USA, 1859-63: NY Chemist Prices ... "Economize Your Platina!"

Although prices had dropped in the mid-1850s (increased domestic refining & the global proce decline) Platinum prices in New York catalogues appear fairly stable just before the Civil War (1859-1862.)

1859: 1 Troy Ounce Silver-Platinum Alloy (French Import, Trade) = USD$ 6.50

Late 1862: 1 Troy Oz. Silver-Platinum Alloy (French import) = USD$ 7.50

Late 1863-1864: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (whols.) = Market Price of Gold

Citation: New York Dental Journal, Vol. 1-2 (July 1859) p.299

Citation: New York Dental Journal, Vol. 1-2 (December 1858) p.61

November 1862: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire: Semi-mfg, Trade) = $ 8.

November 1862: 1 Troy Oz. Silver-Platinum (French import, Trade) = $ 7.

Citation: Hettingers Dental News, Volumes 1-6 (December 1862) pp. 16;73

Counterfeiting US Gold coin with platina indicates ready-access to the metal, but the (Philadelphia) price cited is far below NY catalogues. It is therefore presumed platina (ore), in some alloy (proportion) and by some manufacture (unstated.)



These prices may have been moot by the price hikes, after going-to-press.

1863: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (whols.) = USD$ 22.
1863: 1 Troy Oz. Silver-Platinum (French import, Trade) = USD$ 7.50

Citation: New York Dental Journal, Vol. 5 (Sept. 1863) p.131

February 1862: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire: Semi-mfg, Trade) = $ 8.
February 1862: 1 Troy Oz. Silver-Platinum (French import, Trade) = $ 7.

1861-2: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (semi-mfg, whols.) = USD$ 7. - 8.

Citation: Hettingers Dental News, Volumes 1-6 (March 1862) p.16

1864: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (semi-mfg, whols.) = USD$ 53.41

Citation: New York Dental Journal, Vol. 5 (May 1864), p.323

Citation: Hettingers Dental News, Volumes 1-6 (Dec. 1864) p.16

Citation: Hettingers Dental News, Vol. 4 No.4 (Dec. 1865) p.287

Citation: Hettingers Dental News, Vol. 4 No.4 (Dec. 1865)

Citation: New York Dental Journal, Vol. 3 (December 1866) p.199

These recollections are probably of a time after 1863, when Platinum prices in Greenbacks had already begun rising. The late Sixties witnessed the lowest prices, according to several sources.



In 1918, the US Mint sold off a small number of false US Eagles and Half Eagles that dated from the 1850s/60s, counterfeits that had apparently been struck on the West Coast at a time when PGMs were almost worthless locally.