UK, 1850: Battery Platinum, Military Experiment

c. July, 1850: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Scrap, Bid)  = £ 0.375 (USD$ )
c. July, 1850: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, Ask)  = £ 0.75 (USD$ )

Citation: The chemist; a monthly journal of chemical philosophy and of chemistry; John & Charles Watt (1850) p.554



1850: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK: Sheet, Whols.)  = £ 1.60 (USD$ 7.79)
1850: 1 Troy Oz, Platinum (Regional UK: Sheet, Retail)  = £ 2.50 (USD$ 12.17)

May 1851: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (London, Ret.)  = £ 2. (USD$ )

Citation: Papers on Subjects Connected with the Duties of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Vol. 1(1851)

At Portsmouth, Platinum was about half the total cost of each battery/Cell.  The 2 5-Cell Batteries retailed for £ 10.50, so each 5-Element Battery (2.08 Ozt Platinum) retailed for £ 5.25 or £ 1.05 per Cell with 54 Sq. In. (£ 0.5221) of Platinum per Cell:  total Platinum Sheet: (5 x 9"x6") :: 2 x 270 Sq. In. = 540 Sq. In. (plus 1 Inch Platinum Wire.) 

Each Cell had 0.2088 Ozt (~6.5 Grams) Platinum ; 1 Sq. In. Platinum weighed 1.8563 Grains and cost ~£ 0.09668, about 2.35 d. per Sq. In.  

The regional retail (Portsmouth) for Platinum was 25% higher than the London retail price.



1851: where Gold ore was considerably less than the Mint Price, Platinum had not yet fallen.

1850/1: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (ingot, wholesale) > £ 1.50

Citation: The Engineer and Machinist (1851) p.159