UK, 1912

1912: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (London) = £ 9.50

Citation: The Platinum Metals ; Arthur Douglas Lumb (1921) p.16



Wartime price controls in effect.

Germany, 1864: PGMs

Presumably, Heraeus was marketing to the Continent and the French PGM market.  Scrap was presumably taken in exchange for manufacturers only, a loss-leader for the business.

1864: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined, unmanufactured) = Fr 31.10 (~USD$ 15.61)

1864: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined, unmfg.) = Thl 8.29 (~USD$ 12.84)

1864: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Scrap/ bought) ~ Fr 24.88 (~USD$ 12.49)

1864: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Scrap/ bought) = Thl 6.64 (~USD$ 10.27)

1864: 1 Ozt. Palladium (pure) = Fr 186.60 (~USD$ 93.66)

1864: 1 Ozt. Iridium (pure) = Fr 124.40 (~USD$ 62.44)

1864: 1 Ozt. Rhodium (pure) = Fr 279.90 (~USD$ 140.5)

1864: 1 Ozt. Ruthenium (pure) = Fr 373.20 (~USD$ 187.32)

Citation: Journal für praktische Chemie, Vol. 91-92; Otto Linné Erdmann, Chemische Gesellschaft in der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (1864) p. 256

Assuming a commercial weight Bavarian Loth weighing 0.5627 Ozt, 

1864: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mfg.) ~ Fl. 17.77 (~USD$ )





1863: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined, mkt) = Thl 9.33 (~ USD$ 10.64)

c.1863

UK, 1812: Iridium & Osmium

1812: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Wire: Cary retail) = £ 0.8751
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg: Cary retail) = £ 1.00

1812: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire: Accum retail) = £ 1.05
1812: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Mfg: Accum retail) = £ 1.20

Although the spot-price platina in New Grenada was falling dramatically, the British retail price was stable.

Iridium ore was  still not well analyzed by 1826, but British samples from 1806 (of unknown provenance) date to the period of Accum's catalogue.  Iridium ore was 3x more expensive than platina. 

Refined and manufactured Platinum was 3x more expensive than platina at the intrinsic rate; labor & profit being a full 2/3rds the price.  

Citation:   Descriptive Catalogue of the Apparatus and Instruments. . . Manufactured and Sold by Accum and Garden (1812) p.53

Muriate:


Platinum forecepts were recommended as mineralogist tools at least as early as 1814.  
c.1812:






Assuming the same effort and margins only suggests the very lowest possible producer prices, where the far less rare and non-toxic Palladium was in fact retailing for ~ £ 24 ./oz.

1812: 1 Troy Oz. Iridosmine/Osmiridium (ore)  = £ 0.75 (USD$ 2.72)

1812: 1 Troy Oz. Iridium (intrinsic)  ~ £ 1.0 (USD$ 3.62)
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Osmium (intrinsic)  ~ £ 3.0 (USD$ 10.86)
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Iridium (refined)  ~ £ 3. (USD$ 10.86)
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Osmium (refined)  ~ £ 9. (USD$ 32.58) 

1812: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore)  = £ 0.25 (USD$ 0.91)

1812: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (intrinsic value, @ 75%)  ~ £ 0.33 (USD$ 1.21)
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined)  = £ 1. (USD$ )

1812: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (Trade, Accum) = £ 4.85 (USD$ )
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (Trade, .999) = £ 5.4281 (USD$ )  
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (Est. Retail, Accum) ~ £ 5.82 (USD$ )
1812: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (Est. Retail, Accum) ~ £ 6.5174 (USD$ ) 
 

The 1835 Davy Catalogue illustrates how much higher demand and/or costs were, in fact.  Iridosmine (ore) was twice as expensive as refined Platinum, and refined Iridium was 11.25x more expensive than the ore.  Iridium was 22.5x more expensive than Platinum; Osmium was 30x more expensive than Pt.

 

1835: 1 Troy Oz. Iridium (refined)  = £ 36. (USD$ 174.60)

1835: 1 Troy Oz. Osmium (refined)  = £ 48. (USD$ 232.80)

1835: 1 Troy Oz. Iridosmine (Native Iridium)  = £ 3.20 (USD$ 15.52)

1835: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined,retail)  = £ 1.60 (USD$ 7.76)

1835: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore)  = £ 0.90 (USD$ 4.37)


Citation:  The Annals of philosophy, Vol. 27 Ed. Thomas Thomson, Richard Phillips, Edward William Brayley (1826) p.17

 

 

Citation: Annales des mines: ou recueil de memoires sur l'exploitation..., Vol. 12 1826 p.326
 

French books were 70% - 100% more expensive in London.

The London price for 3 vol. set of a French title, £ 1.60 (Fr. 30.61 )


The Paris price for same 3 vol. presumably Fr 18. - 21. (£ 0.94 - 1.10)


The London price for 2 vol. set of a French title, £ 1.05 (Fr. 20.09)


The Paris price for same 2 vol. presumably Fr 10. - 13. (£ 0.52 - 0.68)

Specific Gravity of PGMs

Iridium (Ir): Specific Gravity = 22.65
Osmium (Ir): Specific Gravity = 22.6
Platinum (Pt): Specific Gravity = 21.45
Gold (Au): Specific Gravity = 19.32
Ruthenium (Ru): Specific Gravity = 16.7
Rhodium (Rh): Specific Gravity = 12.44
Palladium (Pd): Specific Gravity = 12.0



Iridium Coin: Ir450/Pt550 = 22.0  (Tin White)
Platinum Coin: Pt 850/Pd150 = 20.0
Ruthenium Coin: Ru750/Pd200/Ir50 = 16.0

Rhodium Coin Rh500/Pd250/Au250 = 14.
Palladium Coin: Pd950/Ru50 = 12.0

 

circa 1819: 

USA, 1916

DSQ

1916: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Ru, Export Avg.) = USD$ 68.90
1916: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (NY Mkt, Avg.) = USD$ 83.90

January, 1916: 1 Ozt. Platinum (NYC: .999 ingot) = USD$ 90.05
February, 1916: 1 Ozt. Platinum (NYC: .999 ingot) = USD$ 90.05
March, 1916: 1 Ozt. Platinum (NYC: .999 ingot) = USD$ 90.75
April, 1916: 1 Ozt. Platinum (NYC: .999 ingot) = USD$ 83.10
...

Citation: Engineering and Mining Journal, Vol. 107 No.2 (1919) p.76


1916: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = USD$ 93.30

 

 Imports of PGMs:

USA, 1858: Fyfe's Catalogue; Cinncinati Dental Advertisement

1858: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Cartagena: ore, at purity) = USD$ 4.
1858: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Cartagena: ore, at purity) = USD$ 4.75

Fyfe's Catalogue reproduced Kent's 1854/5 prices for PGMs, but the tariff had been reduced in 1857 and the global price of Platinum was falling.

1857: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris Mfg, Trade @ Fr 0.90/Gr) ~ $ 5.45
1856: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Imported Paris Mfg, 30% Duty) ~ $ 7.08

1858: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg: Spoon) = USD $ 28.80
1858: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mfg: Crucible) = USD $ 14.40
1858: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Foil) = USD $ 12.00
1858: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Wire) = USD $ 9.60 
1858: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Scrap, SOLD) = USD $ 8.00

1858: 1 Ozt. Palladium (Refined, Whols.) = USD$ 57.60
1858: 1 Ozt. Iridium (Ref., Whols.) = USD$ 48.
1858: 1 Ozt. Osmium (Ref., Whols.) = USD$ 240.
1858: 1 Ozt. Rhodium (Ref., Whols.) = USD$ 120.

The 7th edition of Edward N. Kent's Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1858):

p.15 "#118. Crucibles, Platina, Figure 118, Best London and Paris make, assorted sizes, sold by weight. Price 3 cents per grain."
p.22 "Galvanic Batteries, Grove's same size as used on telegraph lines. Glass tumblers, very strong & heavy 3 1/2 inches diameter, and 3 1/2 inches deep; heavy platina strips, 3 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide; heavy amalgamated zincs, 2 lbs 7 oz. each

p.33 "Platina Foil #360. 3 1/2 inches long, 3/4 inch wide, Price $1.

Sheets any size. 2 1/2 cents per grain.

Platina Wire, of all sizes.

363. Very fine, for ignition. Price 12 cents per foot.

364. Small, for blowpipe beads. Price 50 cents per foot.

365. Larger sizes, by wight, at 2 cents per grain.

366. Platina Spatulas {...} 3 cents per grain. 
367. Platina Spoons {...} 6 cents per grain. Handles extra, 25 cents. 
368. Platina Sponge {...} 37 cents "
p.43. Zincs Grove's large size 25 cents ; amalgamated , and w/ heavy binding screw and cross-piece attached {each} 75 cents.

p.49 Iridium 10 cents/grain 
p.50 Osmium metallic pure 50 cents per grain Palladium, pure 12 cents per grain
p.52 Rhodium, metallic 25 cents per grain Silver, Metallic, pure 1.75 per oz.
p.51 Platinum Scraps 1.00 dm; Sponge 1.25 dm

The 8th edition of McAllister & Brother's Catalogue: Illustrated Catalogue of Optical, Mathematical, Philosophical Instruments for Sale by McAllister & Brother, Opticians at their new store No. 728 Chestnut Street... (Philadelphia: Wm. S. Young, 1858.)

Platinum was abit more expensive than 1855.

1855: 1 Troy Ounce of Platinum (Mfg, Retail) = $ 14.40

1855: 1 Troy Ounce of Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Dwt. rate) = $ 15.00

p.86 "1068. Groves' Battery, per cup..... 1 25, 1 75, 2 25; in sets of 4 in a box,...8; 8>16.""Platina Slips, each, 37 cts. to 1 00" 
p.95 "1133. [Crucibles] Platina-per grain....03"p.96 "1147. Platina Wire [and Foil]-per pennyweight,...75"

 
Citation: Ritchie's Illustrated Catalogue of Philosophical Instruments and School ...; (1858) Edward S. RITCHIE
 





Gold & silver species traded at a premium during any bank crisis, of which there were quite a few in the 19th Century. Refined Gold or Silver likewise traded at higher premiums at those times. It is not clear how much higher other commodities and/or precious metals (such as platina/Platinum or Palladium) traded then.

It is known that Palladium became scarce in 1858.

1858: 1 Ozt. Silver-Platinum Alloy (Mid-West: French Import, Trade) = $7.50
1858: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Dental Trade: Plate, .999 ) = $ 20.
  

1858: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (Semi-Mfg, Whols.) = $ 24. - 32.

By mid-1858, the New York Platinum Price should have diminished with this technological advance (reported circa 1856 in France) becoming common to refiners.

As reported in December, 1857 at Dental Meeting (published, April 1858):

Before 1860, best-grade Iridosmine cost up to $250 an ounce.

Citation: The American Journal of Science and Arts (1861) p.64

 
As reported in March 1859 (from April 1858 sources, likely 1857/8 data), platinum black and other PGMs had risen 5-fold 'in a few years.' Sold avoirdupois?

185?: 1 Troy Oz Platinum Black (residue) = $1.37
1858: 1 Troy Oz Platinum Black (residue) = $6.86

Citation: Transactions of the American Institute of the City of New-York, Vol. 17 p.462

From 1857, the US Custom tax on imported foreign stills was 24%.



California platina, 57% Pt

UK,1900s - 1910s: Rhodium

This Italian text apparently quotes British catalogue prices for the PGMs.

1905: 1 Troy Ounce of Rhodium = £ 21.77 (USD$ 106.)

1910: 1 Troy Ounce of Rhodium = £ 18.46 (USD$ 90.69)

1908: 1 Troy Ounce of Iridium = £ 10.97 (USD$ 53.44)

1910: 1 Troy Ounce of Iridium = £ 21.95 (USD$ 106.67)

c.1899: 1 Troy Ounce of Osmium= £ (USD$ )

1877: 1 Troy Ounce of Palladium = £ (USD$ )
1877: 1 Troy Ounce of Platinum = £ (USD$ )

Citation: Treatise on general and industrial inorganic chemistry, By Ettore Molinari (1920) p.850

UK, 1877: PGMs in Griffin's Catalogue

1877:

Griffin's 1877 Catalogue shows an older, erroneous Platinum Price. Assuming the same 5s. per Ozt charge on manufacture of simple Platinumware, the correct Platinum Price may be ascertained.

1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Error: Old Price!) = £ 1.65 (USD$ 8.51)
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Unmfg) = £ 2.35 (USD$ 12.12)
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mfg: Spatula) = £ 2.60 (USD$ 13.67)

Citation: Chemical handicraft: A classified and descriptive catalogue of chemical ... John Joseph Griffin (1877), p.460

1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK Mfg, Crucibles) = £ 2.65 (USD$ 13.67)

Labor for UK Platinumware, charged retail in 1877, was probably 5s 6d./Ozt.


1877: *(Gold $ 8.03; Merchant Bill $ 8.08; Value: *USD$ 8.5517)

Citation: Chemical Handicraft: A Classified and Descriptive Catalogue &c.; John Joseph Griffin(1877) 



Citation: Chemical Handicraft: A Classified and Descriptive Catalogue &c.; John Joseph Griffin(1877)






Assuming a 5s. 6d. per manufacture charge on basic Platinumware, the correct Platinum Price may be correctly ascertained. Platinumware prices were not updated accurately.

Crucible w/cover:

Where a Crucible 1/2 Imperial Fluid Oz. (14.2065 cc) weighed 0.5833 Ozt (18.1437 g.), ∴
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK Mfg, Crucible: 15cc Rate) = £ 2.57 (*USD$ 13.33)

Presume a Crucible 1 Imperial Fluid Oz. (28.4131 cc) weighed 1.109 Ozt (34.4922 g.), ∴
30 cc Crucible =  35.51 g./ 1.1416 Ozt. = £ 2.8766
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK Mfg, Crucible: 30cc Rate) = £ 2.51  (*USD$ 13.02)

1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK Mfg, Crucible: 30cc Rate) = £ 2.50  (*USD$ 13.00)

Capsule:
Where a Capsule 1 Imperial Fluid Oz. (28.4131 cc) weighed 0.75 Ozt (23.3276 g.), ∴
30 cc Crucible =  24.63 g./ 0.792 Ozt (30cc Crucible =£1.95; 30cc Rate/Ozt : £ 2.51)

1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK Mfg, Capsules; Catalogue) = £ 2.65 (USD$ 13.67)



The German Mark was conveniently assumed to be equal to 1 English Shilling, therefore:

1877: 1 Kilogram platina (Russia: 74.8% ore) ~ £ 10.50 (95.71 / 84. - 112. руб)

1877: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Ru: Contract 74.8% ore) ~ £ 0.3266 (USD$ 1.659)
1877: 1 Ozt. Pt (Ru: Intrinsic) ~ £ 0.4366 (USD$ 2.218)
 

In 1867-77, the firm of Johnson Matthey & Co. paid ℳ 210/kg. for the unprocessed ore, and after 1877, ℳ 315/kg.  In 1895/6,  ℳ958/kg.


Rhodium, Osmium, Ruthenium & Iridium were not listed in the 1866 edition. Palladium was out of stock. Silver, Platinum and Platinized Silver were listed at identical prices in both 1866 & 1877 catalogues.

1877: 1 Ozt. Ruthenium = £ 18.00 (USD$ 91.44)

1877: 1 Ozt.  Rhodium = £ 6.40 (USD$ 32.51)

1877: 1 Ozt. Iridium = £ 3.20 (USD$ 16.26)

1877: 1 Ozt. Osmium= £ 8.00 (USD$ 40.64)

1877: 1 Ozt. Palladium = £ 6.40 (USD$ 32.51)
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinum = £ 1.65 (USD$ 8.38)


1877: 1 Ozt. Pure Silver = £ 0.50 (USD$ 2.54)
1877: 1 Ozt. Platinized Silver = £ 0.60 (USD$ 3.05)
1877: 1 Ozt. Pure Gold= £ 4.80 (USD$ 24.38)