Value of $100 from 1937 to 1989
According to the Bureau of Statistics consumer price index, prices in 1989 are 2,040.00% higher than average prices since 1937. The Australian dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 6.07% per year during this period, causing the real value of a dollar to decrease.
In other words, $100 in 1937 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,140 in 1989, a difference of $2,040.00 over 52 years.
The 1937 inflation rate was 4.17%. The inflation rate in 1989 was 7.43%. The 1989 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 2.55% per year between 1989 and 2020.
⌃
| Cumulative price change | 2,040.00% |
| Average inflation rate | 6.07% |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $2,140 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $2,040.00 |
| CPI in 1937 | 2.500 |
| CPI in 1989 | 53.500 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 4.17% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 7.43% |
Buying power of $100 in 1937
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1937 (price index tracking began in 1922).
For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $2,140 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $100 is equivalent to $2,140 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Australian 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 1937 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 52 years.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, each of these AUD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1937 amounts in 1989 dollars, based on the 2,040.00% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1937 | $21.40 dollars in 1989 |
| $5 dollars in 1937 | $107.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $10 dollars in 1937 | $214.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $50 dollars in 1937 | $1,070.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $100 dollars in 1937 | $2,140.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $500 dollars in 1937 | $10,700.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $1,000 dollars in 1937 | $21,400.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $5,000 dollars in 1937 | $107,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $10,000 dollars in 1937 | $214,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $50,000 dollars in 1937 | $1,070,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $100,000 dollars in 1937 | $2,140,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $500,000 dollars in 1937 | $10,700,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1937 | $21,400,000.00 dollars in 1989 |
How to Calculate Inflation Rate for $100, 1937 to 1989
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1937 and 1989:
CPI in 1989
CPI in 1937
×
1937 AUD value
=
1989 AUD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Australian CPI was 2.5 in the year 1937 and 53.5 in 1989:
53.52.5
×
$100
=
$2,140
$100 in 1937 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $2,140 in 1989.
To get the total inflation rate for the 52 years between 1937 and 1989, we use the following formula:
CPI in 1989 - CPI in 1937CPI in 1937
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (52 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
53.5 - 2.52.5
×
100
=
2,040%
News headlines from 1937
Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time:
- The Second Sino-Japanese War starts when Japanese and Chinese troops clash at the Marco Polo Bridge.
- 193,000 Russians are executed by order of the Politburo's Operative Order 00447.
- Adolf Hitler and his military leaders hold a secret meeting where he reveals his plan to go to war.
Data Source & Citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Australia's annual (CPI) as provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The consumer price index was established in 1922 and is tracked by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “1937 dollars in 1989 | Australia Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 16 Jul. 2020, https://www.officialdata.org/1937-AUD-in-1989.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.
| Cumulative price change | 2,040.00% |
| Average inflation rate | 6.07% |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $2,140 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $2,040.00 |
| CPI in 1937 | 2.500 |
| CPI in 1989 | 53.500 |
| Inflation in 1937 | 4.17% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 7.43% |