MEASURING METAL WEIGHT

Metal weights are often measured and determined with electronic scales. When you buy or sell silver or gold there are many different units of measurement. Making sense of the nomenclature can be a little confusing. Hopefully this article will explain those metal weights and shed some light on the mystery.

What is the difference between a Pennyweight, a DWT, a Gram, an Avoirdupois ounce, and a Troy ounce?

AVOIRDUPOIS OUNCES

An Avoirdupois Ounce is the postage ounce measurement on a postal scale in the U.S. Do not confuse this with the troy ounce that is used to measure gold and silver.

1 Avoirdupois Ounce = .911 Troy Ounces
1 Avoirdupois Ounce = 28.3 Grams
1 Avoirdupois Ounce = 18.2 Pennyweight (DWT)

1 Troy ounce is lighter than 1 Avoirdupois ounce

GRAMS

A gram is a common unit of measurement in the metric system.

1 Gram = .032 Troy Ounces
1 Gram = .035 Avoirdupois Ounces
1 Gram = .643 Pennyweight (DWT)

Gram weights for U.S. coins currently produced as legal tender coins by the United States Mint in 2012:

Cent: 2.500 g
Nickel: 5.000 g
Dime: 2.268 g
Quarter Dollar: 5.670 g
Half Dollar: 11.340 g
Presidential Dollar: 8.1 g
Native American Dollar: 8.1 g

PENNYWEIGHT or DWT

A Pennyweight, or DWT, is an older term still used by many jewelers when specifying the weights of precious metals like silver or gold.

1 Pennyweight = .05 Troy Ounce
1 Pennyweight = .055 Avoirdupois Ounces
1 Pennyweight = 1.55 Grams

TROY OUNCES

Spot prices for silver and gold are specified in Troy Ounces

1 Troy Ounce = 1.09 Avoirdupois Ounces (U.S. Postage ounces)
1 Troy Ounce = 31.1 Grams
1 Troy Ounce = 20 Pennyweight (DWT)

Learn something new every day!