The Great Gross is a fascinating old-world unit of measure that might surprise many with its sheer scale. Representing 12 Gross (or 144 dozens), a Great Gross equals a whopping 1,728 individual items! Used historically in wholesale trade, especially during the medieval and early modern periods in Europe, this unit provided efficiency in large-scale commerce, allowing for easy calculation and transaction in bulk goods like candles, eggs, or textiles.
While not commonly used in modern trade, the Great Gross underscores historical trade practices and quantification in a world before digital analytics. Imagine being a merchant in a bustling market, selling your goods in Great Grosses—an image that conjures the vibrant rhythms of bygone eras and highlights the evolution of our measurement systems over time.
A “small gross” may sound peculiar in the world of measurements, yet it holds a significant niche in the realm of counting. A small gross equals 120 units, serving as a fascinating intermediate between a dozen and a gross. This unit reflects the duodecimal system’s influence, a base-12 number system used historically in trade and counting, particularly before the widespread adoption of the decimal system. While its usage is rarer today, it was once quite practical for merchandise packaging and bulk items, highlighting humanity’s penchant for diverse mathematical solutions in different eras. Rediscovering units like the small gross bridges the gap between historical trade practices and modern numerical systems, shedding light on how societies have quantified goods across centuries.
| Great Gross | Small Gross |
|---|---|
0
gr-gr
|
0
sm-gr
|
0.5
gr-gr
|
7.2
sm-gr
|
1
gr-gr
|
14.4
sm-gr
|
1.5
gr-gr
|
21.6
sm-gr
|
2
gr-gr
|
28.8
sm-gr
|
2.5
gr-gr
|
36
sm-gr
|
3
gr-gr
|
43.2
sm-gr
|
3.5
gr-gr
|
50.4
sm-gr
|
4
gr-gr
|
57.6
sm-gr
|
4.5
gr-gr
|
64.8
sm-gr
|
5
gr-gr
|
72
sm-gr
|
5.5
gr-gr
|
79.2
sm-gr
|
6
gr-gr
|
86.4
sm-gr
|
6.5
gr-gr
|
93.6
sm-gr
|
7
gr-gr
|
100.8
sm-gr
|
7.5
gr-gr
|
108
sm-gr
|
8
gr-gr
|
115.2
sm-gr
|
8.5
gr-gr
|
122.4
sm-gr
|
9
gr-gr
|
129.6
sm-gr
|
9.5
gr-gr
|
136.8
sm-gr
|
10
gr-gr
|
144
sm-gr
|
10.5
gr-gr
|
151.2
sm-gr
|
11
gr-gr
|
158.4
sm-gr
|
11.5
gr-gr
|
165.6
sm-gr
|
12
gr-gr
|
172.8
sm-gr
|
12.5
gr-gr
|
180
sm-gr
|
13
gr-gr
|
187.2
sm-gr
|
13.5
gr-gr
|
194.4
sm-gr
|
14
gr-gr
|
201.6
sm-gr
|
14.5
gr-gr
|
208.8
sm-gr
|
15
gr-gr
|
216
sm-gr
|
15.5
gr-gr
|
223.2
sm-gr
|
16
gr-gr
|
230.4
sm-gr
|
16.5
gr-gr
|
237.6
sm-gr
|
17
gr-gr
|
244.8
sm-gr
|
17.5
gr-gr
|
252
sm-gr
|
18
gr-gr
|
259.2
sm-gr
|
18.5
gr-gr
|
266.4
sm-gr
|
19
gr-gr
|
273.6
sm-gr
|
19.5
gr-gr
|
280.8
sm-gr
|
20
gr-gr
|
288
sm-gr
|
20.5
gr-gr
|
295.2
sm-gr
|
21
gr-gr
|
302.4
sm-gr
|
21.5
gr-gr
|
309.6
sm-gr
|
22
gr-gr
|
316.8
sm-gr
|
22.5
gr-gr
|
324
sm-gr
|
23
gr-gr
|
331.2
sm-gr
|
23.5
gr-gr
|
338.4
sm-gr
|
24
gr-gr
|
345.6
sm-gr
|
24.5
gr-gr
|
352.8
sm-gr
|
25
gr-gr
|
360
sm-gr
|
25.5
gr-gr
|
367.2
sm-gr
|
26
gr-gr
|
374.4
sm-gr
|
26.5
gr-gr
|
381.6
sm-gr
|
27
gr-gr
|
388.8
sm-gr
|
27.5
gr-gr
|
396
sm-gr
|
28
gr-gr
|
403.2
sm-gr
|
28.5
gr-gr
|
410.4
sm-gr
|
29
gr-gr
|
417.6
sm-gr
|
29.5
gr-gr
|
424.8
sm-gr
|
30
gr-gr
|
432
sm-gr
|
30.5
gr-gr
|
439.2
sm-gr
|
31
gr-gr
|
446.4
sm-gr
|
31.5
gr-gr
|
453.6
sm-gr
|
32
gr-gr
|
460.8
sm-gr
|
32.5
gr-gr
|
468
sm-gr
|
33
gr-gr
|
475.2
sm-gr
|
33.5
gr-gr
|
482.4
sm-gr
|
34
gr-gr
|
489.6
sm-gr
|
34.5
gr-gr
|
496.8
sm-gr
|
35
gr-gr
|
504
sm-gr
|
35.5
gr-gr
|
511.2
sm-gr
|
36
gr-gr
|
518.4
sm-gr
|
36.5
gr-gr
|
525.6
sm-gr
|
37
gr-gr
|
532.8
sm-gr
|
37.5
gr-gr
|
540
sm-gr
|
38
gr-gr
|
547.2
sm-gr
|
38.5
gr-gr
|
554.4
sm-gr
|
39
gr-gr
|
561.6
sm-gr
|
39.5
gr-gr
|
568.8
sm-gr
|
40
gr-gr
|
576
sm-gr
|
40.5
gr-gr
|
583.2
sm-gr
|
41
gr-gr
|
590.4
sm-gr
|
41.5
gr-gr
|
597.6
sm-gr
|
42
gr-gr
|
604.8
sm-gr
|
42.5
gr-gr
|
612
sm-gr
|
43
gr-gr
|
619.2
sm-gr
|
43.5
gr-gr
|
626.4
sm-gr
|
44
gr-gr
|
633.6
sm-gr
|
44.5
gr-gr
|
640.8
sm-gr
|
45
gr-gr
|
648
sm-gr
|
45.5
gr-gr
|
655.2
sm-gr
|
46
gr-gr
|
662.4
sm-gr
|
46.5
gr-gr
|
669.6
sm-gr
|
47
gr-gr
|
676.8
sm-gr
|
47.5
gr-gr
|
684
sm-gr
|
48
gr-gr
|
691.2
sm-gr
|
48.5
gr-gr
|
698.4
sm-gr
|
49
gr-gr
|
705.6
sm-gr
|
49.5
gr-gr
|
712.8
sm-gr
|
50
gr-gr
|
720
sm-gr
|
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