A Claim That Captured London
In the early 1780s, James Price stood at the center of one of the most unusual scientific controversies in Britain. He was young, successful and celebrated, having earned a Master of Arts from Oxford in 1777 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1782. He had also been elected to the Royal Society at only twenty four.
When he announced that he could transform mercury into gold or silver using powders of his own creation, he drew crowds of peers, clergymen, lawyers and chemists to his laboratory in Guildford. By the end of May 1782 he had performed seven public demonstrations and even sent some of the produced gold to King George III.
The Methods Behind His Experiments
Price said he used mercury mixed with borax, nitre and a red or white powder he called the powder of production. According to him, the red powder produced gold and the white one produced silver. Each demonstration involved stirring the mixture in a crucible with an iron rod.
His audience included respected figures who watched closely as the experiments took place. Although the claims caused excitement, the Royal Society remained cautious. The Society’s Fellows asked Price to repeat the work under their supervision to confirm the results.
Pressure From the Royal Society
When the request arrived, Price resisted. He said that making more of the powders would be costly and harm his health. He noted that it took seventeen pounds to make an ounce of gold through his method while that ounce was worth only four pounds.
He argued that his previous demonstrations and his standing in society should be enough to prove his case. The Royal Society rejected these explanations and pressed him again to repeat the experiments. They stated that his refusal questioned the honour of the Society. After months of pressure, Price agreed to perform another demonstration.
A Return to Guildford and a Final Act
Price went back to his Guildford laboratory in January 1783. He claimed he was preparing new powders. Instead, he distilled laurel water, which contained hydrogen cyanide. He wrote his will and months later returned to London to invite members of the Royal Society to attend a new demonstration.
On the chosen day only three members arrived. Price welcomed them, stepped aside and drank the laurel water he had prepared. The observers noticed his appearance change almost immediately. Before they could intervene, he died of cyanide poisoning on 31 July 1783.
James Price rose quickly in eighteenth century Britain and stunned audiences by claiming he could turn mercury into gold.
His early shows drew peers and scholars to his Guildford lab and set the stage for a final test he never intended to perform…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/yBCB5Tye5t
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) November 14, 2025