Zolotnik


A zolotnik was a small Russian unit of weight, equal to 0.1505 avoirdupois ounces, or 4.2658 grams. Used from the 10th to 20th centuries, its name is derived from the Russian word zoloto, meaning gold. As a unit, the zolotnik was the standard for silver manufacture, much as the troy ounce is currently used for gold and other precious metals.
This unit was originally based on a coin of the same name. The zolotnik circulated in the Kievan Rus until the 11th century; it was equal in weight to the Byzantine Empire's solidus.

Relation to other units

The Russian pound was known as the funt. There were 96 zolotnik in a pound. A smaller unit, the lot, was equal to three zolotnik. There were 96 dolya in a single zolotnik.
The zolotnik was also used to measure fineness of precious metals. In this case, the ratio zolotnik/funt was meant, so one zolotnik meant 1/96. For example, 14-karat gold was named "56-zolotnik gold" in Russia. As one karat means 1/24, one zolotnik is 1/4 karat.

Russian measurements