Rob, you seem to have forgotten that the pound was devalued about 25 years ago, I forget the exact date, from its long-time value of about $4.80 per pound to about $1.80 per pound. Curt ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Jolly" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 1:01 PM Subject: Re: Inventory 1717 -- Value of Books Sorry the delayed response to this posting; I've been away from the list for a few days. Regarding comparative valuation of wealth/inventories over different time periods, there is a web site called How Much Is That Worth Today? that might be of some help: http://www.eh.net/hmit/ppowerbp/ It does not really tell how much a certain value of pounds, shillings & pence are worth TODAY, as it calculates a value in pounds as of last year (2001). Using are very "rough" rate of 1.5 dollars per pound in 2001/2002, you can get a ballpark idea of what the value might be in today's $. From the site mentioned above, the entire estate value of 174 pounds in 1717 would be worth 17,624 pounds in 2001 and around $26,436 today. Likewise, books valued at 10 pounds then would be worth about 1,013 pounds (2001) or about $1,520 today. Hope this helps. Best regards, Rob > From: Janet Hunter <[log in to unmask]> > Reply-To: [log in to unmask] > Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 15:36:48 EST > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VA-ROOTS] Inventory 1717 -- Value of Books > > Hello Everyone, > > I recently obtained the inventory of an ancestor, Robert HYDE (wife Jane > UNDERHILL), who died about 1717 in York Co. VA. Robert Hyde was a lawyer, > and his inventory includes quite a number of horses and cattle, but none of > the items one would associate with any sort of agricultural production, so I > assume he either lived in Williamsburg or somewhere in the vicinity of > Felgate Creek (need to do the deed work). There are several entries for > tableware, tumblers and candlesticks, some pewter but others difficult to > read. He has several beds/furniture/trunks/chests/chairs. > > His inventory includes five slaves valued at £ 10, 28, 28, 20, and 20. > > The other large entry is £ 10 for a parcell books. The total value of the > inventory is £174.14. > > I have two questions. > > Can anyone tell me how extensive a library in 1717 valued at £10 might be? > Would this be a large library? > > Second, a cousin with whom I've been exchanging inventories for primarily > plantation owners, most 50 or more years later, commented that he was not > particularly wealthy, with an inventory of only £174.. I pointed out that > (a) he had, because he didn't need more, few slaves the largest single item > in most of the sizeable inventories; (b) we don't have information on his > real estate; and (c) there was probably an inflation factor involved. One > specific inventory in comparison I was told was "wealthy" was in 1761, > Chesterfield Co., a tobacco planter with 21 slaves, whose estate was valued > at more than £1,200. > > FYI, I know there are some calculators out there but I couldn't find them. > Footnote, I don't see a phaeton or anything, but he did have a canoe! > > Best Regards, > Janet Hunter > > > > > > > > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at > http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html