What this calculator does
The wizarding world runs on three coins: Galleons (gold), Sickles (silver) and Knuts (bronze). J.K. Rowling fixed the exchange rate in the books at 1 Galleon to 17 Sickles, and 1 Sickle to 29 Knuts, which works out to 493 Knuts to the Galleon. This Harry Potter currency converter uses those exact figures to turn any mix of coins into a single running total, and to break that total back down into the fewest coins needed.
Because the rate is a fixed part of the books rather than something that changes with a market, there is nothing to look up or update: the numbers here will always match what you would work out by hand from Diagon Alley prices or a Gringotts exchange scene.
The formula
Every amount is first converted into Knuts, the smallest unit, since that gives a single common measure to add everything up in. A Sickle is worth 29 Knuts and a Galleon is worth 493 Knuts (17 Sickles x 29 Knuts), so the total is galleons x 493 plus sickles x 29 plus knuts entered directly. That running total is then broken back down into the fewest possible Galleons, Sickles and Knuts, the same way you would count change.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Galleon | The gold coin, the largest unit, worth 17 Sickles or 493 Knuts. |
| Sickle | The silver coin, worth 29 Knuts, with 17 Sickles to a Galleon. |
| Knut | The bronze coin and smallest unit of wizarding currency. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Galleons | The number of Galleon coins to include in the total. |
| Sickles | The number of Sickle coins to include in the total. |
| Knuts | The number of Knut coins to include in the total. |
When to use it
Working out a Diagon Alley price
Book scenes and fan writing often give prices as a mix of coins, such as "2 Galleons and 11 Sickles". Converting that to a single Knut total makes it easy to compare against another price given a different way.
Splitting a purse of mixed coins
A pile of coins pulled from a coin purse rarely arrives as neat round numbers. Adding them all up and re-expressing the total as the fewest coins shows what that pile is actually worth.
Fan projects and quizzes
Anyone building a wizarding-themed quiz, game or fan fiction budget needs a currency mechanic that stays consistent with canon, and the fixed 17:29:493 ratios here are exactly the ones used in the books.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
What does a Galleon amount come to in Sickles and Knuts?
A range of Galleon-only amounts, shown as their equivalent totals.
| Galleons | Total value in Knuts | Total value in Sickles (decimal) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 493 knuts | 17.00 sickles |
| 2 | 986 knuts | 34.00 sickles |
| 5 | 2,465 knuts | 85.00 sickles |
| 10 | 4,930 knuts | 170.00 sickles |
| 20 | 9,860 knuts | 340.00 sickles |
| 50 | 24,650 knuts | 850.00 sickles |
What does a Sickle amount come to in Knuts?
A range of Sickle-only amounts, shown as their Knut equivalent.
| Sickles | Total value in Knuts | Total value in Galleons (decimal) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 knuts | 0.06 galleons |
| 5 | 145 knuts | 0.29 galleons |
| 10 | 290 knuts | 0.59 galleons |
| 17 | 493 knuts | 1.00 galleons |
| 34 | 986 knuts | 2.00 galleons |
| 100 | 2,900 knuts | 5.88 galleons |
Questions
Where do the 17 and 29 exchange rates come from?
They are stated directly in the Harry Potter books: 17 Sickles make a Galleon, and 29 Knuts make a Sickle. Multiplying those together gives 493 Knuts to the Galleon, which is the figure this calculator uses internally.
Does the exchange rate ever change in the books?
No. Unlike real-world currencies, the wizarding exchange rate is fixed throughout the series, so these ratios apply consistently everywhere the currency is mentioned.
Can I convert a real-world price into wizarding currency?
Not with fixed accuracy, since the books never state a Galleon-to-pound or Galleon-to-dollar rate, and fan estimates vary widely. This calculator only converts between the three wizarding coins themselves, using the rates that are actually canonical.
Why does the breakdown always show the fewest possible coins?
The total is converted down to Knuts, then divided out into as many whole Galleons as fit, then as many whole Sickles as fit in what is left, with any remainder shown as Knuts. That mirrors how you would naturally count out change using the fewest coins.
For everyday unit conversions rather than fictional currency, the length converter covers metric and imperial distance in one place.