Russia, 1834

Citation: The Mineralogical Record: Johann von Kurr - Native Platinum from Nizhni Tagilsk (1858)
 

Where the Russian Фунт was 13.1661 English Troy Ounces

1834: 1 Troy Ounce Pt (SPb Refining Cost)= 2.203 руб. Banco (£ 0.098)  
1834: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (SPb Refining Cost) = Fr. 2.43 (~ USD$ 0.45; ~2.168 руб. A.) 

“A History of Platinum and its Allied Metals”, Donald McDonald and Leslie B. Hunt

In fact Sobolevsky had greatly increased the speed of his operations from their painfully slow beginnings. At first only 3 poods (1,575 ounces troy) could be refined in a week, yielding only 1,050 ounces of pure platinum; this gave 2,000 coin blanks and 440 ounces of scrap but by 1834 the refinery was able to cope with one pood (525 troy ounces) of native platinum per day and the coiners had increased their capacity accordingly.

c.1834: William Pole quoted Russian exchange rates from 1834, from a voyage in that year (presuambly.) Then, Platinum coins were not circulating and the discontinuance was presumed imminent. Imported platina was prohibited, in fear of commodity arbitrage?

Citation: Correspondence: 1832 - December 1840 : letters 525 - 1333, Vol. 2; Michael Faraday

Global platina yield, c.1833/4:

Jewelers' Circular, 1918:
In January, 1834, there was found at Martinov, where platinum was first discovered in the Urals, a slightly smaller nugget, weighing 20 Funts 34 Zolotniks (21 pounds 4 ounces troy, 18 pounds 6 ounces avoirdupois, 8,335 grams)

1834:

Refining cost, 1834: 1 Фунт = 0.4095 kg. ; 2.442 Фунт = 1.0 kg.

In platina ore, 678 Pouds (59% Pure) = 11,105.97 Kgs., 357,065 Ozt 
In Platinum, 400 Pouds = 6,552.2 Kgs., 210,658 Ozt 







 




Refining cost in Russia, 1834:

1834: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (StPb Refiner Cost) = Fr 1.804 (1.6043 руб Banco)

c.1834: The Cost of Refining Platinum in Russia.

 
c. 1834: Value of Iridium greatly economized the cost of platina refining

The Platinum Nugget was found near Martinov in January 1834. It weighed 20 Funt, 34 Zolotniks (8.3353 Kgs, 22.33 Troy Pounds, 267.985 Ozt.)



Gold Yield:

 







1/29/2015:
Lot 931: RUSSIA. Nicholas I, 1825-1855. (Platinum) 6-Rouble, 1834, St. Petersburg. Bitkin 60 (R3). Only 11 specimens struck. With expertise of Igor Shiryakov, State Historical Museum Moscow. Proof. Estimate: € 100,000.; Hammer price: € 120,000.