USA, 1855: Chemists' Catalogues (Chilton's ; McAllister's)

1852: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (USA: Semi-Mfg., Retail) = $ 14.40
1853: 1 Ozt. Platinum (USA: Semi-Mfg., Ret.) = $ 14.40 

1853(-1855): 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris Wire:Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = USD $ 9.14 (Fr 46.65)
1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum  (UK Wire: Semi-Mfg, Trade) = USD$ 7.30 (£ 1.50)


For Sale by McAllister & Brother, Opticians at their new store, No. 194 Chestnut St., Philadelphia in/after September 1855: 

1855: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Phila.: Mfg, Catalogue) = USD $ 14.40 

Citation: Illustrated Catalogue of Optical, Mathematical & Philosophical Instruments ; McAllister & Brother,  Philadelphia, 1855 p.61


Citation: Illustrated Catalogue of Optical, Mathematical & Philosophical Instruments ; McAllister & Brother,  Philadelphia, 1855 p.61



January, 1855:

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, Ret.) = $ 6.583

1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (French Sheet, Ret.) ~ $ 5.38
1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Foil: Semi-Mfg., Ret.) = $ 8.

1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (French Wire, Ret.) ~ $ 6.58

1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Wire: Semi-Mfg., Ret.) = $ 10.

1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (French Mfg, Trade Cost) ~ $ 6.86 (Fr. 35.)
1854: 1 Ozt. Platinum (USA: Imported, w/tax transport, etc.) ~ $ 10.50

1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (NYC: Mfg, Ret.) = $ 14.40
1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Superfine Wire: Ret.) = $ 24.00 

Bearing in mind Platinum strips are double-sided, 3.5" x 0.75" = 5.25" sq. in. surface @ $1.00 > 52.5 sq. in (a 26.25 sq. in sheet) very thin Platinum strips = $10. ; 30 sq. in. Pt = $5.71.  The economy is apparent if Platinum strips last more than 15x longer than Platinized Silver (not factoring replacement labor.)

Estimating "Thin" foils (66 sq. in.) @ $10./oz = $ 0.1515 per 1"x1"

Platinized Silver foils were sold at a rate of $ 0.042 per 1"x1" in 1855, where Silver (plate) was $1.75/oz.  Where 30 sq. in surface area = 193.5 cm², 3.57 mg. would be necessary to platinize this area/amount of Silver, ~ $0.0012 in Pt. at retail rates.

Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents; Chilton (1855) Chilton, p. 25


Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents; Chilton (1855), p. 51



May, 1855:


Nota bene ("Note well") that while 1 Ozt was still 480 grains it's 1.09714286 Oz avoirdupois and 17.5542857 drams avd.

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum-Black (Residue, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum Chloride (PtCl₂, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Sponge: Refined, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Foil: Semi-Mfg, Whols/Ret.) = $ 12.00
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Fine Wire: Semi-Mfg, Whols/Ret.) = $ 9.60
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire, : Semi-Mfg, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.777
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, : Semi-Mfg, Whols/Ret.) = $ 6.583

1855: 1 Ozt. platina (Ore, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.

1855: 1 Ozt. Iridosmine (Ore, Whols/Ret.) = $ 8.

1852: 1 Ozt. Iridium (Refined, Whols/Ret.) = USD $ 62.40
1855: 1 Ozt. Iridium (Refined, Whols/Ret.) = $ 48.14
1855: 1 Ozt. Osmium (Refined, Whols/Ret.) = $ 48.14

1855: 1 Ozt. Palladium (Refined, Ret.) = $ 38.40
1855: 1 Ozt. Palladium (.333 alloy?, retail) = $ 13.166
1855: 1 Ozt. Palladium Chloride (PdCl₂, Ret.) = $ 40.
1855: 1 Ozt. Palladium Chloride ( H₈Cl₄N₂Pd, Ret.) = $ 32.

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (.999, retail) = $ 1.92 - 2.194
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Silver Nitrate (~.70 Ag, retail) = $ 1.371
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Silver Nitrate (.999, retail) ~ $ 1.96
 
Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents; Chilton (1855) Chilton, p. 77





Ore:












From a New York catalogue dated January 1855:
 
Platinum at $0.02 per grain, a "lightning rod point" (Item #664) would be 0.3125 Troy Ounce Fine Platinum. 
At $0.03 per grain, the same unit would be 0.2083 Troy Ounce Pt.

Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents; Chilton (1855) Chilton, p. 25




At the common-rate (@Fr 5./$1), Deleuil's 200-Gramme Balance sold 83.3% - 87.5% higher than Paris, but probably allowed only 50% profit to the merchant.  The increased New York merchant's price for the 1,000-Gramme Balance is likewise consistent with the assumptions below (51.72% profit.)
 


1855/6: Examining the 200-Gramme Balance and assuming cheaper model (~35 Lbs avd)

a) Deleuil's retail price, constant 1854-6, "Fr. 200"
b) a 10% discount to trade (- Fr. 20) = "Fr. 180"
c) the New York merchant's 1854 bill was @ Fr 5.20/$1. = "USD$ 34.64"
d) the US duty 30% Duty. (= $10.38), so the New York import price = "USD$ 45." 
e) all insurance, shipping, &ct 'Paris-NYC delivery' cost $ 5. (~15%)  

Deleuil's 200-Gramme Balance: Total Merchant Cost, = $50.

Citation: Deleuil's Catalogue des instruments de physique, de chimie, d'optique et de mathematiques (1856) 
 



1855/6: Following the above, where a 1 Ozt Platinum was charged accordingly: 

a) Deleuil's retail price for Wire (Fr 1.30/Gramme) constant 1854-6, "Fr. 40.43"
b) a 10% discount to US trade = "Fr. 36.39"
c) the New York merchant's 1854 bill was @ Fr 5.20/$1. = "USD$ 7."
d) the US duty 30% Duty. where the New York import price = "USD$ 9.10" 
e) insurance, shipping, &ct 'Paris-NYC delivery' cost $ 0.50 (~5.50%) 

1 Ozt. French Mfg. Platinum Crucible : Total Merchant Cost, = $ 9.60
1 Ozt. French Mfg. Platinum Wire : Total Merchant Cost, = $ 6.58
1 Ozt. French Mfg. Platinum Foil : Total Merchant Cost, = $ 5.38

Citation: Deleuil's Catalogue des instruments de physique, de chimie, d'optique et de mathematiques (1856) p.66

Citation: Catalogue [of Philosophical Apparatus and Mathematical Instruments]. Mc Allister & Brother (1855) pp.

Small Platinum slips @ $0.37 = 12 Grains Pt; Medium Sized Foil @ $0.69, 22 Grains Pt; Larger Sized Foil @ $1.00, 33 Grains Pt.

1855: 1 Troy Ounce of Platinum (Mfg, Trade) = $ 14.40

At rates defined, a "$4. Platina Point" presumably had 8.64 g or 0.28 Troy Ounce of Pt. The lower-priced units are likely just Platinized-Silver needles.

In bulk for the US Navy, Bollman's Platina Tips (1814) weighed 50% more and cost less than half the 1855 wholesale/retail rate. (Both sold at Baltimore; also, both domestic manufacture?)

1864: Of dubious utility?

US Platinum was generally 10% higher than European prices, at retail.

Platinum was about half the price of Gold, at trade prices.

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Paris: Semi-Mfg, Retail) ~USD $ 9.14 (Fr 46.65)

1853: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Boston: Wire/Ingot, Retail) = $ 10.

1855: 1 Ozt. Platina Alloy (Dental Semi-Mfg, Trade) ~ USD$ 4.68 (£ 0.9266)

1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK: Semi-Mfg, Trade-Retail) ~ USD$ 7.30 (£ 1.50)

1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (USA: Semi-Mfg, Trade) ~ USD$ 8.

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Silver-Platinum Alloy (70/30? Ag-Pt, Trade) = USD $ 7.50
1855: 1 Ozt. Pt Alloy Rate (30% Pt, Trade) = USD $ 20.33

Assuming the cost of fusing Sponge into Plate @$0.75/Ozt,

1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (USA: Sponge, Trade) = USD$ 8.
1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (USA: Plate, Imported) ~ USD$ 8.
1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (US Plate, Trade) ~ USD$ 8.75

1855: 1 Ozt. Silver .90 (USA: Trade) = USD$ 1.80
1855: 1 Ozt. Silver .999 (USA: .90, Trade) = USD$ 2.

1855: 1 Ozt. Gold.8333 (USA: Trade) = USD$ 20.
1855: 1 Ozt. Gold .999 (USA: Trade) = USD$ 24.

Citation: The Forcep: A Journal Devoted to the Advancement of Dental Science, Vol. 1 (1855) p.74

Platina samples for $0.50 - 15.

Iridosmine samples for $0.50 - 1.50

1854/5: US Import

Poor American translation suggests an entire wrong price, circa 1860.  We may only speculate the US translator inserted platina prices for the converted German retail; however, US Platinum prices were certainly higher.

c. 1855: 1 Troy Ounce (refined, mkt) ~ Fl 10. (USD$ 5.50)

Citation: Physical technics: or, Practical instructions for making experiments in ... Josef Frick (1856)

In 1855, estimating 50 sq. in (a 25 sq. in. sheet) very thin Platinum strips = $ 9.52 and

40 sq. in (a 20 sq. in. sheet) very thin Platinum strips = $ 7.60

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (semi-mfg, whols.) = USD$ 8.

1855:  1 Troy Oz. Platinum (very thin foil, whols.) = USD$ 10.

1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (market) = USD$ 8. 

Citation: Physical technics: or, Practical instructions for making experiments... ; Joseph Frick (1861)

This Platinum price is consistent with (a) Wholesale Bulk Import Cost of Unmanufactured Platinum + (b) 1847 Duty of 30% + (c) Bulk Wholesale/Retail Profit of ~21% = $14.40

1855: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Platinum, Whols.) = $ 8.78

1855: 1 Ozt. Silver (Mkt) = $ 1.17
1855: 1 Ozt. Gold (Mkt) = $ 18.51
1855: 1 Ozt. Gold (USA: Legal Tender Coin) = $ 20.67

Citation: Leading pursuits and leading men: A treatise on the principal trades and ... Edwin Troxell Freedley (1856), p.253





c.1854: Specific gravity of metals, Pt = 20.98