Archaic Weight Measures Calculator
Historical Weight Systems:
Explore Troy weights for precious metals, Apothecary measures for medicine, Imperial stones, and ancient Biblical talents. Different systems evolved for different trades!
About Archaic Weight Measures
Troy Weight System (Precious Metals)
- Troy Pound: 12 troy ounces (373.24g) - lighter than avoirdupois pound
- Troy Ounce: 31.10g - still THE standard for gold, silver, platinum
- Pennyweight: 1/20 troy oz - used in jewelry trade
- Grain: 1/480 troy oz - also used in ammunition
Apothecary System (Medicine)
- Apothecary Pound: Same as troy pound (373.24g)
- Apothecary Ounce: Same as troy ounce (31.10g)
- Dram: 1/8 apothecary oz - old pharmacy measure
- Scruple: 1/3 dram, 20 grains - "a tiny bit" (origin of the word!)
Avoirdupois System (Everyday Use)
- Pound: 16 ounces (453.59g) - heavier than troy pound
- Ounce: 28.35g - lighter than troy ounce
- Stone: 14 pounds - still used in UK for body weight
Key Difference: Troy vs Avoirdupois
1 Troy Ounce = 31.10g vs 1 Avoirdupois Ounce = 28.35g
Troy ounces are heavier! But troy pounds are lighter (12 oz vs 16 oz).
Ancient Weights
- Talent: ~26kg - massive weight, used in ancient trade and Bible
- Mina: ~433g - 1/60 of a talent
- Shekel: ~11g - ancient coin weight, biblical references