2026-01-14
Lessons in Value Over Time (What a Dollar Used to Buy)
In 1964, a silver quarter bought a gallon of gas. In 2026, the silver inside that same quarter STILL buys a gallon of gas. That is the lesson.
We are taught that prices go up. This is a lie. Prices stay the same. The currency goes down.
The Gas Station Index
- 1964: Gas was $0.30/gallon. (A silver quarter bought almost a gallon).
- Today: Gas is $4.50/gallon.
- The Math: The melt value of a 1964 silver quarter today is roughly $4.50.
The Lesson: Silver didn't "go up." Silver just sat there. The Dollar collapsed around it. Store your labor in things that cannot be printed.
The Inflation Destroyer
Our 'Purchasing Power Calculator' shows you how many hours you had to work to buy a steak in 1950 vs today. It is shocking.