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$100 in 1938 → $3,107.69 in 2004

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$100 in 1938 → $3,107.69 in 2004

Australian Inflation Rate, $100 in 1938 to 2004

According to the Bureau of Statistics consumer price index, prices in 2004 are 3,007.69% higher than average prices throughout 1938. The dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 5.34% per year during this period, meaning the real value of a dollar decreased.

In other words, $100 in 1938 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $3,107.69 in 2004, a difference of $3,007.69 over 66 years.

The 1938 inflation rate was 4.00%. The inflation rate in 2004 was 2.28%. The 2004 inflation rate is lower compared to the average inflation rate of 2.37% per year between 2004 and 2019.

⌃
Inflation from 1938 to 2004
Cumulative price change 3,007.69%
Average inflation rate 5.34%
Converted amount ($100 base) $3,107.69
Price difference ($100 base) $3,007.69
CPI in 1938 2.600
CPI in 2004 80.800
Inflation in 1938 4.00%
Inflation in 2004 2.28%

AUD inflation chart from 1922 to 2017

Buying power of $100 in 1938

This chart shows calculation of buying power equivalence, often referred to as "the value of a dollar" over time for $100 in 1938 (price index tracking began in 1922).

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

Year Dollar Value Inflation Rate
1938 $100.00 4.00%
1939 $100.00 0.00%
1940 $103.85 3.85%
1941 $107.69 3.70%
1942 $119.23 10.71%
1943 $123.08 3.23%
1944 $123.08 0.00%
1945 $123.08 0.00%
1946 $123.08 0.00%
1947 $130.77 6.25%
1948 $142.31 8.82%
1949 $153.85 8.11%
1950 $169.23 10.00%
1951 $200.00 18.18%
1952 $234.62 17.31%
1953 $246.15 4.92%
1954 $250.00 1.56%
1955 $253.85 1.54%
1956 $269.23 6.06%
1957 $276.92 2.86%
1958 $276.92 0.00%
1959 $284.62 2.78%
1960 $296.15 4.05%
1961 $300.00 1.30%
1962 $300.00 0.00%
1963 $303.85 1.28%
1964 $311.54 2.53%
1965 $323.08 3.70%
1966 $330.77 2.38%
1967 $342.31 3.49%
1968 $353.85 3.37%
1969 $365.38 3.26%
1970 $376.92 3.16%
1971 $400.00 6.12%
1972 $423.08 5.77%
1973 $461.54 9.09%
1974 $534.62 15.83%
1975 $615.38 15.11%
1976 $696.15 13.13%
1977 $780.77 12.15%
1978 $842.31 7.88%
1979 $919.23 9.13%
1980 $1,015.38 10.46%
1981 $1,111.54 9.47%
1982 $1,234.62 11.07%
1983 $1,361.54 10.28%
1984 $1,415.38 3.95%
1985 $1,507.69 6.52%
1986 $1,646.15 9.18%
1987 $1,784.62 8.41%
1988 $1,915.38 7.33%
1989 $2,057.69 7.43%
1990 $2,211.54 7.48%
1991 $2,280.77 3.13%
1992 $2,303.85 1.01%
1993 $2,342.31 1.67%
1994 $2,388.46 1.97%
1995 $2,500.00 4.67%
1996 $2,565.38 2.62%
1997 $2,573.08 0.30%
1998 $2,592.31 0.75%
1999 $2,630.77 1.48%
2000 $2,750.00 4.53%
2001 $2,869.23 4.34%
2002 $2,957.69 3.08%
2003 $3,038.46 2.73%
2004 $3,107.69 2.28%
2005 $3,192.31 2.72%
2006 $3,303.85 3.49%
2007 $3,380.77 2.33%
2008 $3,530.77 4.44%
2009 $3,592.31 1.74%
2010 $3,696.15 2.89%
2011 $3,819.23 3.33%
2012 $3,884.62 1.71%
2013 $3,980.77 2.48%
2014 $4,080.77 2.51%
2015 $4,142.31 1.51%
2016 $4,196.15 1.30%
2017 $4,276.92 1.92%
2018 $4,330.77 1.26%
2019 $4,413.05 1.90%*
* Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value.
Click to show 60 more rows

How to Calculate Inflation Rate for $100, 1938 to 2004

This inflation calculator uses the following inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2004CPI in 1938
×
1938 AUD value
=
2004 AUD value

Then plug in historical CPI values. The Australian CPI was 2.6 in the year 1938 and 80.8 in 2004:

80.82.6
×
$100
=
$3,107.69

$100 in 1938 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $3,107.69 in 2004.

To get the total inflation rate for the 66 years between 1938 and 2004, we use the following formula:

CPI in 2004 - CPI in 1938CPI in 1938
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (66 years)

Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:

80.8 - 2.62.6
×
100
=
3,008%

News headlines from 1938

Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time:

  • Anthony Eden resigns as United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary after stating that Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain has appeased Nazi Germany.
  • Czechoslovakia is forced to give territory to Germany after the Treaty of Munich was signed by Hitler, Mussolini, Daladier and Chamberlain.
  • Joseph Kennedy is named the 44th US Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

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: “1938 dollars in 2004 | Australia Inflation Calculator.” U.S. Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 10 Dec. 2019, https://www.officialdata.org/1938-AUD-in-2004.

Special thanks to QuickChart for providing downloadable chart images.

in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.

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 1938 to 2004
Cumulative price change 3,007.69%
Average inflation rate 5.34%
Converted amount ($100 base) $3,107.69
Price difference ($100 base) $3,007.69
CPI in 1938 2.600
CPI in 2004 80.800
Inflation in 1938 4.00%
Inflation in 2004 2.28%
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