Measures& Currencies

(Last updated: Monday June 01, 2009)

    Our Benitz family history involves the currencies and measures of Argentina, Germany, Mexico, UK, USA, and Venezuela.  This page explains how we arrive at modern equivalents for past measures and monetary values of the 19th century when each country, state, province, or even city had its own systems.  Systems that are today unfamiliar to us - and to say the least, confusing.

    We include measuring systems referenced in family or legal documents.  Our modern standards are the metric system and US Dollars.  We include the past English / US system of measures for those still familiar with it and for the holdouts (US, Myanmar [Burma], & Liberia) who have not yet adopted the metric system.

     Metrification: Argentina c. 1885, Germany c. 1870, Mexico 1860's, Spain 1850's, Venezuela c. 1915, UK / Canada / Australia, et al 1970's.

Click on the following to access:

bullet

Distances & Lengths

bulletLand Area
bulletWeights & Volumes
bulletCurrency Values

Sources: They do conflict, so welcome to the fun!

bullet

Argentina: Spreadsheets created from the work of Juan Alvarez, "Temas de historia económica argentina", Buenos Aires, El Ateneo, 1929.  The measuring systems used the same terms but varied in size by province and usage (urban vs. rural).  We are concerned with only the rural measures of Córdoba and Santa Fé - and have included Buenos Aires because of its political & commercial importance.  Metrified c. 1885.

bullet

Germany:  The German measuring systems varied by city and state - thankfully, we have not encountered them (yet) in our family history and so have omitted them.  However, see the cautionary note with the letters written to Thadeus Benitz in Germany by his brothers in the US.  There were three German currencies, and those we have included.  Metrified c. 1870.

bullet

Spain & Mexican California:  See the work of Kenneth Pauley, California Mission Studies Association and the Rescate de antiguas medidas - it includes an interesting historical perspective.  We have not found a definitive work on California weights & volumes and so have used the Mexican standards.  Spain went metric in the late 1850's, Mexico in the 1860's.

bullet

US: See the NIST Handbook - includes conversion to metric.  Has not metrified.

bullet

Venezuela:  Haven't got there yet.  We will include them when we expand the pages on Alexander, et al, and the Colonia Tovar.  Metrified c. 1915.

 Distances & Lengths:

Modern:

Metric

Metric Other
Metre 100 cms.

1.094 yards

3.281 feet

39.37 inches

Kilometre

1,000 mts.

0.6214 miles

3,280.8 feet

League

5 kms. 3.107 miles

English/US

Metric

Other

Inch 2.54 cms.

-

Foot 30.48 cms. 12 inches
Yard 91.44 cms. 3 feet
Mile 1,609.3 mts. 5,280 feet

League

4.828 kms. 3 miles

Old Spanish Measures:

    The Spanish system of measures contained the following units - there were many more than those we list here.  The official Spanish vara de Burgos (or vara de Castilla) was set by royal Spanish edict in 1801 and measured 0.8359 meters (32.909 inches). 

Spanish Units Metres Other

Legua

 6,666 2/3 varas 5,572.67 3.463 miles

Vara

 3 pies 0.8359

2.743 feet

32.909 inches

Pie

 12 pulgadas

0.2786 0.914 feet 
Pulgada

-

0.0232 0.914 inches

Mexican California 1840's:

    The official vara had 22 accepted variations in California prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo of 1847, which set the vara at 33 inches.  New variations upon 33 inches arose in south-west US until 1855 when the Texas vara was set at 33.333 inches.

California 1847 Units Metres Other

Legua

 5,000 varas 4,190.89

13,750 feet

2.604 miles

Vara

 3 pies 0.8382

33 inches

Texas 1855 Units Metres Other

Legua

5,000 varas 4,232.79

13,887 feet

2.630 miles

Vara

3 pies 0.8466 33.33 inches

US California 1850+:

    Deeds and survey maps used the following survey measures, still in use today:

  Metric Other

Foot

0.305 mts. 12 in.
Link 0.201 mts. 2/3 foot

Chain

20.117 mts.

100 links

66 feet

4 rods

Mile 1,609.3 mts.

80 chains

320 rods

5,280 feet

Argentina 1835, pre-metric:

    In 1835, the Argentine system of distance & length measures recognized the following units:

Legua

 40 cuadras

 6,000 varas

Cuadra  150 varas
Vara  3 pies
Pie  12 pulgadas

    In Santa Fé, the shorter vara de Bustinza was an accepted alternative to the official measure.

Vara - 1835

Metres Inches

Spain

(Burgos, 1801)

0.8359 32.909

Buenos Aires

(Senillosa)

0.8666 34.118

Córdoba

0.8676 34.158

Santa Fé

0.8660 34.095
Santa Fé

(Bustinza)

0.8487 33.413

 

Cuadra - 1835

(150 varas)

Metres Feet
Buenos Aires 130.0 426.5

Córdoba

130.1 427.0

Santa Fé

129.9 426.2
Santa Fé

(Bustinza)

127.3 417.7

 

Legua - 1835

Varas Kilometres Miles
Metric   5.0000 3.1069

Spain (1801)

6,666.67 5.5727 3.4627
Buenos Aires 6,000 5.1996 3.2309

Córdoba

6,000 5.2056 3.2346

Santa Fé

6,000 5.1960 3.2286
Santa Fé

(Bustinza)

6,000 5.0922 3.1641

 

 Land Area:

Modern:

  X by X Hectareas Acres
Hectarea 100 metres = 2.471

Square League - Metric

5 kilometres 2,500 6,178
Acre 208.71 feet 0.4047 =
Square Mile - English 1 mile 256 640

Square League - English

3 miles 2,331 5,760

Mexican California 1840's:

    Please bear in mind that many survey maps of the early 1800's were estimates made without benefit of proper measurement, e.g. California diseños (survey maps) of the 1840's were often made a ojo (estimated by eye).  The 2.6% maximum variance in the standard Mexican land measure of the 1840's, sitio de ganado mayor, pales in comparison to the huge errors in mapping and translation - witness the legal problems Wilhelm's inaccurate diseño (made a ojo from the back of a horse) caused the subsequent owners of Rancho Herman.

Alta California - 1840's X by X varas Hectareas Acres
 Hacienda 5,000 x 25,000 8,782.5 21,701.0
 Sitio de Ganado Mayor 5,000 x 5,000 1,756.5 4,340.2
 Sitio de Ganado Menor 3,333.33 x 3,333.33 780.6 1,929.0
 Milla cuadrada (Spanish mile) 1,666.66 x 1,666.66 195.2 482.3
 Fanega de Sembradura (Ft.Ross - see below) 0.162 0.40

Sitio de Ganado Mayor:  During the first half of the 1800's in Mexico, of which California and Texas were part, large land grants were measured in sitios de ganado mayor (or sitios) - often translated into English as leagues without proper qualification.  Originally one sitio de ganado mayor was the amount of land considered necessary for a cattle ranch, however, land grants most often consisted of several sitios de ganado mayor.  A sitio de ganado mayor was a square of 5,000 x 5,000 varas.  Simple enough, except that the length of the vara varied over time and place - see above.  It was also considerably smaller than the Spanish or Argentine legua (of 6,666.7 or 6,000 varas per side respectively). 

Sitio de

Ganado Mayor

Year

Hectareas

Acres

Burgos o Castilla

1801 1,746.8 4,316.4
California League 1847 1,756.5 4,340.2
Texas League 1855 1,792.1 4,428.3

Fanega de Sembradura:  The highly inexact area sown by a fanega of seed - varies by place, year, person, and seed sown: corn (0.6 - 8.8 acres) or wheat (0.15 - 1.8 acres).  The sizes in the above table were used by Governor Vallejo for wheat sown at Fort Ross in 1841.

Argentina 1835, pre-metric:

Cuadra: Crop yields and land prices were often quoted in cuadras until about 1950.  (To further confuse crop yields, it's possible they used the old quintal of approx.  46 kg. and not  the metric quintal of 100 kg.!)

Cuadra - 1835

(150 x 150 varas)

Hectareas Acres
Buenos Aires 1.690 4.176

Córdoba

1.694 4.185

Santa Fé

1.687 4.170

Legua: In  Argentina, the size of estancias (aka: camps or ranches) are often broadly described in leguas de campo or leagues of land.   In modern terms, a legua or league is a metric square league - we include it here for easier comparison.  

Legua - 1835

(6,000 x 6,000 varas)

Hectareas Acres

Metric

2,500.0 6,177.6
Buenos Aires 2,703.6 6,680.7

Córdoba

2,709.8 6,696.1

Santa Fé

2,699.8 6,671.4

Suerte de estancia: An old term not currently in use. 

Suerte de

estancia

Frente x Fondo

(Width x Depth)

Hectareas Acres
Buenos Aires 0.5 x 1.5 leguas 2,028.0 5,011.3

Córdoba

- - -

Santa Fé

1 x 2 leguas 5,400.0 13,343.6

 

 Weights & Volumes:

Modern:

Dry Volumes

Units Litres Other
 Litre

1,000 ml

1,000 cc

=

0.227 US gal.

0.220 Brit gal.

 Bushel (British)

-

36.3667 1.032 US bushel
 Bushel (US)

4 pecks

8 gallons

35.2391 0.969 Brit. bushel
 Peck (US) 2 dry gal. 8.8098

-

 Dry Gallon (US)

-

4.4049

-

Fluid Volumes Units Litres Other
 Litre

1,000 ml

1,000 cc

=

0.264 US gal.

0.220 Brit gal.

 Gallon (British) - 4.5461 1.201 US gal.
 Gallon (US) 4 quarts 3.7854 0.8327 Brit gal.
 Quart (US) 2 pints 0.9464 -
 Pint (US) 16 ounces 0.4732 -
 Ounce (US) - 0.0296 -

    In the following table we include in green multipliers for converting crop yields between quintales por hectarea and US bushels per acre - the common measures of Argentina and USA.  A quintal is a colloquial term for 100 kilograms, and comes from an older measure now obsolete which weighed about 46 kg. (see below).

Weight Metric Other
 Kilogram 1,000 g. 2.205 lb.
 Quintal - Metric 100 kg. 220.462 lb.
 Ton - Metric 1,000 kg. 2,204.6 lb.
 Pound 0.454 kg. 16 oz.
 Ton - US or Short 907.185 kg. 2,000 lb.
 Bushel (dry volume) 35.2391 litres 8 US gallons
 Quintal / Hectarea 1 qq./ha. 89.220 lb./ac.
 Quintal / Hectarea: corn 1 qq./ha. 1.593 bu./ac.
 Quintal / Hectarea: wheat 1 qq./ha. 1.487 bu./ac.
 Bushel / Acre: corn 0.6277 qq./ha. 1 bu./ac. (56 lbs.)
 Bushel / Acre: wheat 0.6725 qq./ha. 1 bu./ac. (60 lbs.)

Bushel:  In spite of being a volume measure it persists in the US for stating crop yields and prices (though all measuring is done by weighing, the weights are then converted to bushels!).  Being a volume measure, the weight of each seed is dependent on its density (we leave it to the farmers amongst us to adjust for moisture and foreign material).

Standard US Bushel Weights
 Pounds Kg. Seed Semilla
28 12.712 Sunflower Girasol
32 14.528 Oats Avena
44 19.976 Barley Cebada
56 25.424 Corn, Rye, Sorghum Maiz, Centeno, Sorgo
60 27.240 Soybeans, Wheat Soja, Trigo

Mexican California 1840's:

    The following are selected Mexican measures from Rescate de Antiguas Medidas.  We have not discovered a definitive study of Californian measures, and we have some doubts about the accuracy of these conversion factors - their relative values don't appear to be simple multiples of the next smaller unit, as would be expected.

Dry Volumes Units Litres US Bushel
 Carga  2 fanegas 181.60 5.15
 Fanega   90.80 2.58
 Cuarterón   25.00 0.71
 Almud

-

4.50 - 11.00 0.13 - 0.31
Fluid Volumes Units Litres US Gallon
 Barril   63.29 16.72
 Jarra   8.21 2.17
 Cuarto   0.95 0.25
 Cuartillo

-

0.46 0.12

 

 

Weights Units Metric Other
 Quintal  4 arrobas

46.024 Kg.

101.466 lb.

(F.Ross: 101.2 lb.)

 Arroba  25 libras 11.506 Kg. 25.366 lb.
 Libra  2 marcos 460.25 g. 1.015 lb.
 Marco  8 onzas 230.00 g. 8.113 oz.
 Onza - 28.75 g. 1.014 oz.

 

Argentina 1835, pre-metric:

Dry

Volume

Units Santa Fé Córdoba Bs.As.
  Litres Bushels Litres Bushels Litres Bushels

Fanega

 4 cuartilla 220 6.24 217 57.33 137.3 36.27
Cuartilla  3 almud 55 1.56 54.25 14.33 34.33 9.07

Almud

- 18.33 0.52 18.08 4.78 11.44 3.02

Standard Weights for 1 Fanega

Product Santa Fé Córdoba Bs. As.
Arrobas Kg. Pounds Arrobas Kg. Pounds Arrobas Kg. Pounds
Wheat 15 173.7 382.9 - - - 9 103.4 228.0
Corn 16 185.3 408.5 16 186.4 410.9 16 183.8 405.2
Corn+cob 12 139.0 306.4 12 139.8 308.2 12 137.8 303.8

 

 

Fluid Volume

Units Santa Fé Córdoba Bs.As.
  Litres US Gal Litres US Gal Litres US Gal

Pipa

 6 barriles 456.0 120.5 480.2 126.9 456.0 120.5
Barril

 20 galones

 32 frascos

76.0 20.1 80.0 21.1 76.0 20.1

Galón

 3.8 frascos 9.025 2.384

10.008

2.462 9.025 2.384

(4.0016 frascos)

Frasco  4 cuartas 2.375 0.627 2.501 0.661 2.375 0.627
Cuarta  2 octavas 0.594 0.157 0.625 0.165 0.594 0.157
Octava

-

0.297 0.079 0.313 0.083 0.297 0.079

 

 

Weight

Units Santa Fé Córdoba Bs.As.
  Metric Other Metric Other Metric Other

Tonelada

 20 quintales 926.6 Kg 2042.8 lb 931.8 Kg 2054.3 lb 918.8 Kg 2025.6 lb
Quintal  4 arrobas 46.33 Kg 102.1 lb 46.59 Kg 102.7 lb 45.94 Kg 101.3 lb
Arroba  25 libras 11.58 Kg 25.5 lb 11.65 Kg 25.7 lb 11.49 Kg 25.3 lb
Libra  16 onzas 463.3 g. 1.02 lb 465.9 g. 1.03 lb 459.4 g. 1.01 lb
Onza  16 adarmes 28.96 g. 1.02 oz 29.12 g. 1.03 oz 28.71 g. 1.01 oz
Adarme  3 tomines 1.810 g. 0.0638 oz 1.820 g. 0.0642 oz 1.795 g. 0.0633 oz
Tomín  12 granos 0.6033 g. 0.0213 oz 0.6066 g. 0.0214 oz 0.5982 g. 0.0211 oz

Grano

-

50.27 mg 0.0018 oz 50.55 mg 0.0018 oz 49.85 mg 0.0018 oz

 Currency Values:

   Estimating the value of money seems to be an art and not an exact  science.

http://www.economics.utoronto.ca/munro5/MONEYLEC.htm

http://www.cyndislist.com/money.htm

    Giving up on all the economic formulae, we decided to compare currency values in terms of US Dollars (close of 31 Dec., 2000) as follows:

bulletConvert to US Dollars, based upon:
bulletSilver & Gold: contemporary values of these metals.  They were until recently the standards upon which most currencies were based (silver until 1870, gold until 1930).  See discussion of Specie below.
bulletContemporary exchange rates per the US Federal Reserve.
bulletRestate in US Dollars, 31 Dec., 2000, adjusting for inflation per the US Consumer Price Index (US-CPI).  See discussion of Buying Power & Cost of Living below.

 

Currencies - Valued in US Dollars, Dec. 31, 2000:

 

Year

31 Dec.

US

Dollar

1.5047 g. Au

Silver

Ounce

Gold

Ounce

Silver

Gram

Gold

Gram

Spain

Peso Duro

27.468 g. Ag

Germany

Thaler

23.38 g. Ag

Germany

Gulden

Argentina

Peso

1.7-0.2 g. Au

Argentina

Revalued

Au

UK

Pound

7.3224 g. Au

1830

33.66

43.49

652.85

1.398

20.990

38.41

32.69

16.35

?

1=0.5g ?

153.70

1835

30.30

39.06

626.83

1.260

20.153

34.49

29.36

14.68

?

 

147.57

1840

30.30

39.43

628.04

1.274

20.192

35.00

29.79

17.02

?

 

147.85

1845

33.66

43.13

695.87

1.387

22.373

38.08

32.42

18.52

?

 

163.82

1850

35.64

47.39

736.80

1.524

23.689

41.85

35.63

20.36

?

 

173.46

1855

27.13

36.00

560.85

1.158

18.032

31.79

27.06

15.46

30.65

1=1.7 g.

132.04

1860

29.80

39.54

616.01

1.271

19.805

34.92

29.72

16.99

33.67

 

145.02

1865

17.82

33.66

532.79

1.082

17.130

29.73

25.30

14.46

29.12

 

125.43

1870

19.98

28.57

457.30

0.918

14.703

25.23

21.47

12.27

25.00

 

107.66

1875

21.65

30.18

505.20

0.970

16.242

26.66

?

-

 

 

118.93

1880

23.06

25.73

476.62

0.827

15.324

22.73

?

-

 

 

112.21

1885

24.32

25.10

502.74

0.807

16.163

22.17

?

-

22.17

1:1Duro

118.35

1890

23.67

25.00

489.33

0.804

15.732

22.08

?

-

 

 

115.20

1895

25.01

16.93

516.90

0.544

16.619

14.95

?

-

11.70

1.42=1g.

121.69

1900

23.36

15.14

482.89

0.487

15.525

13.37

?

-

 

 

113.68

1905

21.35

14.01

442.17

0.450

14.216

-

?

-

 

 

104.09

1910

18.69

10.17

386.31

0.327

12.420

-

-

-

 

 

90.95

1915

16.89

9.29

349.18

0.299

11.226

-

-

-

 

 

82.20

1920

8.97

5.81

185.39

0.187

5.960

-

-

-

 

 

43.64

1925

9.72

6.70

200.93

0.215

6.460

-

-

-

 

 

47.30

1930

10.81

3.53

223.39

0.113

7.182

-

-

-

1.39

5.16=1g.

52.59

1935

12.61

7.37

441.30

0.237

14.188

-

-

-

 

Dec. '33

49.18

1940

12.34

4.29

425.74

0.138

13.688

-

-

-

 

 

48.13

1945

9.56

6.76

356.13

0.217

11.450

-

-

-

 

 

38.53

1950

6.96

5.57

280.14

0.179

9.007

-

-

-

 

 

19.49

1955

6.49

5.88

228.21

0.189

7.337

-

-

-

 

 

18.17

1960

5.84

5.34

213.12

0.172

6.852

-

-

-

 

 

16.35

1965

5.47

7.07

194.25

0.227

6.245

-

-

-

 

 

15.32

1970

4.37

7.15

164.38

0.230

5.285

-

-

-

 

Jan. '70

10.51

1975

3.14

13.06

472.78

0.420

15.200

-

-

-

 

 

6.34

1980

2.02

31.55

1,292.80

1.014

41.565

-

-

-

 

 

4.85

1985

1.59

9.28

563.87

0.298

18.129

-

-

-

 

June '83

June '85

2.26

1990

1.30

5.43

551.13

0.175

17.719

-

-

-

0

 

2.51

1995

1.13

5.79

437.10

0.186

14.053

-

-

-

1.13

Jan. '92

1.73

2000

1.00

4.60

272.15

0.148

8.750

-

-

-

1.00

 

1.48

Bold - gold standard, Bold - silver standard.

Some Issues with Precious Metals & Currencies

    Gold Standard: It first emerged in the UK during the early 1700's, it was abandoned in 1790 (due to the Napoleonic wars) then resumed in 1819.  Its adoption spread during the 1800's - the US adopted it in 1879 (dropping its bimetal standard with silver).  It effectively placed the world economy on a single currency - the US Dollar was valued at 1.5047 grams (23.22 grains), the British Pound at 7.3224 grams (113.0 grains).  Attractive to entrepreneurs and capital rich countries (UK, US), it harmed the working class and primary product exporting countries (Argentina, Canada), and deepened economic down turns into depressions.  It collapsed with WW-I, was then resurrected for a short while until it was finally laid to rest by the Great Depression.  For more details, see:

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-gold.htm

http://www.cyberussr.com/hcunn/gold-std.html

Gold Standard

Country

Adopted

Abandoned

Argentina

1812

1853

1823

1933

France   1936

Germany

 

 

Mexico

 

1931

UK

Early 1700's

1819

1925

1790

1914? WW-I

1933

US

Ag (& Au): 1792

Ag (& Au): 1866

Gold: 1879

Gold: 1920

1861 Civil War

1879

1914? WW-I

1931

Venezuela

 

 

    Specie: If a transaction was made using printed currency or bank drafts then converting to US Dollars and adjusting for inflation provides us a reasonable estimate of the value of that transaction in modern terms.  However, if we know the transaction was made in specie (weight of metal - coins and/or bullion) then we might also adjust for changes in the relative value of the metal.  Both gold and silver were relatively much more expensive than they are today.  Silver has especially dropped in value.  Comparing the value of one unit in 1850 converted to USD-2000 vs. the value of the same unit in 2000 - gold ounce: $736.80 vs.  $272.15, silver ounce: $47.39 vs.  $4.60.  After accounting for inflation, an ounce of silver cost ten times as much then as in 2000, gold almost tree times as much.  The ratio of silver ounces per gold ounce remained relatively stable at 15:1 or 16:1 until the mid to late 1870's when it began to slip with the discovery of large silver deposits.  At the close of 2000, the silver : gold ratio was 59:1.

    Buying Power & the Cost of Living: From the Historical Text Archive:

    One of the most difficult tasks in dealing with the past is to get people to think historically about prices and income. Remembering what something cost 40 years ago does not tell us much; knowing how long the person had to work to acquire it does.

    Economists, when calculating inflation (i.e. the US-Consumer Price Index,  used to determine the current value of USD in the table above), exclude the cost of improvements to the standard of living (horse vs. combustion engine, candles vs. electric-light, abacus vs. computer).  That is, the above table underestimates the relative social importance of a $1 (USD) earned then vs. now (anyone have a better term?).   For example, the activities & skills of a cowboy have changed little (vs. other professions) during the past 100-150 years.  By several accounts, in about 1875 a cowboy earned $30 per month, or $360 per year, which when adjusted for inflation (per the US-CPI) is approx.  $7,800 per year in USD-2000 terms.  In 2003, the mean wage of a farm hand in New Mexico was $20,010 per year.  Comparing these wages for the same approx. work provides a multiplier of approx. 2.5 by which the US-CPI understimates the relative social importance of a dollar earned by a cowboy in 1875 vs. 2000.   However wildly unscientific our Bz-RSI multiplier might be, it provides us a simple means for understanding in today's terms (within the context of US society) the relative social importance of a dollar earned in 1875.  [Example: In 1874 Wilhelm Benitz sold his Oakland real estate for US$105,000, adjusted for inflation per the US-CPI it was worth $2,200,000 USD-2000, adjusted for relative social importance per our Bz-RSI it was equivalent to $5,500,000 USD-2000.]  Caveat: Use with care, other bases of calculation and dates will provide very different multipliers. 

    Buying Power is what a unit of currency will buy in one place (city, country) versus another on a given date.  We won't be analyzing buying power - it is beyond our scope.  Here is an example from the Economist magazine (17 Jan.'04) - it showed how the buying power of the US Dollar varied geographically by converting to US dollars the local price of a McDonald's Big Mac hamburger: Switzerland $5.11, Euro area $3.48, USA $2.80, Argentina $1.43, China $1.23.  Same product, same currency, different price.

    Cost of Living is usually expressed in comparative terms, e.g. New York is twice as expensive to live in as Miami, Buenos Aires twice as expensive as Bahia Blanca.   We won't be analyzing cost of living either - it too is beyond our scope.   However you should be aware that:

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the cost of living in Argentina is typically considerably less than in the US or Europe (currently approx. 1/3), and

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the cost of living on a farm (fort, ranch, estancia) is typically half or less that of living in a city.

        Measuring Precious Metals:  Precious metals have their own (Troy) system of weights and measures.  Here is the conversion table we use.

Unit Grams English Grains Troy Avoirdupois 
Pounds Ounces Pounds Ounces
 1 gram

=

15.4324 0.00268 0.03215 0.00220 0.03527
 1 English grain 0.0648

=

1 / 5,760

1 / 480

1 / 7000

1 / 437.5

 1 Troy pound 373.242 5,760.0

=

12 0.82286 13.1658
 1 Troy ounce 31.1035 480.0

1 / 12

=

0.08333 1.0971
 1 Avoirdupois pound 453.592 7000.0 1.21528 14.5833

=

16
 1 Avoirdupois ounce 28.3495 437.5 0.07596 0.91146

1 / 16

=

Avoirdupois: The system of common measures used in the UK and US.

    Grains:  The smallest (basic) unit of measure, which of course varied by country, etc.:

Grain/Grano Grams Pounds
 English 0.0648

 1 / 7000 Avoirdupois

 1 / 5760 Troy

 French 0.0531  1 / 9216 livre (Paris)
 Spanish   -
 Buenos Aires, Arg. 0.04985 -
 Santa Fé, Arg. 0.05027 -
 Córdoba, Arg. 0.05055 -

    For more conversion tables, try:

http://www.ccsilver.com/reftable/conversion.html

 http://webserver.lemoyne.edu/faculty/giunta/archemg.html

Brief Histories of the Currrencies:

Spain:  The Spanish Real de a Ocho reigned as the monetary standard in world trade for nearly 400 years, from 1500 until the late 1800's, giving birth to more than 50% of the world's currencies, including the US dollar.  The official name of the Spanish colonial and early Mexican currency was the Real de a Ocho (o Ocho Reales) - "pieces of eight" - which became known colloquially as a Peso, Peso Fuerte, o Peso Duro because of its unchanging weight in silver.  According to a Spanish Royal Ordenanza (decree) of 1497, 67 Reales were to be minted from a single Marco de Castilla of pure silver that weighed 230.465 grams (the standard weight of a Cologne Mark), i.e. each Real weighed 3.4335 grams and each Peso Duro weighed 27.4680 grams.  For more details, see: (target web-site disappeared on me).

Argentina:  Following independence from Spain in 1810, Argentina continued to recognise the Spanish Peso Duro (known colloquially as a Patacon) as legal tender for a number of years.  The Peso Argentino, first emitted in 1812, fared badly during years of chaos until 1853 when order was restored.  In 1881 Argentina struck its first silver Peso, valued at 1:1 with the Peso Duro (Spanish Real de a Ocho).  However, it soon lost value when once again too many bank notes were printed.  During the 1860's and 1870's, Franz and Wilhelm Benitz paid for their land purchases in Pesos Duros.  For more details, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Currency_Board

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_exchange_rates_of_Argentine_currency

Mundo Andino.com

http://www.mundoandino.com/Argentina/Historical-exchange-rates-of-Argentine-currency

"The value of one current peso is 10,000,000,000 pesos of 1969 (or 1914), and more than 13,000,000,000 pesos of 1914 with the U.S. dollar as reference."

1810

After independence, continues use of the Spanish Real de a Ocho (o Peso Duro), known colloquially as a Patacon.

1812

The Peso Duro (Argentino) is set at nearly 2 gms. of gold.

1822

First bank is created, Banco de Buenos Aires.

Peso Argentino bank notes are emitted, redeemed at: $1 = 1.8 gms. of gold.

1823

Redemption in gold is suspended because too many notes were emitted.

1826

War with Brazil is followed by a 17 year period of political tyranny and economic chaos

1853

Order is is restored with a new constitution.

Peso Argentino set at: $1 =  1.7 gms. of gold.

1876

Banco de la Nacíon is created. 

1880's

The Gold Standard is maintained with some temporary suspensions when too many bank notes are emitted, particularly during the mid to late 1880's.

Beginning of the Belle Epoque (1880-1930) in Argentina, a period of tremendous growth and political stability: 1878 - First shipment of wheat.  1879 - First shipment of chilled meat (mutton)  to Europe. 

1881

First Peso Argentino coin is struck, initially valued 1:1 with Peso Duro.

1891

Control is regained when the Peso Argentino is set at: $1.42 = 1 gm. of gold

1928

After several devaluations, redemption in gold is suspended, Peso at: $5.16 = 1 gm. gold.

1932

Central Bank is established.

13 Dec., 1933

Argentina goes off the Gold Standard.

Peso Moneda Nacional replaces Peso Argentino.

$1 m.n. = $0.44 Peso Argentino

1943-1955

Peron's first era.  The Central Bank is transformed into a political tool of the government - economic ruin follows.  One of 10 richest nations during the first half of the 1900's, Argentina slides into the ranks of the "under-developed".

1 Jan., 1970

Peso ley replaces Peso Moneda Nacional

$1 = $100 m.n.

1 June, 1983

Peso Argentino replaces Peso

$1 = $10,000 (old)

A million old pesos was known colloquially as a palo (stick).

14 June, 1985

Austral replaces Peso Argentino (at mid month!)

A1 = $1,000

Inflation ranges between 10-30% per month, towards the end it reaches 250% per month.

1 Jan., 1992

A new Peso Argentino replaces the Austral

$1 = A1,000

Pegged to the US Dollar at 1:1 until 1 Jan., 2002.  The US dollar is made legal tender.

Late 1990's

The peso became highly over-valued vs. the US dollar.

Squeezed for funds, the provinces (led by Buenos Aires) begin issuing bank notes in their own currencies (lecops, patacones, quebrachos, etc.), adding to inflationary pressures.

1 Jan., 2002

With financial disaster imminent, the fed. gov. freezes bank accounts, converts dollar accounts to pesos, stops making payments on its foreign debt, and allows the peso to float.

The peso has since stabilized at approx. $3 to the US Dollar.

    Germany:  In very simplified terms, three currencies (there were many others, most local) were the basis of trade during the period that concerns us, 1830-1870: (1) Thaler - used in the northern principalities including Mecklenberg and Prussia; (2) Gulden - used in the southern principalities including Baden; and (3) Mark-Banco - used by Hamburg and Luebeck.  In 1871 the three currencies were consolidated into the Mark.  For more details, see:

http://www.globalfindata.com/frameset.php3?location=/gh/109.html

http://www.germanlife.com/Archives/1997/9712_01.html

1252

Florin (originally 3.56 gm. gold) first appears in Venice.

Name taken from Florence where it was first minted.

1524, about

Silver Gulden replaces the Florin

Gulden = 60 copper Kreuzer = 240 Pfennige

1566

Silver Reichsthaler (25.98 gm. silver) replaces (old) Thaler

(old) Thaler = 60 copper Kreuzer

Reichsthaler = 68 copper Kreuzer

Holy Roman Empire, before 1600

1 Thaler = 1.5 Gulden - applied inconsistently

Thaler = 24 Groschen = 288 Pfennige = 576 Heller

Gulden = 60 Kreuzer = 240 Pfennige = 480 Heller

1622

Reichsthaler devalued

Reichsthaler = 60 copper Kreuzer

1690, Leipzig Conference

Speciesthaler created

Speciesthaler = 120 Kreuzer

1736

Gulden appreciated

Gulden = 180 Kreuzer

1753, Viena Convention

Konventionthaler (reduced to 23.38 gm. silver) created from Speciesthaler

Konventionthaler = 1.33 Speciesthaler

Konventionthaler = 1.5 northern Gulden

Konventionthaler = 2 southern Florins or Gulden

1837, Munich Treaty

Attempt to unify Gulden.

1838, Dresden Convention

Accord is reached based upon silver:

1 northern Thaler = 1.75 southern Florins or Gulden

1857, Austro-German Monetary Convention

Vereinsthaler (southern Thaler) becomes monetary unit of the north.

Vereinsthaler = 1.5 Austrian Florin

Vereinsthaler = 1.75 southern Florin (Vereinsgulden)

1871, German Monetry Union

1 Mark = 0.333 Thaler = 0.55 Gulden = 0.833 Hamburg Marks

Mark = 100 Pfennige

1907

Thaler demonetized.

1923-1924

Mark collapsed due to hyperinflation

Mark replaced by the Retenmark (10/1923) = 1 : 1,000,000,000,000

Retenmark replaced by the Reichmark (8/1924) = 1: 1

1939-1948

Various Marks were issued during WW-II and shortly after.

1945 German Allied Mark created - and over issued by Russia.

1948 Western Allies created Deusche Mark = 10 Reichmark

1999 - 2002

Euro replaces Mark, 1 Euro = 1.95883 Deusche Mark

Mexico:  During the years we are concerned with, 1830-1850, Mexico continued with the Spanish Real de a Ocho (Peso Fuerte), minting its own - see Spain above.  For more details, see:

http://www.chicagocoinclub.org/projects/PiN/ccp.html

1810

After independence, continues to use and mint the Spanish Real de a Ocho.

1873

Large silver deposits were discovered and silver begins to lose its parity of approx. 15:1 with gold.  Devaluations and inflation set in.

30 July, 1931

Mexico abandons the Gold Standard.

New silver Peso loses value vs. old gold Peso.

1 Jan., 1993

After a period of hyperinflation, revalues the Peso

$1 new = $1,000 old

UK:  The British Pound became of interest to the family when they began travelling to Europe in the late 1800's and/or married British subjects or their Anglo-Argentine descendants.  Consequently, we include it here.  In the simplest terms, one pound is 20 shillings or 240 pennies.  In 197x, the pound is decimalized into 100 (new pence) pennies.  For the rest, find a pub, offer a Brit a pint and have him explain farthing, hapenny, pence, crown, guinea, etc.

US:  The US Dollar, the basis of our tables of comparison, has had its tribulations like any other currency.  Named after the German Thaler, its value was originally based upon the Spanish Real

1775-1781

The 13 colonies suffered hyperinflation of 50,000%  There was little or no currency standardization.

2 April, 1792

In a joint session of the US Congress, the US Mint was created and the "Spanish Dollar" (Real de a Ocho) was adopted as the currency of the US (the English monetary units were deemed too complex and were not as widely used).

The US Dollar was valued at 24.06 gms. of silver or 1.6038 gms. of gold.  This bi-metal valuation and ratio of approx. 15:1 was maintained until 1879 when silver had lost much of its value.

1793

Production of coins for general circulation began.  Though valued at 1:1 with the Real, the US minted dollar coins contained less silver, consequently many preferred using the Spanish or Mexican minted Real  for legal tender (27.468 gms.). 

Until 1840, approx.

Many banks issued their own bank notes (mostly $5) that were accepted locally.

1850, approx.

By mid-century the US produced enough coinage to displace foreign currencies.

The Spanish Real, along with other foreign currencies, were no longer accepted as legal tender as of 21 Feb., 1857.

1861-1865, US Civil War

Conversion to silver and gold was suspended and inflation set in:

 * US Dollar - 258%

 * Confederate Dollar - 9,211%

1866

The US Dollar was restored to a 1:1 parity with the silver Spanish Real.

The new US quarter contained less silver than before: 6.25 grams (96.45 grains), its previous silver content had been: 6.74 grams (104 grains, .900 fine).

1879-1914?

US Dollar on the Gold Standard until WW-I.

1920-1931

US Dollar on the Gold Standard.

1934 to 196x

In an attempt to cheapen US goods on the world market, Pres. Rooseveldt artificially devalued the dollar 50% in gold terms and made it illegal to own gold bullion in the US.

1964

The last US currency redeemable in silver (silver certificates) were printed, and the last coins (half, quarter, dime) containing silver were minted.