$1 in 1740 is worth $1.05 in 1738

Value of $1 from 1740 to 1738

$1 in 1740 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.05 in 1738, a difference of $0.05 over 2 years. The dollar had an average deflation rate of -2.47% per year since 1738, producing a cumulative price change of 5.13%.

This means that prices in 1738 are 1.05 times as high as average prices since 1740, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.

The inflation rate in 1738 was 2.50%. The inflation rate in 1740 was 5.41%. The 1740 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 1.55% per year between 1740 and 2024.


Inflation from 1740 to 1738
Cumulative price change5.13%
Average inflation rate-2.47%
Converted amount
$1 base
$1.05
Price difference
$1 base
$0.05
CPI in 17403.900
CPI in 17384.100
Inflation in 17382.50%
Inflation in 17405.41%
$1 in 1740$1.05 in 1738

Recent USD inflation
Annual Rate, the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI
Download

Buying power of $1 in 1738

This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $1 in 1738 (price index tracking began in 1635).

For example, if you started with $1, you would need to end with $1.05 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").

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: 1738-1740
YearDollar ValueInflation Rate
1738$1.002.50%
1739$0.90-9.76%
1740$0.955.41%
1741$1.5966.67%
1742$1.41-10.77%
1743$1.27-10.34%
1744$1.17-7.69%
1745$1.12-4.17%
1746$1.174.35%
1747$1.2910.42%
1748$1.5418.87%
1749$1.561.59%
1750$1.560.00%
1751$1.560.00%
1752$1.613.12%
1753$1.56-3.03%
1754$1.49-4.69%
1755$1.46-1.64%
1756$1.41-3.33%
1757$1.516.90%
1758$1.638.06%
1759$1.9317.91%
1760$1.85-3.80%
1761$1.68-9.21%
1762$1.838.70%
1763$1.830.00%
1764$1.71-6.67%
1765$1.762.86%
1766$1.886.94%
1767$1.85-1.30%
1768$1.76-5.26%
1769$1.855.56%
1770$2.007.89%
1771$1.90-4.88%
1772$2.2216.67%
1773$2.10-5.49%
1774$1.98-5.81%
1775$1.88-4.94%
1776$2.1212.99%
1777$2.5921.84%
1778$3.3730.19%
1779$2.98-11.59%
1780$3.3412.30%
1781$2.71-18.98%
1782$2.959.01%
1783$2.59-12.40%
1784$2.49-3.77%
1785$2.37-4.90%
1786$2.32-2.06%
1787$2.27-2.11%
1788$2.17-4.30%
1789$2.15-1.12%
1790$2.244.55%
1791$2.292.17%
1792$2.342.13%
1793$2.413.13%
1794$2.6811.11%
1795$3.0714.55%
1796$3.224.76%
1797$3.10-3.79%
1798$3.00-3.15%
1799$3.000.00%
1800$3.072.44%
1801$3.100.79%
1802$2.61-15.75%
1803$2.765.61%
1804$2.884.42%
1805$2.85-0.85%
1806$2.984.27%
1807$2.83-4.92%
1808$3.078.62%
1809$3.00-2.38%
1810$3.000.00%
1811$3.206.50%
1812$3.241.53%
1813$3.9020.30%
1814$4.2910.00%
1815$3.76-12.50%
1816$3.44-8.44%
1817$3.24-5.67%
1818$3.10-4.51%
1819$3.100.00%
1820$2.85-7.87%
1821$2.76-3.42%
1822$2.853.54%
1823$2.56-10.26%
1824$2.37-7.62%
1825$2.412.06%
1826$2.410.00%
1827$2.441.01%
1828$2.32-5.00%
1829$2.27-2.11%
1830$2.24-1.08%
1831$2.12-5.43%
1832$2.10-1.15%
1833$2.05-2.33%
1834$2.102.38%
1835$2.152.33%
1836$2.275.68%
1837$2.343.23%
1838$2.27-3.12%
1839$2.270.00%
1840$2.12-6.45%
1841$2.120.00%
1842$2.00-5.75%
1843$1.80-9.76%
1844$1.831.35%
1845$1.851.33%
1846$1.881.32%
1847$2.006.49%
1848$1.93-3.66%
1849$1.88-2.53%
1850$1.901.30%
1851$1.88-1.28%
1852$1.880.00%
1853$1.880.00%
1854$2.059.09%
1855$2.123.57%
1856$2.07-2.30%
1857$2.122.35%
1858$2.00-5.75%
1859$2.021.22%
1860$2.020.00%
1861$2.156.02%
1862$2.4614.77%
1863$3.0724.75%
1864$3.8324.60%
1865$3.983.82%
1866$3.88-2.45%
1867$3.61-6.92%
1868$3.46-4.05%
1869$3.32-4.23%
1870$3.20-3.68%
1871$2.98-6.87%
1872$2.980.00%
1873$2.93-1.64%
1874$2.78-5.00%
1875$2.68-3.51%
1876$2.61-2.73%
1877$2.56-1.87%
1878$2.44-4.76%
1879$2.440.00%
1880$2.492.00%
1881$2.490.00%
1882$2.490.00%
1883$2.46-0.98%
1884$2.39-2.97%
1885$2.37-1.02%
1886$2.29-3.09%
1887$2.321.06%
1888$2.320.00%
1889$2.24-3.16%
1890$2.22-1.09%
1891$2.220.00%
1892$2.220.00%
1893$2.20-1.10%
1894$2.10-4.44%
1895$2.05-2.33%
1896$2.050.00%
1897$2.02-1.19%
1898$2.020.00%
1899$2.020.00%
1900$2.051.20%
1901$2.071.19%
1902$2.101.18%
1903$2.152.33%
1904$2.171.14%
1905$2.15-1.12%
1906$2.202.27%
1907$2.294.44%
1908$2.24-2.13%
1909$2.22-1.09%
1910$2.324.40%
1911$2.320.00%
1912$2.372.11%
1913$2.412.06%
1914$2.441.01%
1915$2.461.00%
1916$2.667.92%
1917$3.1217.43%
1918$3.6817.97%
1919$4.2214.57%
1920$4.8815.61%
1921$4.37-10.50%
1922$4.10-6.15%
1923$4.171.79%
1924$4.170.00%
1925$4.272.34%
1926$4.321.14%
1927$4.24-1.69%
1928$4.17-1.72%
1929$4.170.00%
1930$4.07-2.34%
1931$3.71-8.98%
1932$3.34-9.87%
1933$3.17-5.11%
1934$3.273.08%
1935$3.342.24%
1936$3.391.46%
1937$3.513.60%
1938$3.44-2.08%
1939$3.39-1.42%
1940$3.410.72%
1941$3.595.00%
1942$3.9810.88%
1943$4.226.13%
1944$4.291.73%
1945$4.392.27%
1946$4.768.33%
1947$5.4414.36%
1948$5.888.07%
1949$5.80-1.24%
1950$5.881.26%
1951$6.347.88%
1952$6.461.92%
1953$6.510.75%
1954$6.560.75%
1955$6.54-0.37%
1956$6.631.49%
1957$6.853.31%
1958$7.052.85%
1959$7.100.69%
1960$7.221.72%
1961$7.291.01%
1962$7.371.00%
1963$7.461.32%
1964$7.561.31%
1965$7.681.61%
1966$7.902.86%
1967$8.153.09%
1968$8.494.19%
1969$8.955.46%
1970$9.465.72%
1971$9.884.38%
1972$10.203.21%
1973$10.836.22%
1974$12.0211.04%
1975$13.129.13%
1976$13.885.76%
1977$14.786.50%
1978$15.907.59%
1979$17.7111.35%
1980$20.1013.50%
1981$22.1710.32%
1982$23.546.16%
1983$24.293.21%
1984$25.344.32%
1985$26.243.56%
1986$26.731.86%
1987$27.713.65%
1988$28.854.14%
1989$30.244.82%
1990$31.885.40%
1991$33.224.21%
1992$34.223.01%
1993$35.242.99%
1994$36.152.56%
1995$37.172.83%
1996$38.272.95%
1997$39.152.29%
1998$39.761.56%
1999$40.632.21%
2000$42.003.36%
2001$43.202.85%
2002$43.881.58%
2003$44.882.28%
2004$46.072.66%
2005$47.633.39%
2006$49.173.23%
2007$50.572.85%
2008$52.513.84%
2009$52.33-0.36%
2010$53.181.64%
2011$54.863.16%
2012$56.002.07%
2013$56.821.46%
2014$57.741.62%
2015$57.810.12%
2016$58.541.26%
2017$59.792.13%
2018$61.282.49%
2019$62.361.76%
2020$63.121.23%
2021$66.094.70%
2022$71.388.00%
2023$74.324.12%
2024$75.691.85%*
* Compared to previous annual rate. Not final. See inflation summary for latest 12-month trailing value.

This conversion table shows various other 1738 amounts in 1740 dollars, based on the 5.13% change in prices:

Conversion: 1738 dollars in 1740
Initial valueEquivalent value
$1 dollar in 1738$0.95 dollars in 1740
$5 dollars in 1738$4.76 dollars in 1740
$10 dollars in 1738$9.51 dollars in 1740
$50 dollars in 1738$47.56 dollars in 1740
$100 dollars in 1738$95.12 dollars in 1740
$500 dollars in 1738$475.61 dollars in 1740
$1,000 dollars in 1738$951.22 dollars in 1740
$5,000 dollars in 1738$4,756.10 dollars in 1740
$10,000 dollars in 1738$9,512.20 dollars in 1740
$50,000 dollars in 1738$47,560.98 dollars in 1740
$100,000 dollars in 1738$95,121.95 dollars in 1740
$500,000 dollars in 1738$475,609.76 dollars in 1740
$1,000,000 dollars in 1738$951,219.51 dollars in 1740

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 1740 and 1738.

Compare these values to the overall average of -2.47% per year:

CategoryAvg Inflation (%)Total Inflation (%)$1 in 1738 → 1740
Food and beverages0.000.001.00
Housing0.000.001.00
Apparel0.000.001.00
Transportation0.000.001.00
Medical care0.000.001.00
Recreation0.000.001.00
Education and communication0.000.001.00
Other goods and services0.000.001.00

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 1740. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.



How to calculate inflation rate for $1, 1738 to 1740

Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1738 and 1740:

CPI in 1738 CPI in 1740
×
1740 USD value
=
1738 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 3.9 in the year 1740 and 4.1 in 1738:

4.13.9
×
$1
=
$1.05

$1 in 1740 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $1.05 in 1738.

To get the total inflation rate for the 2 years between 1738 and 1740, we use the following formula:

CPI in 1738 - CPI in 1740CPI in 1740
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (2 years)

Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:

4.1 - 3.93.9
×
100
=
5%

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: “$1 in 1740 → 1738 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 28 Mar. 2024, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1740?amount=1&endYear=1738.

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.


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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Inflation from 1740 to 1738
Cumulative price change5.13%
Average inflation rate-2.47%
Converted amount
$1 base
$1.05
Price difference
$1 base
$0.05
CPI in 17403.900
CPI in 17384.100
Inflation in 17382.50%
Inflation in 17405.41%
$1 in 1740$1.05 in 1738