Potter money

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 161991

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jordan Abel" <random832 at ...> wrote:
>
> Steve/bboyminn:
> > When I said 'scene' I meant that scene in the books.
> > Though I admit to using the movie coins as a physical
> > model for my Galleon coins since it's all I have.
> >
> > If it helps anyone, 1 Cu. Ft. of gold coins is US$78,336.

> Jordan:
> 
> That's only valid if we assume a specific size for a
> galleon and a specific exchange rate which is manifestly 
> inconsistent with that size.
> 
> Cylindrical objects pack, ideally, at a volume ratio of
> pi/[2*sqrt(3)], or about 90%.
> 
> 0.9 cu. ft of gold coins of any size would be 16000 
> ounces, or, at 1991 prices, 3,300,000 pounds 
> (US$5,760,000)
> 
> This also tells us that the galleon, being worth 5 
> pounds, if gold rather than some other metal is its 
> primary store of value, has to contain approximately 
> 12 grains of gold. If it's pure gold, that would
> make it a fraction of the size of a dime.
>


bboyminn:

You are absolutely right Jordan, but we have to accept
that certain aspects of this simply are never going to
add up. I'm primarily concerned with the 'coin/currency'
value rather than the intrinsic value of the gold itself.

For the record, a common USA quarter ($.25) weighs about
5 grams, a dime ($.10) weigh roughly 2 grams. Twelve
grain, which as you said represents the 1991 value of
gold, is about 0.78 grams. less that 1/4th the weight of
a dime coin. So, the 'gold' aspect is never going to work
out no matter who we twist and turn the plot and the 
values. 

But we do have JKR statement that a Galleon is worth £5.00,
and that is roughly $9.66 by current values, though I think
as I said, closer to $7 or $8 at the time. (I think that 
war, at the moment, is driving down the value of the 
dollar, making the British Pound seem higher.

So, since the Galleon coins is worth $7 to $9, I would
expect it to be a coin of substantial size. Keeping in
mind the smaller the coins the more coins there are per
Cubic Foot and the higher the value of the cubic foot 
in 'coin' value.

Since the subject of how much money Harry actually has
came up, I though we could arrive at a cash/coin/currency
value based on our impression of the size of his 'pile'
of cash. Based on my estimates he has somewhere between
$250,000 (roughly) and $5,000,000 (roughly). Again,
that is the currency value not the gold value. As you
rightly pointed out, a single cubic foot alone is worth
roughly $5,000,000 in 'gold' value.

So, in conclusion, you are absolutely right, but I honestly
think the 'gold' value will never make sense, the best we
can do is work with the 'coin' value.

Still, great information you provided...thanks.


Steve/bboyminn