[Mark was here]

The low long term interest rates could be explained by the expected decline in the actual value of the Dollar.

A penny candy of 30 years ago is now selling for a quarter.

This tends to make saving money silly when its value is eroding, the trick is to save something that will hold value.

[justshutupandtakeit]

A tv that cost $1000 ten years ago costs about $300 now. A computer which costs $3000 ten years ago costs about $300 now. Your example is not that definitive.