(Graph) The Fall of the US Dollar 1800-2009

Click Here for the large graph depicting the fall of the US Dollar from 1800-2009.

We're currently at -193% of it's value...

you might not know it but the Fall of the Dollar should be on your list of major concerns. If the Dollar loses value everything will cost more and more. (does that sound familiar?)

Zero Hedge

It really is a wonderful graph to look at.

I hate it when I post this stuff at 2am and everyone misses it.

Deny Ignorance!

Notice the massive drop when the federal reserve was created. It's almost all been downhill from there. I didn't know there was such a large drop during the civil war but since I'm not American and don't have much of a general interest in that period I know next to nothing about that period of American history. Regardless it's safe to say that war is bad for the US dollar, both foreign and domestic wars.

reply to post by Jacob08


The Civil War split the country in half and the Confederate side created their own money. That's one of the main reasons the greenback fell during that period.

Wife and I were talking about this graph the other day... Most notably the final comment in his final bubble...

Now try to imagine what your life might be like if every dollar that you had bought you 20 times as much stuff... This is the cost of inflation.

EXACTLY! When I was much younger, interest rates were very high. It discouraged people from buying big ticket items and encouraged saving. So, I saved as a teenager and put my savings as a big down payment on a new car back in the early 80's (under pres Carter.)

Interest rates when I was a teenager buying a new car were 21%-23%. New off the lot, the car was about $8,500. Payments were something like $150+ a month. No problem.

Now, the thing is that wages for a teenager (or anyone) haven't really changed, yet the cost of a new car has skyrocketed because of inflation.

Yeah, you might get 0% financing these days but looking at a comparable vehicle (from 1985) is priced close to $18,000 these days. Putting $2,000 cash, as I did, for a down payment won't get you far either.

Financing $16,000 for even as much as 7 years at 0% is completely out of touch with what money USED to be able to buy.

It's infuriating to see the value of dollar depreciated to such lows in EVERY daily transaction.

/rant off
... the numbers maybe off a bit, but I can attest that they are close and reasonable...

Thanks for posting the graph! The OP gives me yet another reason to vent!
This economy needs to be righted and the manipulative banksters need to go... very soon.


[edit on 8·31·09 by DrMattMaddix]

reply to post by DrMattMaddix


It's pretty sad when people in their 20s are having "I remember when..." conversations with each other.