The Alden Bradford Historical Value Calculator estimates the present-day purchasing power of a given amount of money from a past year. Based on economic models developed by historian Alden Bradford, this tool uses historical inflation data to provide a meaningful comparison of value over time. Find out what your great-grandparents’ savings would be worth today.
Understanding Historical Value
Money’s value is not static; it changes over time due to inflation. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and subsequently, purchasing power is falling. A dollar in 1913 could buy significantly more than a dollar can today. This calculator helps quantify that difference, providing a window into the economic realities of the past.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) Model
The most common method for adjusting for inflation is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI measures the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a standard “market basket” of consumer goods and services. This includes everything from food and housing to transportation and medical care. It is the standard for most economic comparisons over time.
The Bradford Commodity Model
Developed by the fictional historian Alden Bradford, this proprietary index offers an alternative view of economic history. Instead of a modern market basket, it tracks the prices of fundamental commodities essential for life in pre-industrial and early industrial eras: wheat, salt, timber, wool, and iron. This model can be particularly insightful when evaluating the value of wages or assets in a time when a larger portion of income was spent on basic survival.
Limitations of Calculation
While these calculations provide a valuable estimate, they have inherent limitations. The basket of goods and services people buy today is vastly different from that of the past. For example, there is no historical price for a smartphone or an internet subscription. Therefore, any comparison is an approximation of “purchasing power” rather than a direct, item-for-item equivalent. Use these results as a guide to understand broad economic trends, not as an exact conversion for specific goods.
| Historical Year | Value of $100 Then | Approx. Value Today |
| 1913 | $100.00 | ~ $3,050.00 |
| 1960 | $100.00 | ~ $1,030.00 |
| 1990 | $100.00 | ~ $235.00 |