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Mike Maharrey: 2021 meme reveals the relentless devaluation of our money
By Mike Maharrey
Money Metals Exchange, Eagle, Idaho
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
I ran across a 2021 meme the other day that vividly illustrates just how quickly the government is destroying your money.
The meme points out that in 1964 the minimum wage was $1.25, or five quarters. That sounds really low, but keep in mind that before 1965, quarters were 90% silver. In 2021 the melt value of those five quarters was $23.34.
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In other words the five quarters a minimum-wage worker earned in an hour in 1964 had $23.34 in purchasing power in 2021. There's your "living wage."
That's pretty staggering in and of itself, but now fast-forward a few years. As of today the melt value of those five quarters is $34.45.
In other words, the value (purchasing power) of those five quarters has increased by another 47.6% in just 3 1/2 years!
This reflects the relentless devaluation of U.S. money. ...
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