How much is the full plate armour(16th century) ?
Hi all ^^ :)

We know the full plate armour was very expensive(to produce).
Many books are only written as "very expensive".
I do not understand concrete value. :(

So I have a very simple question...

How much is the full plate armour(16th century) in the present value? :?:

For example... "(It is an extreme example...) In the present value, a FULL PLATE ARMOUR(16th century) and the F16 FIGHTER JET are the same value..." :lol: :eek: :lol:

How much is the value at the time(16th century)? :?:

Of course the value is different by the quality of the plate armour.
I want to know the value of the plate armour(16th century) of the highest quality(It is displayed in the museum...).

thanks ^^ :)
As much of the surviving armours we see today were manufactured for kings, and high nobles, the actual 'price" was not a real concern . It's virtually impossible to convert the costs back then to todays monetary values. It's even very difficult to compare the cost of items from the early 20th C into meaningful comparisons to today. When you go back several hundred years earlier, the exercise becomes even more difficult. Also..you don't say WHAT pricing structure you mean ? In US dollars?, Japanese Yen? , Euro's ?

I guess you could *imagine* a custom harness as *very roughly* equivalent to the top of the line, custom sports car from one of the most expensive manufacturers ?
The question can't be answered. It is like asking how much was an automobile in the 20th century. You'd have to narrow it down to a specific type of armour, a specific decade, and a specific place.
A documentary about the Tudor Greenwich Armoury (BBC Metalworks: The Knight's Tale) said that the armours produced there would be either the second most expensive thing a nobleman would purchase in his lifetime, after his estate, or the most expensive thing if they already had an estate. That was late 1500s and early 1600s and the Greenwich Armoury, established by Henry VIII, was the finest armoury in England and (possibly) the most prestigious in Europe.

In my mind that puts the value of a Greenwich harness at several hundreds of thousands of pounds/dollars (today's money) or even more. However, purchasing power is different today than in the 1590s so it's a bit difficult to say exactly.
Agreed. For most people today the second most expensive thing they ever purchase is a new car - the first being their house. New cars vary in price from around fifteen thousand to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Munitions plate would be the equivalent of a mass produced sedan while Henry VIII's armour would be the equivalent of a custom-built sports car. In today's money Henry's armour would probably have a similar cost as these sports cars - several hundred thousand dollars or more.
Quote:
For example... "(It is an extreme example...) In the present value, a FULL PLATE ARMOUR(16th century) and the F16 FIGHTER JET are the same value..." Laughing Out Loud Eek! Laughing Out Loud


Its extreme to the point of being virtually invalid. If you are taking the jet (or a F1 car to use the other usual analogy) then that is usually meant to be the man, machine, armaments and support crew, not just the bare bones of the jet and is used to compare the set-up for a well attired mounted man and his servants. Bearing in mind also you can be well equipped and quite good looking armoured man and have not a drop of noble blood in you.

A better way of asking the question is to work out what type of armour you are talking about. A munition set early 16th cent is only a few £'s where as Henry8 paid £3 and a bit just to have one of his polished.

Most people involved in the reproduction of armour nowadays will tell a similar story to then. Raw materials not that expensive and you can shape it to serve as armour reasonably easily if you know what you are doing. However making a finely bespoke harness and then applying decoration will increase the cost greatly. You might only spend a few thousand on the actual constituent parts but adding the bling much more. An ordinary buckle is a few £/$ but add engraving or gilding and it will probably treble.

Two examples I have recent experience of:

1 early 16th cent light cavalry harness £8,000. To engrave and silver add another £20k
Early 15th cent arms and legs, $2.5k approx, add engraved and gilded bands and buckles for another £4.6k

When I'm discussing armour costs I point out the exponential costs. basic rivets 50 p each, brass capped £3, brass capped and gilded £8 each. If a harness needs 300.... do the math :-)
From 35 to 150 Guldens

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