UK, 1853

Edward Wolstenholme Ward (E.W. Ward) was named Captain in 1852; he was sent to New South Wales, Australia in 1854.  His earlier report (as a Lieutenant) included Portsmouth retail Platinum prices (1850).

1850: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Portsmouth, UK: Sheet, Whols.)  = £ 1.60 (USD$ 7.79)

1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = £ 1.40 (USD$ 6.50)
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Gold (Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = £ 4.25 (USD$ 19.73) 

1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris: Semi-Mfg, Ret.) ~ £ 1.86 (Fr 46.65)

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Trade) = £ 1.30 (USD$ 6.36)

Foil Battery, ea.: Pt 1.73 Grams/ 26.66 Grains Troy = £ 0.2611 (USD$ 1.21) 
Sheet Battery, ea.: Pt 9.41 Grams/ 145.2 Grains Troy = £ 0.5917 (USD$ 2.75) 

Dalgleish Pt Battery, ea.: Pt 25.815 Grams/ 398.4 Grains Troy = £ 1.462 (USD$ 6.79)  

Grove's Battery:
Where One Box was 7" long x 4" wide x 4" tall, factoring case, each cell should have been 2" x 2" wide (x4" tall?), with ~145 Grains Troy (~9.41 Grams)

1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = £ 1.35 (USD$ 6.27)
     Citation: Papers on Subjects Connected with the Duties of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Vol. 4 (1855)


 


1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg., Ret.) = £ 1.75 (USD$ 8.51)

Citation: Transactions, Vol. 1, ; North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, p.453


1853:





Commercial value of platina : ~50% Gold.



1852/3: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Ore, Retail) = £ 0.823 (USD$ 4.0)

1852/3:
Citation: Rheinisches Mineralien-Comptoir: Catalogue of mineralogical, geological... A. Krantz (1853)
 

c.1855: "Rhodium" (Iridium) for Pen Points

Austria, 1854

Assuming the Austrian Loth at 17.54025 Grams, and the Florin at $ 0.485, the Vienna Market Price (Fl. C.M. 684/Kg.) was 21.65% higher than at Frankfurt (~Fl. 564.53/Kg.); where Austrian Gold Coin cost Fl. C.M. 1,307/Kg., Au was ~1.91x more expensive than Pt.


Austria:

1854: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wien: Intrinsic, Ret.?) = Fl C. M. 21.275 
.... (Fl. 21.356; USD$ 10.32)

Citation: Archiv für physiologische und pathologische Chemie und Mikroskopie in ihrer ... ; Johann-Florian Heller (1853/4) p.363



We cannot refrain from devoting a few words to a company in Germany, a company, after so long a time which we in Austria have especially longed for, for we have not here in Vienna but always need the various requisites for chemical laboratories: platinum vessels, sheet metal wire of various dimensions, {etc.} but must pay significantly higher {prices} for platinum is than Hr. Hirsch in Hanau just offers for his Platinumware.  

While we here {in Austria} at the current premium must pay per Loth of processed platinum 12 Fl C.M., obviously, Hr. Hirsch, adding a lithograph illustration of near 60 different forms of platinum dishes, spoons, crucibles, boats etc. offers the following prices on metal sheet and wire of ordinary strength at 8 Fl . 15 kr. (24 Fluss) per Loth, the expected Silver-Weight Loth  being 14.6 Parisian Grammes. This price increases for Sheet to 9 Fl . 15kr . in the latter to 10 Fl . 30 kr. per Loth, according to whether {the Platinum} must be rolled or drawn. 

Russia, 1853

Citation: Annales du commerce extérieur, No. 1-12 (1857)

Germany, 1853

Assuming the Leipzig commercial Loth = 14.60 Grams (0.4694 Troy Ounce), which makes the most sense here, "should be worth 4.25 Thlr." :

At retail rate, the Mark was Thlr. 96. ; 1 Kilogram (96.606 3-Rouble Coins) was Thlr. 410.57 (Fr 1,505.)  The intrinsic Scrap Bid rate for the 3-Rouble Coin was stated at Thlr. 1.50 - 2. Intrinsic value at the retail Platinum rate would be 4.10 Thlr per coin, but the Scrap Bid rate less than half the Seller's Retail Price.


1853: 1 Troy Oz. Ag (Coined, ~9 Roubles, Ag) = Thlr. 9.69 
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Coin, Numismatic Rate?) = Thl. 6.21 (Fr. 22.77) 

1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire, Retail) = Preuss. Thlr 12.773 ; Fl 21.921

1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Bid: Scrap Low) = Preuss. Thlr 4.508 ; Fl 7.89
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Bid: Scrap Avg.) = Preuss. Thlr 5.26 ; Fl 9.20
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Bid: Scrap High) = Preuss. Thlr 6.01 ; Fl 10.515

The semi-manufactured Platinum sold retail for nearly an identical rate in Paris (1853: Fr. 46.82) and perhaps abit less in London (1852 £ 1.56) if £ 1.92/ozt. in Germany.

1853: 

The metal value of the Platinum Ducat (3-Rouble) is hard to determine because the price of Platinum is very different, dependent on the processing it gets. In Leipzig, Platinum Foil (1/2 Linie thick = 1.09 mm) costs about Thlr 6. per Loth (14.611 Gr.), so a Ducat should be worth about Thlr. 4.25.   Notwithstanding its value, you get no more than Thlr. 1.5 - 2. for it. - In Russia, the Platinum Ducat may not be introduced again.

Citation: Neueste Münzkunde: Abbildung u. Beschreibung der jetzt coursirenden Gold-... Ludwig Fort (1853)
 

The Platinum Ducat (3 руб Pt) = Preuss. Thlr 1.75 ; Fl 3.063
The Platinum Double-Ducat (6 руб Pt) = Preuss. Thlr 3.50 ; Fl 6.125

c.1852: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Coined: Scrap Avg.?) = Preuss. Thlr 5.257 ; Fl 9.20







1853: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Semi-Mfg) = Thlr. 12.76 -14.88 
.... (USD$ 9.23 -10.76)

Citation: Zeitschrift, Vol. 6; Österreichischer Ingenieur- und Architekten-Verein, Österreichischer Automobiltechnischer Verein (March, 1854) p.126

c.1853: Platina Ratio, to Silver & Gold.


Leipzig Weight: 1 Commercial Loth (Leipzig) = 14.5875 g. or 14.592 g. (English Avd. Grain)
(The Apothecary Loth = 0.4867 English Troy Ounce.)  

c.1847 


Elsewhere suggested: the Leipzig Pfund of 32 Loth (at 467.5501 Grams or 15.0320831 Ozt.) so the commercial Loth = 14.61094063 Grams; 0.4697 English Troy Ounce.

Or, here: the commercial Loth = 14.6133 g.


 

USA, 1835-1856: Osmium & Iridium

After twenty years the price for refined Osmium fell about half in the UK, and the California mining operation brought more ore to market at the time of the Gold Rush.  But in the USA, the finest osmiridium grains were about the same price, in the mid-1850s.

c. 1853: Brief US Price Collapse, indicated by 'crash prices' in Chilton's catalogue.

See: Platinum ores from California (Weil, 1859)

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

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Iridium (pure, whols.)  = USD$ 62.
Citation:: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1852) Bullock & Crenshaw, p. 10
 

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Osmiridum (ore, whols.)  = USD$ 8.

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (refined, pure, whols.)  = USD$ 240.  

Citation:: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1854 Kent, p. 51)

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (pure, whols.)  = USD$ 48.

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Iridium (pure, whols.)  = USD$ 48. 
1853: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium (pure, whols.)  = USD$ 120. 

Citation:: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1855 Chilton , p. 76; 73)

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (pure, whols.)  = USD$ 240. 

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Osmirdium (ore, whols.)  = USD$ 8.

Citation:: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1855 Kent, p. 51)

Citation: Descriptive catalogue of chemical apparatus, chemicals and pure reagents (1856 Lehume, p. 13)

 

1854: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (refined, pure, whols.)  = £ 24. (USD$ 117.10)

Citation: Descriptive and general catalogue of philosophical apparatus and chemical ... By Bland & Long (1854), p.14

c. 1855/8?

Unknown date (1855?) and perhaps confusing the Osmium price:

??: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium (pure, whols.)  ~ USD$ 245. 

 

c.1859/60?




 

UK, 1855: W. & S. Jones Catalogue (1853 - 1856)

Knight's Catalogue, dated 1851? and republished as late as 1857.

c.1851-5?: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire: Semi-Mfg, Trade) = £ 1.50 (USD$ 7.30)
c.1851-5?: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Foil: Semi-Mfg, Trade) = £ 1.60 (~USD$ 7.77) 


Citation: A Catalogue of the Different Apparatus and Instruments Described in Noad's Manual of Electricity, Part 1. Manufactured by George Knight & Co., Foster Lane, London in A Manual of Electricity: including Galvanism, Magnetism, Diamagnetism. Electro-dynamics, Magneto-electricity, and the Electric Telegraph ; Henry Minchin Noad (1855)



 






W.S. Jones Catalogue republished what might be the absolute lowest published retail Platinum price in the second half of the 19th Century: £ 1.20 per Troy Ounce. (That was likely a scrap price, merchants' discount or erroneous data: avoirdupois weight?) It is unknown how dated this price was, but it's highly inconsistent with other catalogues.

This would otherwise indicate a retail Platinum Low circa 1855. US and French catalogues do not indicate any price collapse, but another British catalogue (Ash & Sons) sold Platinum nearly that cheap; that may have been a Silver-Platinum Alloy.

Catalogue of optical, mathematical, and philosophical instruments, made and sold by W. and S. Jones, (30) Lower Holborn, London (1855) :

p. "Grove's platina battery, single or in sets, from 18s. [£ 0.9] to [£ 10.5]"
p.21: "Of Platina: Small retorts, crucibles, dishes, spoons, forecepts, thin rolled foil, wire, &c. per oz. 1 l. 4s. to 1l. 15s." 
 

Dated? 1855: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Ore, Bulk? Retail) = £ 1.20 (USD$ 5.81 - 5.87)
1855: 1 Ozt. Platina Alloy (Dental Semi-Mfg) = £ 0.9266 (USD$ 4.66 - 4.70)
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Trade) = £ 1.50 (USD$ 7.27 - 7.33)
1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg, Trade) = £ 1.75 (USD$ 8.48 - 8.56) 

1855/6: Historical perspective.

Identical Theme but regrettably muddled by conversions. Although the source is a British company referring to it's very own catalogue (hence, the English Apothecary or Troy Ounce) the forex was 1907 and not 1855!

Dental Alloy cost ~ -36% cheaper.

In 1855, mineral teeth with gold tubes, simple or shaded, each Coin Mk 1.50, with platinum tubes per Coin Mk 1 -, mineral pieces of gum per tooth Mk 2 -.

Platinum foil and wire were sold in large pieces, and although the price of 26.50 Coin Marks per Ounce, platinum hard pattern to cut Mk 35, - per oz.

Even in the first half of 1906 Platinum Mk 103rd cost - per ounce and is now, as is well known, both according to the brisk demand, and due to the fact that platinum is a relatively rare metal, the price tremendously in the level skyrocketed, for not only the manufacturers of artificial teeth need platinum, but also ELECTRICAL industries. Dental alloy steel cost (in 1855) Mk 17 - per ounce...

In 1855 mineral cost teeth with gold tubes, simple or shaded, each Mk. 1.50, with platinum tubes each Mk. 1.-, mineral pieces with gum per tooth Mk. 2.-. 

Platinum foil and wire were sold in large pieces and that the prices of Mk 26.50 per ounce; Hard platinum patterned and cut Mk. 35.- per ounce. 

Cost in the first half of 1906 Platinum Mk. 103.- per ounce and now, according to both is, as is well known, the strong demand, as well as due to the fact that platinum is a relatively rare metal, the price tremendously in soared, for not only the manufacturers of artificial teeth need platinum, but also electrical industries. Dental alloy sheet cost (in 1855) Mk. 17.- per ounce...

Citation: Korrespondenz-Blatt fuer Zahnaerzte, Vol. 36 p.89
 

Robert Mushet's entry in The Encyclopedia Britannica dates between 1852-60, with a likely price c. 1855/6. It was re-published in 1873.  The "current value" (£ 0.4417) appears to be for 3-Credit Roubles (£ 0.4523), rather than 3-Roubles in Silver coin (£ 0.4755) at full-coin. The Platinum Coin is apparently factored 0.9755 Fine, without valuing the other metals, and  otherwise "1d" light.

1855: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Coin, Scrap) = £ 0.9241 (USD$ 4.52) 




  

France, 1853: All Items Same Price (Lerebours et Secretan)

Platinum Prices in the 1852 Breton Frères Catalogue were nearly 30% higher, but consistent with their 1859 Catalogue.






1853: 1 Troy Ounce Silver(Mfg: Intrinsic, Retail) = Fr 10.89 (USD $ 2.13)
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = Fr 46.65 (USD $ 9.14)
1853: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg: Intrinsic, Ret.) = Fr 46.65 (USD $ 9.14)

1853: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Boston: Wire, Ret.) = $ 10.    

Citation: Catalogue et prix des instruments d'optique, de physique, de chimie,... (1853) pp.

French Grammes Weights: ~$5., $9.80

The Platinum was only ~11% more expensive than the Silver, implying a light Pt-Ag alloy or simple Pt plating. 




Iridium-tipped pen:  Fr. 8 = ~$1.60






1853 French Imports of Platinum: 


 






 



c.1853: Palladium