$0.05 in 1921 is worth $0.03 in 1886

Value of $0.05 from 1921 to 1886

$0.05 in 1921 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $0.03 in 1886, an increase of $-0.02 over 35 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 1.86% per year between 1886 and 1921, producing a cumulative price increase of -47.49%.

This means that prices in 1886 are 47.49% lower than average prices since 1921, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.

The inflation rate in 1886 was -3.09%. The inflation rate in 1921 was -10.50%. The 1921 inflation rate is lower compared to the average inflation rate of 2.81% per year between 1921 and 2024.


Inflation from 1921 to 1886
Cumulative price change-47.49%
Average inflation rate1.86%
Converted amount
$0.05 base
$0.03
Price difference
$0.05 base
$-0.02
CPI in 192117.900
CPI in 18869.400
Inflation in 1886-3.09%
Inflation in 1921-10.50%
$0.05 in 1921$0.03 in 1886

USD inflation since 1886
Annual Rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI
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Buying power of $0.05 in 1886

This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $0.05 in 1886 (price index tracking began in 1635).

For example, if you started with $0.05, you would need to end with $0.03 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").

When $0.05 is equivalent to $0.03 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single U.S. dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.

This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1886 dollars, the chart below shows how $0.05 is worth less over 35 years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each of these USD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Dollar inflation: 1886-1921
YearDollar ValueInflation Rate
1886$0.05-3.09%
1887$0.051.06%
1888$0.050.00%
1889$0.05-3.16%
1890$0.05-1.09%
1891$0.050.00%
1892$0.050.00%
1893$0.05-1.10%
1894$0.05-4.44%
1895$0.04-2.33%
1896$0.040.00%
1897$0.04-1.19%
1898$0.040.00%
1899$0.040.00%
1900$0.041.20%
1901$0.051.19%
1902$0.051.18%
1903$0.052.33%
1904$0.051.14%
1905$0.05-1.12%
1906$0.052.27%
1907$0.054.44%
1908$0.05-2.13%
1909$0.05-1.09%
1910$0.054.40%
1911$0.050.00%
1912$0.052.11%
1913$0.052.06%
1914$0.051.01%
1915$0.051.00%
1916$0.067.92%
1917$0.0717.43%
1918$0.0817.97%
1919$0.0914.57%
1920$0.1115.61%
1921$0.10-10.50%
1922$0.09-6.15%
1923$0.091.79%
1924$0.090.00%
1925$0.092.34%
1926$0.091.14%
1927$0.09-1.69%
1928$0.09-1.72%
1929$0.090.00%
1930$0.09-2.34%
1931$0.08-8.98%
1932$0.07-9.87%
1933$0.07-5.11%
1934$0.073.08%
1935$0.072.24%
1936$0.071.46%
1937$0.083.60%
1938$0.08-2.08%
1939$0.07-1.42%
1940$0.070.72%
1941$0.085.00%
1942$0.0910.88%
1943$0.096.13%
1944$0.091.73%
1945$0.102.27%
1946$0.108.33%
1947$0.1214.36%
1948$0.138.07%
1949$0.13-1.24%
1950$0.131.26%
1951$0.147.88%
1952$0.141.92%
1953$0.140.75%
1954$0.140.75%
1955$0.14-0.37%
1956$0.141.49%
1957$0.153.31%
1958$0.152.85%
1959$0.150.69%
1960$0.161.72%
1961$0.161.01%
1962$0.161.00%
1963$0.161.32%
1964$0.161.31%
1965$0.171.61%
1966$0.172.86%
1967$0.183.09%
1968$0.194.19%
1969$0.205.46%
1970$0.215.72%
1971$0.224.38%
1972$0.223.21%
1973$0.246.22%
1974$0.2611.04%
1975$0.299.13%
1976$0.305.76%
1977$0.326.50%
1978$0.357.59%
1979$0.3911.35%
1980$0.4413.50%
1981$0.4810.32%
1982$0.516.16%
1983$0.533.21%
1984$0.554.32%
1985$0.573.56%
1986$0.581.86%
1987$0.603.65%
1988$0.634.14%
1989$0.664.82%
1990$0.705.40%
1991$0.724.21%
1992$0.753.01%
1993$0.772.99%
1994$0.792.56%
1995$0.812.83%
1996$0.832.95%
1997$0.852.29%
1998$0.871.56%
1999$0.892.21%
2000$0.923.36%
2001$0.942.85%
2002$0.961.58%
2003$0.982.28%
2004$1.002.66%
2005$1.043.39%
2006$1.073.23%
2007$1.102.85%
2008$1.153.84%
2009$1.14-0.36%
2010$1.161.64%
2011$1.203.16%
2012$1.222.07%
2013$1.241.46%
2014$1.261.62%
2015$1.260.12%
2016$1.281.26%
2017$1.302.13%
2018$1.342.49%
2019$1.361.76%
2020$1.381.23%
2021$1.444.70%
2022$1.568.00%
2023$1.624.12%
2024$1.651.85%*
* Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value.
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This conversion table shows various other 1886 amounts in 1921 dollars, based on the -47.49% change in prices:

Conversion: 1886 dollars in 1921
Initial valueEquivalent value
$1 dollar in 1886$1.90 dollars in 1921
$5 dollars in 1886$9.52 dollars in 1921
$10 dollars in 1886$19.04 dollars in 1921
$50 dollars in 1886$95.21 dollars in 1921
$100 dollars in 1886$190.43 dollars in 1921
$500 dollars in 1886$952.13 dollars in 1921
$1,000 dollars in 1886$1,904.26 dollars in 1921
$5,000 dollars in 1886$9,521.28 dollars in 1921
$10,000 dollars in 1886$19,042.55 dollars in 1921
$50,000 dollars in 1886$95,212.77 dollars in 1921
$100,000 dollars in 1886$190,425.53 dollars in 1921
$500,000 dollars in 1886$952,127.66 dollars in 1921
$1,000,000 dollars in 1886$1,904,255.32 dollars in 1921

Inflation by Country

Inflation can also vary widely by country. For comparison, in the UK £0.05 in 1921 would be equivalent to £0.02 in 1886, an absolute change of £-0.03 and a cumulative change of -62.34%.

Compare these numbers to the US's overall absolute change of $-0.02 and total percent change of -47.49%.


Inflation by Spending Category

CPI is the weighted combination of many categories of spending that are tracked by the government. Breaking down these categories helps explain the main drivers behind price changes.

This chart shows the average rate of inflation for select CPI categories between 1921 and 1886.

Compare these values to the overall average of 1.86% per year:

CategoryAvg Inflation (%)Total Inflation (%)$0.05 in 1886 → 1921
Food and beverages0.000.000.05
Housing0.000.000.05
Apparel9.862,591.191.35
Transportation0.000.000.05
Medical care0.000.000.05
Recreation0.000.000.05
Education and communication0.000.000.05
Other goods and services0.000.000.05

The graph below compares inflation in categories of goods over time. Click on a category such as "Food" to toggle it on or off:

For all these visualizations, it's important to note that not all categories may have been tracked since 1921. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.



How to calculate inflation rate for $0.05, 1886 to 1921

Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1886 and 1921:

CPI in 1886 CPI in 1921
×
1921 USD value
=
1886 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 17.9 in the year 1921 and 9.4 in 1886:

9.417.9
×
$0.05
=
$0.03

$0.05 in 1921 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $0.03 in 1886.

To get the total inflation rate for the 35 years between 1886 and 1921, we use the following formula:

CPI in 1886 - CPI in 1921CPI in 1921
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (35 years)

Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:

9.4 - 17.917.9
×
100
=
-47%

Data source & citation

Raw data for these calculations comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (CPI), established in 1913. Price index data from 1774 to 1912 is sourced from a historical study conducted by political science professor Robert Sahr at Oregon State University and from the American Antiquarian Society. Price index data from 1634 to 1773 is from the American Antiquarian Society, using British pound equivalents.

You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$0.05 in 1921 → 1886 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 29 Mar. 2024, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1921?endYear=1886&amount=0.05.

Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.


Ian Webster

About the author

Ian Webster is an engineer and data expert based in San Mateo, California. He has worked for Google, NASA, and consulted for governments around the world on data pipelines and data analysis. Disappointed by the lack of clear resources on the impacts of inflation on economic indicators, Ian believes this website serves as a valuable public tool. Ian earned his degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.

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» Read more about inflation and investment.

Inflation from 1921 to 1886
Cumulative price change-47.49%
Average inflation rate1.86%
Converted amount
$0.05 base
$0.03
Price difference
$0.05 base
$-0.02
CPI in 192117.900
CPI in 18869.400
Inflation in 1886-3.09%
Inflation in 1921-10.50%
$0.05 in 1921$0.03 in 1886