Harry Potter Currency Calculator
Enter any amount in Galleons, Sickles, or Knuts and this calculator instantly shows you the equivalent in all three wizarding coins. You can also see the approximate real-world value in your chosen currency based on J.K. Rowling's stated rate of 5 Pounds per Galleon. The exchange rates come directly from the books: 17 Sickles to the Galleon, 29 Knuts to the Sickle.
How wizarding currency works
The wizarding world of Harry Potter uses three coins, each made from a different metal. Galleons are gold and are the most valuable coin - they are used for larger purchases such as wands, robes, and school supplies at Diagon Alley. Sickles are silver and sit in the middle: 17 of them make one Galleon. Knuts are small bronze coins and are the smallest denomination - you need 29 of them to equal one Sickle, and 493 to match a Galleon. These rates come directly from Rubeus Hagrid, who explains the currency system to Harry Potter during their first visit to Gringotts bank in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
What is a Galleon worth in real money?
J.K. Rowling once stated in a 2001 interview that one Galleon is worth roughly five British Pounds. Using this rate, a Sickle works out to about 29 pence and a Knut to roughly one pence. However, this stated exchange rate is widely considered inconsistent with actual prices shown throughout the books. Hogwarts fees are said to be covered by a fund for magical children of non-magical parents, and items like a wand (7 Galleons) or a set of school robes suggest much higher purchasing power than 35 GBP would imply today. Think of the conversion as a fun approximation rather than an official rate.
Prices from Diagon Alley and the wizarding world
A number of canonical prices appear in the books and films. A wand from Ollivanders costs 7 Galleons. Harry's first-year school supplies, listed in his Hogwarts letter, come to several Galleons each - an Astronomy telescope costs 5 Galleons, a brass scales set is 1 Galleon, and a Potions kit (cauldron, basic supplies) runs to about 15 Galleons. A single butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks is commonly estimated at around 2 Sickles in fan discussions. The Daily Prophet costs 5 Knuts per issue. Harry Potter's vault at Gringotts is described as containing a large pile of gold Galleons, enough to cover all his school expenses across seven years.
Gringotts bank and the goblin economy
Gringotts Wizarding Bank is the only bank in the wizarding world, run entirely by goblins from its headquarters beneath London. All witches and wizards keep their money in individual vaults deep underground, accessible only by the key provided at account opening and by the goblins who manage the carts that navigate the tunnels. Currency exchange between the wizarding system and Muggle money is not officially described in the books, but the Lexicon and various fan sites have estimated rates based on Rowling's own comments. Fantastic Beasts introduces the Dragot, the wizarding currency used in the United States in the 1920s, worth approximately 1.50 USD at the time.
Wizarding currency conversion table
| Coin | In Galleons | In Sickles | In Knuts | Real-world (approx. GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Galleon (gold) | 1 | 17 | 493 | ~5.00 |
| 1 Sickle (silver) | 0.0588 | 1 | 29 | ~0.29 |
| 1 Knut (bronze) | 0.0020 | 0.0345 | 1 | ~0.01 |
Fixed rates from the Harry Potter books - 17 Sickles to the Galleon, 29 Knuts to the Sickle.
Frequently asked questions
How many Knuts are in a Galleon?
There are 493 Knuts in one Galleon. This comes from the two conversion rates given in the books: 29 Knuts equal one Sickle, and 17 Sickles equal one Galleon, so 29 multiplied by 17 gives 493 Knuts per Galleon.
How many Sickles are in a Galleon?
Exactly 17 Sickles make one Galleon. This rate is stated by Hagrid during Harry's first trip to Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
What is a Galleon worth in real money?
J.K. Rowling said in 2001 that one Galleon is worth approximately five British Pounds. This makes a Sickle worth about 29 pence and a Knut worth about one pence. Many fans argue the true purchasing power is higher based on in-universe prices, but 5 GBP per Galleon is the closest thing to an official rate.
What are the coins made of?
Galleons are gold, Sickles are silver, and Knuts are bronze. The books describe them as genuinely made from these metals, not merely coloured to look that way. Goblins mint all wizarding coins, and counterfeiting is taken very seriously in the wizarding world.
How much does a wand cost in Galleons?
A wand from Ollivanders in Diagon Alley costs 7 Galleons, as mentioned when Harry buys his holly-and-phoenix-feather wand in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. At the J.K. Rowling rate of 5 GBP per Galleon, that is 35 GBP - though the true purchasing power is debated among fans.
What is a Dragot?
A Dragot is the wizarding currency used in the United States, introduced in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films set in 1926. It is not the same as a Galleon. A newspaper price visible in the first Fantastic Beasts film suggests roughly 1.50 USD per Dragot at 1926 values.
Can I convert between Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in mixed amounts?
Yes - this calculator lets you enter any combination of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts and it adds them all together. For example, entering 2 Galleons, 5 Sickles, and 10 Knuts will give you the total in Knuts (1,141), as Galleons (2.316...), and as Sickles (39.31...), plus the simplified coin breakdown showing the fewest coins needed to represent that total.