United States Currency Errors. Double Denomination A double denomination note has differing face and back values, for example a $5 face with a $10 back. Double denomination errors are exceedingly rare and valuable. The number in existence is very low. The 1981 series $5 bills are worth around $7.50 in very fine condition. Uncirculated bills with a grade of MS 63 can sell for around $25. The 1981A series $5 bills are worth around $15 in very fine condition. Uncirculated bills with a grade of MS 63 can sell for around $35-50.
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| Item | Info |
|---|---|
| Series | 1977a |
| Type | Federal Reserve Note |
| Seal Varieties | One: Green |
| Signature Varieties | 1. Morton - Miller |
| Varieties | 12 Banks Issued Notes: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, San Francisco, St. Louis |
| Star Notes | 12 Varieties with Star Serial Numbers. |
| See Also | If your note doesn't match try: 1. 1974 $5 Federal Reserve Note 2. 1977 $5 Federal Reserve Note 3. 1977A $5 Federal Reserve Note 4. 1981 $5 Federal Reserve Note 5. 1982 $5 Federal Reserve Note 6. 1981A $5 Federal Reserve Note 7. 1985 $5 Federal Reserve Note |
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Why a dollar today is worth only 23% of a dollar in 1977
Updated: November 12, 2020According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, today's prices in 2020 are329.68% higher thanaverage prices since 1977.This means that a dollar today only buys 23.27% of what it could buy in 1977.The U.S. dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 3.45% per year during this period, causing the real value of a dollar to decrease.
In other words, $100 in 1977 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $429.68 in 2020, a difference of $329.68 over 43 years.
The 1977 inflation rate was 6.50%. The current year-over-year inflation rate (2019 to 2020) is now 1.18%1.If this number holds, $100 today will be equivalent in buying power to $101.18 next year.The current inflation rate page gives more detail on the latest official inflation rates.
| Cumulative price change | 329.68% |
| Average inflation rate | 3.45% |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $429.68 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $329.68 |
| CPI in 1977 | 60.600 |
| CPI in 2020 | 260.388 |
| Inflation in 1977 | 6.50% |
| Inflation in 2020 | 1.18% |
Buying power of $100 in 1977
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1977 (price index tracking began in 1635).
For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $429.68 in order to 'adjust' for inflation (sometimes refered to as 'beating inflation').
When $100 is equivalent to $429.68 over time, that means that the 'real value' of a single U.S. 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 1977 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 43 years.
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:
| Year | Dollar Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | $100.00 | 6.50% |
| 1978 | $107.59 | 7.59% |
| 1979 | $119.80 | 11.35% |
| 1980 | $135.97 | 13.50% |
| 1981 | $150.00 | 10.32% |
| 1982 | $159.24 | 6.16% |
| 1983 | $164.36 | 3.21% |
| 1984 | $171.45 | 4.32% |
| 1985 | $177.56 | 3.56% |
| 1986 | $180.86 | 1.86% |
| 1987 | $187.46 | 3.65% |
| 1988 | $195.21 | 4.14% |
| 1989 | $204.62 | 4.82% |
| 1990 | $215.68 | 5.40% |
| 1991 | $224.75 | 4.21% |
| 1992 | $231.52 | 3.01% |
| 1993 | $238.45 | 2.99% |
| 1994 | $244.55 | 2.56% |
| 1995 | $251.49 | 2.83% |
| 1996 | $258.91 | 2.95% |
| 1997 | $264.85 | 2.29% |
| 1998 | $268.98 | 1.56% |
| 1999 | $274.92 | 2.21% |
| 2000 | $284.16 | 3.36% |
| 2001 | $292.24 | 2.85% |
| 2002 | $296.86 | 1.58% |
| 2003 | $303.63 | 2.28% |
| 2004 | $311.72 | 2.66% |
| 2005 | $322.28 | 3.39% |
| 2006 | $332.67 | 3.23% |
| 2007 | $342.15 | 2.85% |
| 2008 | $355.29 | 3.84% |
| 2009 | $354.02 | -0.36% |
| 2010 | $359.83 | 1.64% |
| 2011 | $371.19 | 3.16% |
| 2012 | $378.87 | 2.07% |
| 2013 | $384.42 | 1.46% |
| 2014 | $390.65 | 1.62% |
| 2015 | $391.12 | 0.12% |
| 2016 | $396.05 | 1.26% |
| 2017 | $404.49 | 2.13% |
| 2018 | $414.57 | 2.49% |
| 2019 | $421.88 | 1.76% |
| 2020 | $429.68 | 1.85%* |
This conversion table shows various other 1977 amounts in today's dollars, based on the 329.68% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1dollarin 1977 | $4.30dollarstoday |
| $5dollarsin 1977 | $21.48dollarstoday |
| $10dollarsin 1977 | $42.97dollarstoday |
| $50dollarsin 1977 | $214.84dollarstoday |
| $100dollarsin 1977 | $429.68dollarstoday |
| $500dollarsin 1977 | $2,148.42dollarstoday |
| $1,000dollarsin 1977 | $4,296.83dollarstoday |
| $5,000dollarsin 1977 | $21,484.16dollarstoday |
| $10,000dollarsin 1977 | $42,968.32dollarstoday |
| $50,000dollarsin 1977 | $214,841.58dollarstoday |
| $100,000dollarsin 1977 | $429,683.17dollarstoday |
| $500,000dollars in 1977 | $2,148,415.84dollarstoday |
| $1,000,000dollarsin 1977 | $4,296,831.68dollarstoday |
Inflation by City
Inflation can vary widely by city, even within the United States. Here's how some cities fared in 1977 to 2020 (figures shown are purchasing power equivalents of $100):
- San Francisco, California: 3.88% average rate, $100 → $512.94, cumulative change of 412.94%
- Seattle, Washington: 3.75% average rate, $100 → $487.65, cumulative change of 387.65%
- Boston, Massachusetts: 3.57% average rate, $100 → $451.77, cumulative change of 351.77%
- New York: 3.51% average rate, $100 → $440.63, cumulative change of 340.63%
- Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas: 3.38% average rate, $100 → $417.93, cumulative change of 317.93%
- Atlanta, Georgia: 3.37% average rate, $100 → $415.31, cumulative change of 315.31%
- Chicago, Illinois: 3.36% average rate, $100 → $414.97, cumulative change of 314.97%
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 3.32% average rate, $100 → $406.90, cumulative change of 306.90%
- Detroit, Michigan: 3.22% average rate, $100 → $390.89, cumulative change of 290.89%
- Houston, Texas: 3.20% average rate, $100 → $388.04, cumulative change of 288.04%
San Francisco, California experienced the highest rate of inflation during the 43 years between 1977 and 2020 (3.88%).
Houston, Texas experienced the lowest rate of inflation during the 43 years between 1977 and 2020 (3.20%).
Note that some locations showing 0% inflation may have not yet reported latest data.
Inflation by Country
Inflation can also vary widely by country. For comparison, in the UK £100.00 in 1977 would be equivalent to £625.41 in 2020, an absolute change of £525.41 and a cumulative change of 525.41%.
In Canada, CA$100.00 in 1977 would be equivalent to CA$390.83 in 2020, an absolute change of CA$290.83 and a cumulative change of 290.83%.
Compare these numbers to the US's overall absolute change of $329.68 and total percent change of 329.68%.
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 1977 and 2020.
Compare these values to the overall average of 3.45% per year:
| Category | Avg Inflation (%) | Total Inflation (%) | $100 in 1977 → 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and beverages | 3.30 | 304.60 | 404.60 |
| Housing | 3.68 | 372.60 | 472.60 |
| Apparel | 0.96 | 50.86 | 150.86 |
| Transportation | 2.89 | 240.79 | 340.79 |
| Medical care | 5.27 | 810.24 | 910.24 |
| Recreation | 1.10 | 60.06 | 160.06 |
| Education and communication | 1.84 | 119.30 | 219.30 |
| Other goods and services | 4.85 | 664.89 | 764.89 |
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 1977. This table and charts use the earliest available data for each category.
Inflation rates of specific categories
Medical Care· Housing· Rent· Food· MoreInflation-adjusted measures
S&P 500 price·S&P 500 earnings·Shiller P/EHow to Calculate Inflation Rate for $100 since 1977
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1977 and today:
How Much Is A 1977 $5 Bill Worth
Then plug in historical CPI values. The U.S. CPI was 60.6 in the year 1977 and 260.388 in 2020:
$100 in 1977 has the same 'purchasing power' or 'buying power' as $429.68 in 2020.
To get the total inflation rate for the 43 years between 1977 and 2020, we use the following formula:
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
Alternate Measurements of Inflation
The above data describe the CPI for all items. Also of note is the Core CPI, which measures inflation for all items except for the more volatile categories of food and energy.Core inflation averaged 3.50% per year between 1977 and 2020 (vs all-CPI inflation of 3.45%), for an inflation total of 338.13%.
When using the core inflation measurement, $100 in 1977 is equivalent in buying power to $438.13 in 2020, a difference of $338.13. Recall that for All Items, the converted amount is $429.68 with a difference of $329.68.
In 1977, core inflation was 6.26%.
Comparison to S&P 500 Index
The average inflation rate of 3.45% has a compounding effect between 1977 and 2020. As noted above, this yearly inflation rate compounds to produce an overall price difference of 329.68% over 43 years.
To help put this inflation into perspective, if we had invested $100 in the S&P 500 index in 1977, our investment would be nominally worth approximately $11,027.56 in 2020. This is a return on investment of 10,927.56%, with an absolute return of $10,927.56 on top of the original $100.
These numbers are not inflation adjusted, so they are considered nominal. In order to evaluate the real return on our investment, we must calculate the return with inflation taken into account.
The compounding effect of inflation would account for 76.73% of returns ($8,461.12) during this period. This means the inflation-adjusted real return of our $100 investment is $2,466.44. You may also want to account for capital gains tax, which would take your real return down to around $2,096 for most people.
| Original Amount | Final Amount | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal | $100 | $11,027.56 | 10,927.56% |
| Real Inflation Adjusted | $100 | $2,566.44 | 2,466.44% |
Information displayed above may differ slightly from other S&P 500 calculators. Minor discrepancies can occur because we use the latest CPI data for inflation, annualized inflation numbers for previous years, and we compute S&P price and dividends from January of 1977 to latest available data for 2020 using average monthly close price.
For more details on the S&P 500 between 1977 and 2020, see the stock market returns calculator.
News headlines from 1977
Politics and news often influence economic performance. Here's what was happening at the time:
- Apple Computer incorperated by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.
- The Hindu Kubh Mela gathered 15,000,000 people, making it (at the time) the biggest crowd gathering in history.
- First Apple II computers are shipped.
- The last Guillotine execution was performed on Hamida Djandoubi, convicted torturer and murderer.
Raw data for these calculations comes fromthe Bureau of Labor Statistics'Consumer Price Index(CPI), established in 1913. Inflation data from 1665 to1912 is sourced from a historical study conducted by political scienceprofessor Robert Sahr at Oregon State University.
You may use the following MLA citation for this page:'Value of 1977 dollars today | Inflation Calculator.' Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 5 Dec. 2020, https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1977.
Series 1977 A Dollar Bill
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.
1977 5 Dollar Bill Error
