In
1845, refined & manufactured Platinum retailed 4x higher than
refined Silver and 1/6 the Price of Fine Gold. The wholesale ratio
Pt & Ag appears the same.
1843: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (semi-mfg, whols.) = £ 1.20 - 1.75 (USD$ 5.76 - 8.38)
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mkt: 75%) = £ 1.125 (USD$ 5.47)
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mkt: 75%) = £ 1.125 (USD$ 5.47)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (StPb: Refined, Mint) = £ 1.1051 - 1.1052
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mkt: Intrinsic) = £ 1.50 (USD$ 7.294)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mkt: Intrinsic) = £ 1.60 (USD$ 7.78)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Semi-Mfg, Whols.) = £ 1.75 (USD$ 8.51)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mfg, Whols) = £ 2.10 (USD$ 10.21)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Semi-Mfg, Ret.) ~ £ 1.85 (USD$ 9.)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK Mfg, Ret.) ~ £ 2.35 (USD$ 11.42)
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Sterling) = £ 0.25
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (pure) = £ 0.28
1846: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (mfg, retail) = £ 0.45
Citation: The British quarterly review, Vol. 4 ; Robert Vaughan (1846) p.91
Refined Platinum was sold 6x higher than Silver ore.
Refined Platinum was sold retail about half the 'common price' of Gold:
Citation: A technological dictionary: explaining the terms of the arts, sciences ...W. M. Buchanan (1846) p.572
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (semi-mfg, Retail) = £ 2.00 (USD$ 9.74)
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (semi-mfg, Retail) = £ 0.50 (USD$ 2.44)
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (semi-mfg, Retail) = £ 12.00 (USD$ 58.32)
Citation: A treatise on optical drawing instruments. Also A method of preserving... Charles Varley (1845) pp. 96,101
Artinsal platino-silver vase, c.1844: exorbitant rate or weight.
Newman's
1845 listed no price for Platinum, but the Platinum blowpipe was 2.78x
more expensive than the Silver. It would be a mistake to think these
different PM items were the same size or weight. Adjusting for
mass/weight (2.05x greater for Pt) Silver = 10.49 grams per cubic
centimeter and Platinum = 21.5 grams per cubic centimeter.
Less volatile manufactured Silver prices known, the Silver blowpipe weighed <56 grams (to perhaps an ounce and a half, troy) and the Platinum 'Wollaston's Pocket blowpipe' likely weighed <37 grams (to a troy ounce or so.)
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (mfg, whols) = £ 2.10
1845: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (mfg, 9s. 9d. Stowe's Catalogue price) = £ 0.50
Citation: A treatise on optical drawing instruments. Also A method of preserving, (1845) pp. 96,101
Newman's 1852 & 1856 Catalogues had identical prices for "Platinum Plates"; likewise estimated, ~ 2 troy oz. or less.
1856: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (semi-mfg, whols.) ~ £ 1.60
Assuming Grove's Sheet Battery, ea.: Pt 9.41 Grams/ 145.2 Grains Troy = £ 0.55 (USD$ 2.70), nearly the same price as 1853 elsewhere.
1852:
c. 1845/6:
In
1846 Nicholas J. Callan published a paper entitled On a new voltaic
battery; in a Grove's Battery, he replaced a Platinum Foil with a piece
of lead (0.15875 cm x 5.08 cm x 7.62 cm = 6.14515 cm³) "the same size." The Platinum Foil at 6.14515 cm³
and a presumed density of 21.37 (21.37 Grams per cm³), the "same size"
foil should weigh ~ 131.3218 Grams or 4.22 Ozt. At B.P.G. 18, 2" x 3"
Platinum should weigh 4.15 Ozt.
For
"nearly £ 3." this amount of Platinum was excessively "cheap" and
probably far too thick for typical Battery use. Instead, the foil might
be half as thin and weigh 2.11 ozt.
1846: 1Troy Oz. Platinum (Foil, Estimate) ~ £ 1.60
Citation: The Farmer and Mechanic, Vol. 1; Ed. William Holt Starr 10/21/1847 p.507
"One square foot"
is normally understood to mean 144 square inches (Sq In) : as the
double-sided area of a single foil would be 72 sq. in. per side = 8.45" x
8.45", 6" x 12", etc.
Assuming 'Thin Foil', a 12" x 12" Sheet (144 Sq. In.) would weigh 57.60 Grams (1.852 Ozt)
In
the correct calculation however, "12 Square Inches" of area (or 6
sq.in. per side) should be a foil 3.464" x 3.464", 2" x 3", etc.
Grove's Battery, 1840s?
