Troy weight g, 12 oz t), while an avoirdupois pound is approximately 21.53% heavier at 7 000 grains (≈ 453.59 g). One troy ounce (oz t) is equal to grams. Also equal to avoirdupois ounces, exactly , or about 10% larger. The pennyweight symbol is "dwt". There are 24 grains in 1 dwt, and 20 dwt in one troy ounce. Because there were 12 troy ounces in the old troy pound, there would have been 240 pennyweights to the pound—the basis of the fact that the old British pound sterling of currency contained 240 pence. (However, prior to 1526, English pound sterling
Troy weight was based on the tower pound, which is of a troy pound.) The "d" in "dwt" stands for "denarius", the ancient Roman coin that equates loosely to a penny. The symbol "d" for penny can be recognized in the notation for British pre-decimal pennies, in which pounds, shillings, and pence were indicated using the symbols "£", "s", and "d", respectively. For example, "£6 11s 8d" indicated six pounds, eleven shillings, and eight pence. Mint weights, also known as "moneyers' weights" were legalised by Act of Parliament dated 17 July 1649 entitled "An Act touching the monies and coins of England".