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

USA, 1861

1860: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Mfg: Crucible) = USD $ 14.40
1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Foil) = USD $ 12.00
1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Wire) = USD $ 12.00  
1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Sponge, Trade) = USD$ 10.

1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Scrap, Mkt) ~ USD$ 7.25 - 7.66
1860: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mkt) = USD$ 8.

Where Chas. T. Chester sold platinized Silver sheet per Ounce @ $8.00, 1 dozen No. 8 cost $6.80 or $ 0.567 per sheet, or $ 0.2159/per Sq. In.

A No. 8 Gauge Pure Platina Platinized Sheet 2.625 Sq. In. weighed 34 Grains Troy, just 12.95 Grains per Sq. In. (or, 16.935 cm² weighed 2.203 Grams, just 130 Mg per Sq. cm.) 

Hypothetically, a No. 6 Gauge Pure Platina Platinized Sheet (@15 dwt. per dozen) 2.625 Sq. In. weighed 30 Grains Troy, just 11.43 Grains per Sq. In. (or, 16.935 cm² weighed 1.944 Grams, just 114.7869 Mg per Sq. cm.) 

Citation:  Catalogue of Telegraph Material, manufactured by Charles T. & J. N. Chester, 104 Centre Street, New-York. With Appendix. Chester (C. T. and J. N.), Firm. (1861)

No. 56. – Grove Platina Plates: 3.5 in. long, 0.75 in wide (2.625 Sq. In. or 5.25 Sq. In. Surface); rolled to any required gauge or number. No. 8 gives 17 dwt to one dozen pieces; No. 9 gives 18 dwt.; and No. 10 gives 19.5 dwt, etc. No. 6 is as thin as it is ever advisable to roll platina; it is used from No. 6 to No. 30.

No. 56 per Ounce .................................. $8.00

No. 56a Platina Gauge #8 ...................... $1.25
No. 56b Grove Battery Complete ........... $2.50



Where 879 Pounds Avd. is understood to be 12,818.75 Ozt,
 
1861/2: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Plate: Whols., Import.) = $ 5.2797




Where 11 Pounds Avd. is understood to be 160 Ozt,
 
1862: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Plate: Whols., Import.) = $ 5.2488 
 
Where 897 Pounds Avd. is understood to be 13,081 Ozt,
 
1862: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Plate: Whols., Import.) = $ 5.2818

UK, 1846

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?

Germany, 1851

In Nördlingen Bavaria (where 1 Bayer. Pfund = 18. Ozt), Gold was 3.6x the Price of Platinum; Platinum was 4.3x the Price of Silver.  The labor & profit to refine was ~ Fl 4.
  
c.January, 1851: 1 Troy Ounce Gold (Mkt) = Fl 50. / Thlr. 33.33 (USD$ 19.99)
c.January, 1851: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mkt) = Fl 13.89 / Thlr. 9.26 ($ 5.55)
c.January, 1851: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Mkt) = Fl 10.17 / Thlr. 6.78 ($ 4.06)
c.January, 1851: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (mkt) = Fl 3.22 / Thlr. 2.15 ($ 1.29)
 
Citation:  Allgemeine polytechnische Zeitung und Handlungs-Zeitung No. 4 (January 24 1851) p.








Luhme of Berlin exhibited Platinumware worth Thlr. 166.08 at The Great Exhibition of 1851, in London:

4 Platinum dishes and 6 similar crucibles. Moreover, even several smaller articles in related form.
Citation: Preis-Katalog Der Zur Londoner Industrie-Ausstellung Aus Dem Deutschen ...Great Exhibition (1851, London)




In Grove's Nitric Acid Batteries at Hildesheim, Platinum Foil was fully 87% of the total cost. 
The Loth at 14.616 g. and 1⅓ Loth = 19.4875 g. for Thlr. 9:

1851: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Saxony: Semi-Mfg, Retail) = Thlr. 12.77 - 14.36
.... (£ 1.81 - 2.03) 
 
1851: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK: Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = Thlr. 14.12 (£ 2.00)
1852: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (UK: Semi-Mfg, Ret.) = Thlr. 14.12 (£ 2.00)

In the drawing (Fig. 19) is indicated the battery is used in blasting of slate on October 26, 1851 in Hildesheim. It consisted of 9 Elements which together have 141 Square Zoll {Hanover?} of acting Platinum surface. {Where each Element has a Platinum Plate is 7.833 Square Zoll or 48.415 cm²}

No. 16 Cost for a Platinum Battery, such as the 9 Elements used in Hildesheim (19):

1) In Platinum: 1 Loth Platinum costs Thaler 6-7 and per Element on average, 
1 1/3 Loth schwer, Thaler 8.-9., for 9 Platinum Elements ..... at Thlr. 9. = Thlr. 81.


2) 9 good porous cups ..................................................... at Sgr. 4./ea. = Thlr. 1.50  
3) 9 Zinc cylinder, finished .............................................. at Sgr. 8./ea. = Thlr. 3.00
4) Combine with Hydrochloric acid .....................................................  = Thlr. 0.25 
(NB: 1 Pfund Mercury = Thlr. 1.67) 
5) 9.2 = 18 Pfund Nitric acid ............................................ at Sgr. 3./ea. = Thlr. 2.25
6) 6 Pfund Sulfuric acid ...................................................  at Sgr. 1./ea. = Thlr. 0.25
7) 8 small brass bands .....................................................  at Sgr. 1./ea. = Thlr. 0.33
8) 2 clamps w/ screws .....................................................  at Sgr. 6./ea. = Thlr. 0.50
9) Labor on Platinum Foils, assembly, etc. ...........................................  = Thlr. 3.92
 
Total Cost = Thlr. 93. (About Thlr. 100.?)
 
Citation:  Notiz-Blatt des Architecten- und Ingenieur-Vereins für das ..., Vol. 1, Architekten- und Ingenieur-Verein für das Königreich Hannover (1851-2) p.82

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




(1854) Calculation of same 9-Element Battery in Saxony cost (Fr 41.11/ea.)




Uncertain, but given the Hanover Linie mentioned, a "surveyor's inch" is reasonably assumed here: 

9 Platinum Plates = 141 Square Zoll (Surface) = 871.47 cm² 
1 Platinum Plate =  15.67 Square Zoll (Surface) = 96.83 cm² ; Plate = 48.415 cm²



German Platinum manufacturers/industry: