The ''Zollpfund'' ("customs pound") is an historical German weight based on the old pound. In 1854, the

German Customs Union The (), or German Customs Union, was a coalition of German states formed to manage tariffs and economic policies within their territories. Organized by the 1833 treaties, it formally started on 1 January 1834. However, its foundations had b ...

, the ''Zollverein'', fixed the pound weight or at exactly 500 grammes, making it about seven percent heavier than the old unit of weight, the ''Pfund'' ("pound"). The new pound was called the ''Zollpfund'' to distinguish it. The new definition was already in use in the southern German states of

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden is ...

Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...

and in Switzerland, and was introduced in 1858 as a state weight in northern and large parts of central Germany. The ''

Zentner The zentner (German ''Zentner'', from Latin ''centenarius'', derived from ''centum'' meaning "hundred") is a name for a unit of mass which was used predominantly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, although it was also sometimes used in the Unit ...

'' ("hundredweight") corresponded to 50 kilogrammes. As a result, the subordinate units of measurement were also widely redefined: * In north-eastern and central Germany (including Prussia), 1 ''Zollpfund'' = 30 lots = 300 (''Quentchen'') = 3,000 cents = 30,000 grains (''Korn'').''Allgemeine deutsche Real-Encyklopädie für die gebildeten Stände. Conversations-Lexikon.'' 11th revised, improved and expanded edn. Vol. 9: ''Konradin bis Mauer.'' Brockhaus, Leipzig 1866, pp. 567 f., keyword ''Loth;'' ebd., Vol. 11: ''Occupation bis Prämie.'' Brockhaus, Leipzig 1867, p. 634, keyword ''Pfund''. * In Northwest Germany, 1 ''Zollpfund'' = 10 new lots = 100 = 1000 half grammesBleibtreu (1863), p. 78. * In parts of central and southern Germany and in Austria, however, the old pound (''Pfund'') continued to be divided into 32 lots of 4 . Today's colloquial use of the word ''Pfund'' to mean 500 grammes, goes back to the ''Zollpfund''.

References

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Literature

* Bleibtreu, Leopold Carl (1863). ''Handbuch der Münz-, Maaß- und Gewichtskunde, und des Wechsel-, Staatspapier-, Bank- und Actienwesens europäischer und außereuropäischer Länder und Städte.'' Stuttgart: J. Engelhorn. * _ (1866) ''Allgemeine deutsche Real-Encyklopädie für die gebildeten Stände. Conversations-Lexikon.'' 11th revised, improved and expanded edn. Vol. 9: ''Konradin bis Mauer.'' Leipzig: Brockhaus. * _ (1867). ''Allgemeine deutsche Real-Encyklopädie für die gebildeten Stände. Conversations-Lexikon.'' 11th revised, improved and expanded edn. Vol. 11: ''Occupation bis Prämie.'' Leipzig: Brockhaus. Units of mass Units of measurement of the Holy Roman Empire