
Was early modern writing paper expensive? (2018) - benbreen
https://collation.folger.edu/2018/02/writing-paper-expensive/
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derekp7
I'm trying to figure out why this article says paper wasn't expensive, using
the example that a laborer could by 75 sheets of paper for a day's wages.
Today, I can by 5 times that amount, for about 10 minutes of wages. By today's
standards, that translates to over $1,000 for a ream of paper.

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earthicus
I think you might be making the wrong comparison. We can conclude from your
observation that their paper is expensive (relative to ours), or that _our_
paper is dirt cheap! A laborer today might make $120/day so that's $1.60/sheet
at early modern prices. While that's expensive compared to our super cheap
modern paper, it's perfectly normal to describe things that cost $1.60 as
inexpensive, even if you buy quite a few of them. The article says the average
englishman used 6 sheets a day, so a modern laborer is spending under $10/day
on paper.

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jaclaz
>The article says the average englishman used 6 sheets a day, so a modern
laborer is spending under $10/day on paper.

Somehow it must be put in the equation that "the average laborer making 6-12
pence a day" that "could purchase up to 75 sheets of paper with a day’s wages"
likely had NO use whatever of the paper as he/she wouldn't know how to read
and write.

In any case, a single day labourer's wage covered the expenses for the paper
needs for more than twelve _years_ (the article says that the average
consumptions were 6 sheets _per year_ , not per day), now, did you spend more
or less than $12 for paper last year? (and - as a side note - compare the
expense for pencils and ink against those for a modern - crappy BTW - inkjet
printer cartridges)

On the other hand, if it was so cheap, most probably we wouldn't have needed
some 350 years for the demonstration of Fermat's last theorem ;-).

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earthicus
Oops, how could I misread 6 sheets per year as 6 sheets per day! o_0 Thanks
for pointing out my error, this makes much more sense now.

