1959 dollars in today's money
| In 1959 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $11.56 |
| $5.00 | $57.79 |
| $10.00 | $115.59 |
| $20.00 | $231.18 |
| $50.00 | $577.94 |
| $100.00 | $1,156 |
| $1,000 | $11,559 |
| $10,000 | $115,588 |
Inflation in 1959
Prices rose 1.0% in 1959 compared with 1958. That is below the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1950s, the highest yearly rate was 7.9% in 1951 and the lowest was -0.3% in 1955.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1959 was 29.150 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 11.56× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1959
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $8.65 bought in 1959.
1959 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | $12.55 | 0.3% |
| 1955 | $12.58 | -0.3% |
| 1956 | $12.40 | 1.5% |
| 1957 | $11.99 | 3.3% |
| 1958 | $11.68 | 2.7% |
| 1960 | $11.39 | 1.5% |
| 1961 | $11.27 | 1.1% |
| 1962 | $11.14 | 1.2% |
| 1963 | $11.00 | 1.2% |
| 1964 | $10.86 | 1.3% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1959). The data is the CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use the calculator above to convert between any two years.