• I - Limoges
• K - Bordeaux
• L - Bayonne
• M - Toulouse
• MA - Marseille
• Q - Perpignan
• R - Orleans
• T - Nantes
• U - Turin
• W - Lille

Below is the list of French First Republic coins:

• 1 centesimo
• 5 centesimi
• 1 decimo
• 2 decimi
• 1/4 di Franco
• 1/2 Franco
• 1 Franco
• 2 Franchi
• 5 Franchi
• 20 Franchi
• 40 Franchi