Canada, c.1851: Osmium

The costs of refined PGMs were astronomically high fairky consistently throughout most of the 19th C.

In 1853, Osmiridium/Iridosmine was about 1/3rd the price of Gold. The mark-up on refined Osmium was about 24x per ounce, but only about 6.5x the intrinsic rate of 25% Osmium ore.

The US wholesale Osmium and Osmiridium prices were double the UK prices, but 30x the domestic (North American) ore price.

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Osmirdium (ore, whols.) = £ 0.90 (USD$ 4.40)

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (refined, pure, whols.) = £ 24. (USD$ 117.10)

c.1851: 1 Troy Oz. Osmiridium (Canadian ore) ~ £ (USD$ )

c.1851: 1 Troy Oz. Osmiridium (Canadian ore, intrinsic) ~ £ 8.5 (USD$ 41.55)

c.1851: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (Canadian ore) = £ 3.55 (USD$ 17.40)

1852: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (pure, whols. @ NYC) = USD$ 240.

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Osmiridium (ore, whols.) = USD$ 8.

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (pure, whols. @ NYC) = USD$ 240.

Citation: Report of Progress; Geological Survey of Canada (1852) p.47