eh? currency then or now? Currency then was on the gold standard so the two didn't fluctuate. Currency today, they target inflation of 2% / year by design.
re: insane price of collectibles
You are thinking like a salaryman. Think of one of great wealth with a flow of currency more than what one can sensibly spend money on - the market for these coins. The pleasure gained from owning the 20th rolls is not the same as the first. The utility gained less so. How about a rare collection of gold coins from 1850? Now that is something you can talk about over some cognac and cigars with a like minded fellow. An object of beauty, desire and a fantastic store of value for when you want to transport value across to the next generation. Alternatively, you could park $10 million into a hedge fund and swap spreadsheets around the fireside chat - debating which manager was best defending the onslaught of the fed and its money printing? Which one is less - shall we say - vulgar?
It's not an easy question to answer.
Yesterday morning, the London gold fix was 803.117 GBP/oz; if i took my gram of gold to my local baristas and traded it, i would get 6.59 flat whites. Yesterday morning, the gold fix was at 798.532 GBP/oz; my gram would have got me 6.55 flat whites.
Whereas if i'd gone in this morning with 4.30 GBP in ready money, i would have got 1.00 flat whites. And if i'd gone in yesterday with 4.30 GBP, i would have got 1.00 flat whites.
You can do this analysis against benchmarks other than flat whites: cappucinos, espressos, and even things that aren't coffee. You will always find that the buying power of a unit of currency remains constant from day to day, while the buying power of a unit of gold does not. It's gold that fluctuates.