Gold Weights and Measures

Gram

A gram is defined as a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram. The unit of mass is also known as the gramme in some regions of the world.

The gram is part of the metric system of units for mass. The first country to adopt this form of measure was France in the late 18th century. However, in 1960 the Conference for Weights and Measures created the International System of Units. This is abbreviated as SI, which came from the French spelling “Le Système international d'unités.”

Other SI base units within the standard system, other than the kilogram, are the metre, second, ampere, kelvin, candela and mole.

Troy

The troy ounce is part of the imperial measures system which came from the Roman monetary system which existed around the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. The abbreviation “oz” is derived from the Italian word oncia. The troy ounce is a separate unit of measure used for precious metals and differs from the standard metric ounce.

480 grains = 1 ounce troy
31.1035 grams = 1 ounce troy
12 troy ounces = 1 troy pound
20 pennyweights (dwt) = 1 ounce troy
1 troy pound = 373.242 grams
1 troy pound = 5760 grains

Imperial System

A British system which was defined in 1824 by the Weights and Measures Act of Parliament. This system was used widely throughout the British Empire until 1959. Later, in 1963, the imperial pound, otherwise known by the French word avoirdupois, was defined as 0.45359237 kilograms.

The avoirdupois system is based on the pound equalling 16 ounces.

Pennyweight

The pennyweight, abbreviated as dwt, was a system of measure used until 1878 when an Act of Parliament outdated the system. Historically, the pennyweight was 1/240th of the troy pound. This was the basis of the pre-decimal pounds, shillings and pence system used in Great Britain until decimalisation in 1971.

Denarius is a Roman term that remained associated with the penny until decimalisation. This is why in old money it was referred to as 1d rather than 1p, or 1dwt rather than 1pwt.

Tower Pound

This was a unit of measure used in Great Britain until 1527. It was based on the wheat grain system rather than the barley grain system which the majority of England used at the time.

It is assumed that the name was derived from Tower Hill, which was the former home of the British Mint, now the Royal Mint.

At this time, 20 pennyweights were equal to the gold ounce, and 12 gold ounces were equal to the pound.

Grain

This system of measure is part of the avoirdupois system of weights and measures. In Great Britain two different, although similar, systems were used. The common system was based on barley grain; however, the Mint at the time based its grain weights on the wheat grain.

Tola

This is a traditional unit of measure that originates from South Asia and is sometimes referred to as tolah or tole. The unit itself was the basis for the British Indian system of measures and weights introduced in 1833, although the measurement had been in use for many years before this.

The first references to this unit of mass relate to the use of seeds as a standard of weight, with the name derived from the Sanskrit word for weight or weighing.