The "weighting" Game What's The Difference Between Troy & Avoirdupois?

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Author	Replies: 9 / Views: 1,646
CCFPress Press Manager United States 1420 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 4:43 pm Littleton Coin Company - Have you heard a coin's weight being given in "troy ounces" or "avoirdupois ounces" and wondered, "what's the difference?!" Turns out, there IS something in a name. Troy ounces are generally used when weighing precious metals (like in America's popular Silver Eagle series). Things like groceries or every day items are weighed in avoirdupois ounces. For example, anytime you step on a scale you're being weighed based on the avoirdupois system. We've used avoirdupois ounces as our every day weight system for so long, it's not really necessary to specify which type of ounce we're measuring in. Read the Entire Article Report this Post to the Staff

jbuck Moderator United States 187950 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 4:54 pm Short, but interesting article for anyone who does not know the difference. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
TNG Bedrock of the Community United States 10284 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 5:30 pm I'm just glad I don't weigh what I do in Troy ounces! Report this Post to the Staff
moxking Rest in Peace United States 17900 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 6:09 pm Is there a difference of how many ounces make a pound? Someone should tell the post office that 13 ounces isn't a pound. Report this Post to the Staff
Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 6:12 pm Finally Littleton offers something of value, and ironically, for free. Report this Post to the Staff
Crazyb0 Rest in Peace 10197 Posts	Posted 10/25/2017 6:18 pm Frog: Altho all is not loss, I did learn the differences of good buys and bad buys through my association with them...a bit slowly, but eventually... Report this Post to the Staff
Chute72 Pillar of the Community United States 1314 Posts	Posted 10/26/2017 12:26 am How many people recall the trick question, "What weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of gold?" The answer changes with your level of education. (Like so many things.) Thanks for sharing. Report this Post to the Staff
Conder101 Bedrock of the Community United States 17884 Posts	Posted 10/26/2017 3:16 pm Quote: The answer changes with your level of education. And depending on where the weighing is conducted. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16810 Posts	Posted 10/26/2017 7:03 pm The "pound of feathers" would weigh more, because it would be an avoirdupois pound (454 grams). The "pound of gold" would presumably be a troy pound, which is only 12 troy ounces (373 grams). Of course, if y'all had gone metric back when you were supposed to, this would all be an arcane history exercise rather than an everyday source of confusion. I was never educated in the non-metric system and have to Google how much a "pound" weighs. For me, a pound is a unit of currency which Australia used to use and which Britain still uses. I have a collection of both. It takes me some time to remember that "pound" is still used up your way as a unit of weight. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 187950 Posts	Posted 10/28/2017 12:31 am Quote: Of course, if y'all had gone metric back when you were supposed to, this would all be an arcane history exercise rather than an everyday source of confusion. I was going to mention this earlier, but did not want to start something. In grades 4 and 5 (1977~1979) we only used metric in our lessons. I remember being really confused in grade 6 when everything reverted. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
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