September 30, 2014

Spain, 1869: Counterfeit Escudos



 Citation: L'Économiste français, Vol.4, Pt. 2 (9/9/1876), p.350



The 4 Escudos Coin should weigh 3.3548 g. (0.10786 Ozt) with 3.0193 g. (0.0971 Ozt) Fine Gold.  In alloy to mimic the .900 standard Gold of Spain, a full-weight Gold-plated Platinum planchet would be 81.5% Pt, 18.5% Cu, or ~ 2.73 g pure Platinum.

4 Escudos Isabel II, 1868: 18 mm; KM#631.1, Fr.337 
3.29 gr, Platinum .815 ; "SUP/FDC" (~MS-63?)


4 Escudos Isabel II, 1868: 18 mm; Calicó 112 ; Fb. 337  
3.36 gr: Gold .900 ; "EBC" (EF-40?)
  
  
4 Escudos Isabel II, 1868: 18 mm; R TTB.; 
3.34 gr, Platinum .815 (2.72 g. Pt)

Price Realized was 250 (+12.10% = 280.25/ USD$ 363.71) on November 23 2012; 
11/23/2012: Platinum Spot was USD$ 1,584, so the numismatic premium was 162.36% over intrinsic.


 

4 Escudos Isabel II, 1868: 18 mm; Fuchs 60; Schl. 271.1; 
3.29 gr, Platinum .815 (2.68 g. Pt)

Price Realized was 280 (+23% = 344.40/ USD$ 468.71) at Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG  Auction 251, on July 3, 2014.
7/3/2014: Platinum Spot was USD$ 1,502, so the numismatic premium was 180.89% over intrinsic.
 
http://www.coinarchives.com/6f3f0c0494309ce949eec71ba1be2658/img/kunker/251/image03189.jpg



4 Escudos Isabel II, 1865: 18 mm
3.35 gr Gold .900; "BB+" (VF-30?)




4 Escudos Isabel II, 1868: 18 mm? (cf.KM.631.1; cf.Fr.337)
3.33 gr, Platinum .815 (2.714 g. Pt) "BB+" (VF-30?, not EF)

Price Realized was £ 120. (+24% = £ 148.80/ USD$ 241.68) at St. James's Auctions Ltd, Auction 30 on 9/29/2014. Platinum Spot was USD$ 1,306. so the numismatic premium was 219.17% over intrinsic.


http://www.coinarchives.com/66aa523734fcb3e7b5a9051d09e5d215/img/stjames/030/image00313.jpg




September 17, 2014

France, 1879

October 1878: 1 Troy Oz. Pt-Ir Alloy (London: Bulk) = Fr 46.66  (USD$ 9.04)
1878/9: 1 Troy Oz. Pt-Ir Alloy Labor (London: Mfg Cost) = Fr 14.81  (USD$ )
 
Where the Standard International Meter weighed 3.25 kg (104.5 Ozt), Johnson-Matthey's charge for 6.5 kg (209 Ozt) of manufactured Platinum-Iridium alloy, delivered:

   
1879: 1 Troy Oz. Pt-Ir Alloy (London: Mfg) = Fr 61.47 (USD$ )



Citation: Procès-verbaux des séances; International Bureau of Weights and Measures 







1879: Oertling Balance Pan, Fr. 134.28


BELGIUM:

1875: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (London: Intrinsic) = Fr 32.66 ($ 6.28)
1879: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (London: Intrinsic) = Fr 37.324 ($ 7.18)

In reply, (to Ignatz Sroof, Direcrtor of the Griesheim Works near Hoechst/Frankfurt, Bavaria) Gustav Delplace of Namur Belgium cited Belgian prices for Platinum acquired from Johnson Matthey:

In the past 5 years, the price for 1 kg refined platinum fluctuated between Fr. 1,050 and Fr. 1,200  depending on the market price for the ore. {...} For the past 5 years, my apparatuses are from the platinum manufacturers Johnson Matthey & Company (Hatton Garden) made ​​in London.

Citation: Chemie-Arbeit in Werk und Labor, Vol. 3 1/1880 p.11
 


September 6, 2014

Colombia, 1892

Printed in Bogota, the C$ assumed: C$ 18,000 = USD$ 14,814 ~ £ 3,681.

1892: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Colombia: Ore, Export) = C$ 18.66 (USD$ 12.90
1892: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (Colombia: Ore, .999) = C$ 22.62 (USD$ 15.63

Citation: Colombia; Elisée Reclus (1893)


Circa 1882 (or before) 964.5 Ozt would have cost ~£ 575. 

1878?: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Ore, Spot) = C$ 3. (~£ 0.60 ; USD$ 2.90)
1882?: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Ore, Spot) ~ C$ 3.56 (USD$ 2.93)
 
 



Robert Blake White was resident in Colombia from 1866-1883.  Best guess, his price may be dated to 1878 and no later than 1882.
 


September 5, 2014

Colombia, 1874

Where 8 pkgs = 40 kgs = 1,286 Ozt., 1 Kilogram Pt cost C$ 137.35 ($ 125.26/ USD$ 139.30) plus any transport &refining costs.

Refining, 1 Kg Pt: C$ 17.27 ; $ 15.75/ USD$ 17.52

1874: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Export ~83% Ore) = C$ 3.546 ($ 3.234/ USD$ 3.60)
1874: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (Export, .999) = C$ 4.272 ($ 3.90/ USD$ 4.33)

Citation: House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents: 13th Congress, 2nd Sess. H. Ex. 157-19 (1875)