[HPforGrownups] Re:Money, Trips, Cars, and More Money (Was: Ron, Molly, R...

[rayheuer3 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 59334

In a message dated 6/4/03 4:22:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time, bboy_mn at yahoo.com 
writes:

> Close but no cigar. The exchange rate is G1.00 = £5.00 as stated by
> JKR in an interview. Unfortunately, we have no G to $ exchange rate,
> and we have no sense as to what factors would cause the Galleon/Pound
> exchange rate to float,  so...
> 
> Brit £ = US $1.634
> US $ = £0.612
> 
> So...
> 
> £5.00 x 1.634 = US$8.17 
> 
> Although the exchange rate is down, the HP Lexicon says $7.33. The 3
> yr average is 1.55, so... £5.00 x 1.55 = US $7.75. [for simplicity, I
> always use G1:£5:$7. Nice round numbers]
> 

But all of this relies on a fluctuating Muggle exchange rate for GBP:USD.  In 
the forward to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, "Dumbledore" writes:

"...Comic Relief U.K. (which, funnily enough, has nothing to do with the 
American organization of the same name)....has raised over 250 million dollars 
since 1985 (that's also 174 million pounds, or thirty-four million, eight hundred 
and seventy-two Galleons, fourteen Sickles, and seven Knuts).

In the forward to Quidditch through the Ages, there is a similar passage, but 
using a rounded figure of "34 million Galleons".

These figures actually give a direct exchange rate of $7.35 = 1 Galleon, but 
for simplicity, I use $7.50.

All this nonsense with math is probably why the WW uses "cold, hard cash" in 
the original sense of the words, ie, coins with an intrinsic precious metal 
content.

  --  Ray

"You're and accountant, eh?  Well, account for yourself!"  - Max Bialystock 
(to Leo Blum), The Producers


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