Colombia, 1861

 



c.1861: Estimated 'Reasonable Gold Yield' for Atrato was $2,000,000, with $20,000 in platina.  

If Negroes had a little more interest, the gold gathered in situ at the basin of the Atrato would not be lower than two million pesos {$ 2,000,000}per year, with about $ 20,000 in platina, which usually is mixed with placer gold; more of what I've already said on this particular.

Citation: Jeografia fisica i politica de los Estados Unidos de Colombia...; Felipe Pérez


c.1861: Atrato gold nuggets never less than 22k; gold washer wage, $2./day; local wage S$ 0.30

 

Netherlands: Weight

c.1810: 

c. 1810: 1 Gramme = 20.807 Holland Assen; 1 Ozt. = 647.1626 Holl. Assen.

Citation: Kelly's The Universal Cambist, Vol.1 (1811)  
 


c. 1810: 1 Gramme = 20.72538 Holland Assen; 1 Ozt. = 647.1626 Holl. Assen.
 




On the English Troy Weight (which did not change):

c. 1830: 1 Gramme = 20.804 Holland Assen; 1 English Ounce Troy = 647.0774 Holl. Assen.
c. 1830: 1 Gramme = 20.8059 Holl. Assen; 1 Ozt. = 647.0774 Holl. Assen.

 

Austria: Money

Austria, 1822

In Vienna 1822, Platinum retailed for Fl. 860./kg (~Fr. 2,239/kg.) Platinumware was ~10x (9.82 -10.23x) the Price of Silverware, retail. Likewise, retail Platinum was 53% (about half) the Retail Price of Goldwares, where Gold jewelry retailed for ~2.3 - 2.5x the Price of Platinum chains.
 
Assuming the Wien Loth in Silver at 17.575 g. and where Florin C.M. (11.6861 g. Fine Ag) so Fl. C.M. 1. = Fr. 2.6034 (2 Mo. Bill: Fr. 2.5157); $0.4858

1822: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Vienna: Mfg, Retail) = Fl C.M. 26.745 (Fr. 69.63)

Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (.812 Fine) = Fl C.M. 2.2122
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (.937 Fine) = Fl C.M. 2.3597
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (.999 Fine) = Fl C.M. 2.7244
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Bid: .999 Fine) = Fl C.M. 2.6154

Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silverware (.812, Intrinsic) = Fl C.M. 2.6546
    
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Vienna: Intrinsic, Coin) = Fl C.M. 2.6616

In Vienna, platinum is made in objects which, if readily available, are cheaper than gold. Thus, for example,  watch-chains, pocket-chains, etc. cost per Ducatengewicht {3.489 g} Fl C.M. 3. The Loth of Silverware 13löthigem in silver content is worth Fl. C.M. 1.25 but scrap paid at Fl. 1.20, because you are billed for the loss in remelting; 15löthiges silver is paid about Fl. .0667 - .0833 C.M. dearer. The best value manufacture is the larger silver spoon, by which cost, together with hallmark and work, Fl. 1.50 per Loth ; the coffee spoon comes abit higher - namely at  Fl. 1.60 per Loth; larger items, such as Lavoirs, pots, plates, etc. cost Fl. 1.75 to  Fl. 1.80; items with openwork, with visible hinges etc., Fl 2. per Loth.

Citation: Darstellung des fabriks- und gewerbswesens in seinem gegenwärtigen zustande... Ed. Stephan von Keess (1823) p.453


 
Taking the Ducaten at 3.489 g. and Austrian Gold Alloys at


No.1 = 0.3264 Fine Au
No.2 = 0.5451 Fine Au
No.3 = 0.7674 Fine Au

1822: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (Vienna: Coin) = Fl C.M. 40.105
1822: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (Vienna: Coin Intrinsic) = Fl C.M. 40.63

Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Goldware (.3264 Fine) = Fl C.M. 13.37
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Goldware (.5451 Fine) = Fl C.M. 22.28
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Goldware (.7674 Fine) = Fl C.M. 31.30
Late 1822: 1 Troy Oz. Goldware (at .999 Fine) = Fl C.M. 40.66 - 40.97

1822: 1 Troy Oz. Goldware (Vienna: Retail) ~ Fl C.M. 51. - 68.

The prices are extremely different according to fineness, weight and work. In general, they are much lower in recent times, very beautiful wares but now come to stand noticeably high. Without fashioning, which in some wares is .25, .50, .66 more than the raw material, the Ducat-Weight No. 1 comes on Fl. 1.50, No. 2  to Fl. 2.50, No. 3 on Fl. 3.50; in Ducatengold, {Ducat-Weight} stands at Fl. 4.50. C.M.



Standard Austrian Gold alloys, c. 1830:

UK, 1802

Wollaston's purchase of platina ore, from Paris?

Citation: "William Wollaston, John Johnson and Colombian alluvial platina: A study inrestricted industrial enterprise" Melvyn C. Usselman in Annals of Science, 37:3, (1980) pp. 253-268

"558 ounces purchased 12 July 1802 was identified as 'Lot T, French' and may refer to platina imported from France."

France, 1797

It was common for retailers to request materials in kind; Jeannetty did not require that.
Morelot's ms. dated prior to 1798; Jeannetty's work was well-known by the early 1790s.

c.1797: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Estimate: 70% ore, retail) = Fr 12.20
c.1797: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (Ore at purity, retail) = Fr 17.43
c.1797: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Producer Price, Retail Mfg) = Fr 45.75 - 50.83
(~£ 2.13 - 2.37)

"We see snuff-boxes, spoons, spatulas in the hands of several individuals who leave the laboratory. The Once of Platinum costs Fr 45. - 50., not including the material that was provided to effect the reduction."

Citation: Cours élémentaire d'histoire naturelle pharmaceutique, ou description... Simon Morelot (1800)
 
 
  

In Paris you already manufactured from pure Platinum snuff boxes, watch chains, spoon, toothpick boxes and the like, worked at very cheap prices and very clean and tasteful. The price of commodities depends, as with gold and silver, according to the severity and the type of work he is slightly less than that of gold. 

 c. 1797:

Austria, 1814

c. March 1813: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg, Paris Retail) ~ Fl. 13.29 (~ Fr 34.57) 

Prag, 1814:

Given:
a) 7.9 Ozt Manufactured Platinum sold Paris Retail for Fr. 273 (Fl. C.M. 105.)
b) 7.9 Ozt Manufactured Platinum sold London Retail for £ 7.11 (Fl. C.M. 64. - 67.50)

and assuming:
c) 'transport costs' unknown, from Paris (or Vienna?)
d) Voltaic Piles of similar dimensions sold elsewhere about London Retail (Fl. C.M. 90) 

it follows the given price "Fl. 132" can only be for the Platinum, Manufactured and Imported at a local cash price, all costs included.
 
1814: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Paris Import: Mfg) = Fl.C.M. 16.71 (Fr. 43.44)

 
In this year the chemical laboratory has been enriched with the following devices:

With a voltaic column apparatus, consisting of 106 copper and as many zinc plates, 4 Zoll in diameter, together with the corresponding thereto to medical and chemical tests required devices from silver, which in fine silver 19 Loth 5 Quenschen less weighing 10 Gran {~355.1 g/ 11.42 Ozt. ; =Fl. 30.395}

With, together with a platinum crucible with helm and cover, totaling 7 Unzen, 120 Gran Viennese apothecary weight {= 7.90 Ozt}, which, together with the costs incurred for transport comes to to Fl. C.M. 132. { ~Fr. 345. {in currency, highly variable rate}








In England, the Volta Pile of the same dimensions cost exactly £ 10. (Fl 90. - 95.)

c.1798 



National Coin-money assayeur Freiherrn Franz Xaver von Leithner

The chemist can Mr. Leithner consider the more connected than many now, namely by massive price, a crucible etc of platinum will be able to provide, where the opportunity is not so oflen, like himself, to much dearer prices to have come from Janety in Paris.

c.1812
Citation: Journal für Chemie und Physik, Vol. 7; Johann Salomo Christoph Schweigger (1813) p.309

Germany, 1821

At J.V. Albert, Frankfurt semi-manufactured retail cost 30.2% more than Paris, suggesting  a merchant's discount and Paris origin for the wares.

1820/1: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Paris: Ore, Retail) = Fr. 15.25 (Fl. 7.512)
1820/1: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Paris: Scrap, Ret.) = Fr. 15.25 (Fl. 7.512)
1820/1: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (Paris: Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = Fr. 2o.33 (Fl. 9.536)
1820/1: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris: Mfg, Ret.) = Fr. 24.40 (Fl. 11.443)

"I think the friends of Practical Chemistry in Russia's empire might find useful this communication of a price list for Platinum apparatus which I have just received from Frankfurt am Main, especially since I have been frequently observing platinum crucibles from France as followed.

Previously known to be manufactured by Janety the Younger in Paris (Rue Colombier, 21 and Rue Neuve de l'Abbaye 14, Faubourg Saint-Germain) are Platinum crucibles, evaporating basins, spatulas, funnels and various chemical equipment : Fr. 24. per Once ; Platinum foil and wire: Fr. 20. per Once ; and Platinum scraps and platina: Fr. 15. per Once. Also assumed to be observed the same at the Pharmacist Guilbert in Paris (Rue Dauphiné, No. 38). 

Here is the Price-List of Platinum-Apparatus just now sourced from Frankfurt a.M.  Mr. Albert has a great warehouse of sundry instruments, models, tools, and the like, shown in a complete list (of 96 pages in octavo) distributed.

Price-List of Platinum apparatus which Joh{ann} Val{entin} Albert has provisioned in Frankfurt; by request, any other arbitrary shapes are manufactured from platinum

Ich glaube den Freunden der praktischen Chemie im Russischen Reiche durch die Mittheilung des Preisverzeichnis von Platin geräthschaften welches ich eben aus Frankfurt a.M. erhalten habe, einen angenehmen Dienst zu leiften, besonders da ich öfterer um die Beforgung von Platine Tiegeln aus Frankreich ersucht worden bin.

Bekanntlich verfertigt bisher Jannnety d. jung. (Rue-Colombier, 21. und Rue Neuve de l'Abbaye 14., Faubourg Saint-Germain) zu Paris Tiegeln, Abrauchschaalen, Spatel, Röhren und verschiedene chemische Gerätschaften Platina die Unze zu 24 Francs; Platinblech und Draht die Unze zu 20 Francs und Platinschnißel und Platinsand die Unze zu 15 Francs. Auch übernahm die Beforgung derselben zu Paris der Apotheker Guilbert (Rue Dauphiné, No. 38).

Hier ist das Verzeichniß von Platin-Geräthschaften wie sie gegenwärtig aus Frankfurt a.M. zu beziehen find. Hr. Albert hat eine große Niederlage von mancherlen Instrumenten, Modellen, Werkzeugen und dgl. worüber er ein vollständiges Verzeichnis (von 96 S. in 8.) vertheilt.  

Verzeichniß der Platin-Geräthschaften welche bey  Joh. Val. Albert in Frankfurt vorrathig zu haben sind; bey dem auch nach Verlangen alle andere beliebige Formen aus Platin verfertigt werden.

{Assuming the Frankfurt Silbergewicht Loth : 14.616 g., and in Gold coin Fl. 1. = Fr 2.1322
1 Kg. Mfg Platinum, cost Retail: Fl. 478.94 = Fr. 1,021.19}

1821: 1 Troy Ounce platina (Frankfurt: Ore, Retail) = Fl. 10.6402 ($ 5.517)
1821: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Frankfurt: Scrap, Ret.) = Fl. 11.7042 ($ 6.07)
1821: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Frankfurt: Mfg, Ret.) = Fl. 14.8967 ($ 7.724)
1821: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Frankfurt: Mfg, Ret.) = Fl. 23.0211 ($ 11.94)


Citation: Allgemeine nordische Annalen der Chemie für die Freunde..., Vol. 8;  Alexander Nicolaus Scherer (October, 1822)



 

Platinum	Per Processed Loth, each Fl. 7		Volume	Weight	Price
1)	Crucible,       Large, viz.	with lids; or without lids, weighing in relation somewhat less	20	204.62 g.	Fl. 98.00
	Ditto		18	190.01 g.	Fl. 91.00
	Ditto		12	175.39 g.	Fl. 84.00
	Ditto,              Medium		11.5	146.16 g.	Fl. 70.00
	Ditto		9	124.24 g.	Fl. 59.50
	Ditto		5.5	93.18 g.	Fl. 44.63
	Ditto,              Small		3.5	76.73 g.	Fl. 37.63
	Ditto		2.5	54.81 g.	Fl. 21.00
2)	Evaporating Basins, large size		28	175.39 g.	Fl. 84.00
	Ditto		26	153.47 g.	Fl. 73.50
	Ditto		20	135.20 g.	Fl. 65.63
	Ditto		18	124.24 g.	Fl. 59.50
	Evaporating Basins w/spout, large size		20	138.85 g.	Fl. 66.55
	Ditto		16	95.00 g.	Fl. 45.50
	Ditto		7.5	65.77 g.	Fl. 31.50
3)	Retorts w/ cover &pipe, solder in gold			160.78 g.	Fl. 119.00
	Ditto			134.77 g.	Fl. 99.75
4)	Spoon w/wide handle, which also serves as spatula			31.06 g.	Fl. 14.87
	Ditto,  w/ shorter handle			21.92 g.	Fl. 10.50
	Ditto			14.62 g.	Fl. 7.00

Germany, 1884

1883/4: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 27.99 (USD$ )

1885: dated estimate 1884?

 
Low estimate for 1884, likely dated to 1883.

1883/4: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 29.54.83 (USD$ )

Citation: Abriss der chemischen technologie mit besonderer rücksicht auf statistik... ; Christian Heinzerling (1888)




Avg. 1884: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 31.5078 (USD$ ) 
Low 1884: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 31.1035 (USD$ )
High 1884: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 32.3476 (USD$ ) 


Citation: Die Chemische Industrie, 1892 Vol. 15 (1892) p.70

 

Platinum Silver Wire: ~75% Pt, 25% Ag

Germany, 1881

1881: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Germ.: Mfg, Whol.) = ℳ 27.3711 (USD$ )

Citation: Die Chemische Industrie, 1892 Vol. 15 (1892) p.70




Another letter from Abbe to Schott states:
“A platinum crucible of about 60 ccm volume, with lid and a thick platinum rod for stirring - the whole for about ℳ 100. - I do hope to receive in the next few days - possibly this crucible may provide you some help in your next melts ....” (14).

The expenses for platinum equipment for melting experiments carried out between the Spring of 1881 and the end of 1883 amounted to ℳ 4,000. (16).

16 Letters and documents on the history of VEB optik Jenaer Glaswerk Schott & Genossen, Pt. I produced by H. Kühnert, op. ciz., Ref. 14, ed. W. Flach, Vol. 111, Kommisionsverlag von Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1953


Citation: Abriss der chemischen technologie mit besonderer rücksicht auf statistik... ; Christian Heinzerling (1888)
 

Germany, 1940

Pawnshop Scrap Bid in the Reich, R.M. 3.3/g.

1883: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Germany: Scrap, Bid) ~ ℳ  102.6415 (USD$ )



Degussa Platinum Inventories, 1935-41
 

1935	5,401.3
1936	5,465.6
1937	3,761.6
1938	4,340.4
1939	3,086.5
1940	2,925.7

France, 1888

1888:

A single boiler weighs 22 Kgs, plus accessories: 8 Kgs (= 30 Kgs) which costs Fr. 30,000 will daily produce 5,000 kg of 93-94 °acid

Ein einzelner Kessel wiegt 22 kg, das Zubehör 8 , kostet 30000 frs. und liefert täglich 5000 kg Säure von 93 bis 94°

October 1890:

For the last year the price of platinum has gradually risen; at the end of 1889 the price of rolled ingot metal did not exceed Fr. 1000 to 1100 per kilogram; today the price reached Fr. 2,750 and tends to rise still. Not two years ago Platinum could be sold Fr. 900./kilo.; its price, therefore, would have more than tripled since then.

1888: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Scrap?) = Fr 27.99 (USD$5.40)
 
Citation: La Lumiére électrique, Vol.38, No.45 (1890) , p. 295
  


1888: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Ingot) = Fr 37.64 (USD$ 7.25)
1888: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mfg) = Fr 42. (USD$ 8.09)




Suspect German source, forex inaccuracies?


Japan:


Japan recorded a total purchase of 77 Ozt from France for 

1887/8: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Ingot) = ¥ 7.37 (Fr 28.03)