April 15, 2010

USA, 1855 - 72: Retail Price for Simple Manufactures Stable

Looking at US catalog prices, the price of simple manufactured (imported) platinum utensils was the same, in 1855 & 1872.  During this period
- US imports of platina & Platinum rose from $42,450 (1853) to $113,288 (1872), 167%
- US inflation (1856-1872) was +22.52%, according to Warren & Pearson, 1932
- the USD$ lost at least -12% its value against the Pound 

In the US market, the price stability of wholesale platinum manufactures can be explained by a dramatic decrease in the cost of platina and/or the refinement process, and increased competition from US manufacturers.

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined, manufactured, whols/ret)  = $ 14.40

1872: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined, manufactured, wholesale)  = $ 14.40

 
Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents, By Edward N. Kent. circa 1855.


Citation: American hand-book of chemical & physical apparatus, minerals, fossils, rare ...  By Edmund B. Benjamin (1872), p.142.


Adjusting for Real Inflation since 1855 (6,449%) we can extrapolate a long term price for wholesale refined Platinum @ $943. (in 2009 USD$) From the generally known and stable retail price ($18. - 20. in 1855-1862) of that period 150 years ago, we likewise see the NY price of manufactured platinum is inflation-projected to  $1,178. - 1,310. per Troy Ounce in 2009 Dollars.

2009: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined, manufactured, wholesale)  = $ 1,203.50

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