What is the general market price of rhino horn per gram?
Rhino horn is the horn of animals in the family Rhinocerotidae, such as the white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, and Sumatran rhinoceros. The number of horns varies by species: the white rhinoceros and black rhinoceros of Africa both have two horns, while in Asia only the Sumatran rhinoceros has two horns, and the other two species each have only one horn. Let us take a look below at how much rhino horn costs per gram!
How much does rhino horn cost per gram?
Rhino horn is scarce in the world and has extremely high medicinal value, and therefore has extremely high economic value. At present it is about 2000 yuan per gram, 10 times the value of the same weight of gold. Since 1993, China has prohibited trade in rhino horn (including any identifiable part of it and medicines, handicrafts, etc. containing its ingredients), and has abolished the medicinal standard for rhino horn. The sale, purchase, transport, carrying and mailing of rhino horn are all to be investigated and dealt with according to law, so there is now a price but no market. It is probably around 2000 yuan per gram, or even more expensive, but there is nowhere to buy it.
Methods for identifying rhino horn
1. The horn is short and thick with a very large base, and the inside of the horn shell is filled with a substance of evenly distributed hair pores.
2. Observed under a high-power microscope, the cross-section shows a “fish-roe pattern” texture, which is a feature unique to rhino horn.
3. Soaking it in hot water releases a distinctive fresh fragrance.
4. The outer skin of the horn is wrinkled and lusterless, and the internal tissue is semi-transparent, with elongated fibrous thread-like lines running lengthwise.
Classification of rhino horn by species
1. Black rhinoceros: The black rhinoceros is distributed in eastern and southern Africa. Its skin color is actually dark brown, not pure black. The black rhinoceros can grow to a shoulder height of 1.5 m and a body weight of 2300 kg, and its front and rear horns can reach 1.2 m in length.
2. Square-lipped rhinoceros: The square-lipped rhinoceros is yellow or grayish-white over its whole body and is distributed in South Africa, southern Sudan, Uganda and eastern Zaire. It gets its name from its wide mouth and nose. The square-lipped rhinoceros is the largest of all rhinoceroses, growing to a shoulder height of 2 m and 3600 kg. The front horn is usually 90 cm long and can grow up to 1.5 m.
3. Indian rhinoceros: The Indian rhinoceros is gray or white and is distributed in Assam in northern India and in Nepal. It grows only one horn, which rarely exceeds 30 cm, and the horn of the female rhinoceros is even shorter, but the base of their rhino horn can be as wide as 15 cm. The great Indian rhinoceros can reach a shoulder height of 1.7 m and a body weight of more than 1800 kg.
4. Javan rhinoceros: The skin color of the Javan rhinoceros is between gray and black. It can grow to a shoulder height of 1.4 m and a body weight of more than 900 kg, and grows only one rhino horn. The horn of the male can be up to 25 cm long, while the female either has a shorter horn or no horn. This rhinoceros is mainly distributed in Java.
5. Sumatran rhinoceros: The Sumatran rhinoceros is distributed in southeastern Asia. Its skin color is between gray and black, and it has short, stiff body hair and a short, blunt rhino horn. It can grow to a shoulder height of 1.4 m, but its body weight is still less than 900 kg.