[Bruce Fielder]

With respect to the article, 5 kg of gold at todays prices is worth around £112,000.

(5 kg = 11.2 lbs = 160 troy oz @ $1,160/oz = US$186,000 = £112,000. The 2.5 kg of silver is worth around £60).

Rather less than the two to three million £ quoted in the story as as the 'modern equivalent'. Comparing prices acros eras is notoriously difficult, but in terms of "hours of labour" per oz of gold, even adjusted for the 20 times more gold and 10 times more people that we have nowadays, two to three million £ seems excessive.

[ravenna]

Not got the article in front of me as I write, but I wonder if the valuation is taking into account the craftsmanship and cultural significance rather than the bullion value?
After all, it isn't just gold, it's worked enamel, garnet, millefiori etc - admittedly teeny bits - but the value of these to the understanding of the period greatly outweighs the bullion value.
Like the tragedy of the bronze Henry Moore being nicked and melted - it was worth so much more than a few tons of metal.

[Dave Musgrove]

Hi. We've got a short discussion of how we come to such prices on our letters page in the January issue.