| 1 oz. | = 20 esterlings. |
| " | = 320 mailles (20 × 16). |
| " | = 640 felins (320 × 2). |
For the alloy or standard the mark was thus subdivided:—
For gold mark = 24 carats each subdivided into 32 parts.
For silver mark = 12 dens. each subdivided into 24 grms.
In France fine gold was only refined to 23 26⁄32 carats, and fine silver 11 deniers 18 grs. In calculation the absolute fineness of 24 carats and 12 deniers must be used.
The system of reckoning was as follows:—
| 1 livre | = 20 sols. |
| 1 sol. | = 12 den. |
| 1 den. | = 2 oboles. |
| 1 obole | = 2 pites. |
| 1 pite | = 2 semipites. |
The reckoning by livres, sols., deniers was derived from the Frankish kings. For a time the system of reckoning by the mark threatened to replace it, but in 1313 it was again authorised by Philippe le Bel.
The origin of the difference between the livres Tournois and the livres Parisis is to be sought in the feudal Mint franchises of the barons. At one time there was a difference between the two systems of 25 per cent., the barons who had the right of minting preferring to do so at Tours, or according to the Tours weight, which was the more depreciated of the two, while at Paris the French kings attempted to keep up a tradition of a better weight standard.[25]
The distinction of livres Tournois and livres Parisis was maintained until the days of Louis XIV., when (1667) it was abolished, and the reckoning by a single livre, sol., denier, was established. (For the intermediate experiment of Henry III. see text p. [87].)[26]