France, 1857: Platinum Alloys Developed

The estimated 1857 cost of 1 Kilogram of Paris Platinum was Fr 940.

1857: 1 Troy Ounce platina (SPb: 78.4% Ore) ~ Fr 20.57 (USD $ 4.84)
1857: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (SPb: Bulk, Scrap .98 Pt) = Fr 26.204 (USD $ 6.17)
1857: 1 Troy Oz Pt (Estimated Paris refining cost) ~ Fr 2.50  (USD $ 0.59)
1857: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris: Producer's Cost) ~ Fr 29.24  (USD $ 6.88)

The market price fell 20% in 1857-8, seen here and reported in German industrial journals.  This seminal paper reported increasing efficiencies in the production of refined Platinum and outlined the range of prices, ore to manufactures. 

Deville and Debray likely rounded a Cartagena price of Fr 667.7 per kg; see Colombia 1858.

1857: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Cartagena: Choco ore) ~ Fr 21.77  (USD $ 4.25)
1857: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Bid, Scrap) = Fr 23.33 (USD$ 4.54)
1857: 1 Troy Oz Pt ('Wet' Refining) = Fr 7.78  (USD $ 1.52) 
1857: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Refined, Mkt) = Fr 31.10  (USD $ 6.07)
1857: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris Mfg, still?) = Fr 37.33 (USD$ 7.26)

1858: 1 Troy Oz platina (Cartagena: Choco ore) = Fr 20.77 (USD $ 4.15)

Thus the French customs only has records of a patent absurdity on the value of platinum quoted at Fr. 3,000 per kilogram instead of Fr. 700 and its origins: in official documents because they brought ore from countries that do have never provided . As for the quantities introduced annually in France , numbers that concern them, and seem to have no value , only indicate that consumption of platinum is growing in our country.

New platinum is bought for Fr. 1,000 without manufacture: the deteriorated object that has not lost weight, where the metal remains unaltered, will only sell at a price of Fr. 750 per kilogram suffering a 25% loss. This platinum's depreciation is caused by the fact that it must be dissolved and prepared again, as if it were still in the ore. That is why it is not worth much more than the ore itself, the current price (coming from Choco) is Fr. 700 kilogram.
 


Citation:  ANNALES DES MINES OU RECUEIL DE MEMOIRES SUR L'EXPLOITATION DES MINES ET SUR... (1859) p.113

Belge reference:

1858: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, Bid) = Fr 18.66 (USD$ 3.63)
1858: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, Bid) = Fr 23.33 (USD$ 4.54)

1858: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Ru ingot, whols.) = Fr 18.66 (USD$ 3.)
 
1859: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Ru ingot, whols.) = Fr 15.55 (USD$ 3.)

1858: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (German mfg, discounted) = (~USD$ 6.0)

The platinum wicks cost Fr. 1 - 2  according to their dimensions. Their duration is indefinite if the hydrogen gas was always absolutely pure, and if their fragility was increased by crystallization, rather slow indeed, which is made in the surface of the son, exposed to a temperature as high as is that of the flame of hydrogen. The period may be fixed to at least one year; the factory then takes back the used wicks by paying at the rate of 60 to 75 centimes per gram. Costs for the wicks are not significant, and will be offset by the savings on to the glass chimneys, which can be discarded.

c.1857/8
Citation: L' éclairage au gaz à l'eau à Narbonne et l'éclairage au gaz Leprince ...; B. Verver (1858) p.27


1857: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Mkt) = Fr 31.10  (USD $ 6.07)
1857: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Mkt, Used) = Fr 24.88  (USD $ 4.86)
1857: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Scrap) = Fr 21.77  (USD $ 4.25)


 

50 Centimeters of Platinum Wire = Fr. 2.50 ($ 0.49) ; 1 Inch Pt Wire ~ $0.025



Scrap Rate:


Platinum Weights, New and Used:

Platinum-tipped tongs

 

Exceedingly high cost.
1857: 1 Ozt. Platinum Chloride (PtCl2, Ret.) =  Fr 124.41

Citation: L'Officine ou Répertoire géneral de pharmacie pratique; François Dorvault, François Laurent Marie Dorvault (1858)


1857: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Trade) = Fr 31.10  (USD $ 6.07)




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