Latin Monetary Union

Latin Monetary Union

Latin Monetary Union (LMU) was an attempt at unification of European currencies into a single currency to be used in all Member States at a time when national currencies were made ​​of gold and silver. LMU was founded in 1865 and disbanded in 1927.
LMU has been created in France (under Napoleon III idea ) and by the convention signed on 23 December 1865, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg formed the Latin Monetary Union!
The five countries have understood that the standard of 4.5 grams to 0.290322 grams of pure silver or pure gold (from 15.5 to 1 parity) and coins are interchangeable. These five countries were joined by Greece in May 1868.
Other countries that have joined informally in LMU are: Austria-Hungary, Russia, Sweden, Romania, Finland, Spain, the Papal State, Serbia, Bulgaria, Venezuela, San Marino, etc..

LMU standard was copied after decimal French franc (franc Germinal) during the first French republic!

Details of the Latin Monetary Union:

Units:.....Metal:...Title:...Weight:.....Pure metal weight:...
--------------------------------------------------------------
..0.01.....copper...950.......1 g.............................
..0.02.....copper...950.......2 g.............................
..0.05.....copper...950.......5 g.............................
..0.1......copper...950......10 g.............................
..0.2......silver...900.......1 g........0.0289 oz ASW........
..0.2......silver...835.......1 g........0.0268 oz ASW........
..0.25.....silver...900.......1.25 g.....0.0362 oz ASW........
..0.5......silver...900.......2.5 g......0.0723 oz ASW........
..0.5......silver...835.......2.5 g......0.0671 oz ASW........
..1........silver...900.......5 g........0.1446 oz ASW........
..1........silver...835.......5 g........0.1342 oz ASW........
..2........silver...900......10 g........0.2893 oz ASW........
..2........silver...835......10 g........0.2684 oz ASW........
..5........silver...900......25 g........0.7234 oz ASW........
..5........gold.....900.......1.6290 g...0.0467 oz AGW........
.10........gold.....900.......3.2258 g...0.0933 oz AGW........
.12.5......gold.....900.......4.0325 g........................
.20........gold.....900.......6.4516 g...0.1867 oz AGW........
.25........gold.....900.......8.0645 g...0.2333 oz AGW........
.40........gold.....900......12.9039 g...0.3734 oz AGW........
.50........gold.....900......16.1290 g...0.4467 oz AGW........
100........gold.....900......32.2581 g...0.9335 oz AGW........

Monetary unit
France......Austro-Hungary..United States..Argentina....Brazil.....
-------------------------------------------------------------------
..5 Centimes................................1 Centavos.............
.10 Centimes................................2 Centavos....50 Reis..
.20 Centimes.......................................................
.50 Centimes................10 Cents.......10 Centavos...200 Reis..
..1 Franc....1 Krone........20 Cents.......20 Centavos.............
..2 Francs...2 Kronen..............................................
..5 Francs...................1 Dollar.......1 Peso.......2000 Reis.
.10 Francs...4 Ducat...............................................
.20 Francs...8 Ducats........4 Dollars.............................
.25 Francs..10 Ducats........5 Dollars.............................
.50 Francs.........................................................
100 Francs..................20 Dollars.............................

Latin Monetary Union and Romania

With the creation of a monetary system and copied it after the French, Romania has made contact with the LMU. The coins that were to occur were: 10 decime (curpu, 10g), 5 români (silver, 25g), and 20 români (gold, 6.4516 g).
In 1867, Romania adopted its first monetary system. It was copied from the French, so informal LMU, Romania became a member!
Coins that have followed monetary standard LMU were:

Value:.....Metal:...Weight:....Issued between:....
-------------------------------------------------
.1 ban.....copper....1 g.......1867-1900..........
.2 bani....copper....2 g.......1867-1900..........
.5 bani....copper....5 g.......1867-1885..........
10 bani....copper...10 g.......1867...............
50 bani....silver....2.5 g.....1873-1914..........
.1 leu.....silver....5 g.......1870-1914..........
.2 lei.....silver...10 g.......1872-1914..........
.5 lei.....silver...25 g.......1880-1906..........
.12.5 lei..gold......4.0325 g..1906...............
.20 lei....gold......6.452 g...1868*-1906.........
.25 lei....gold......8.065 g...1906...............
.50 lei....gold.....16.13 g....1906...............
100 lei....gold.....32.26 g....1906...............

* 20 lei 1868 coin was struck only for the protocol, she had not been put into circulation

In romanian:
http://klarkblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/uniunea-monetara-latina.html

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Monetary_Union
http://www.unionlatine.com
http://romaniancoins.org