When I was young I was taught that we bought Manhattan from the Indians
for $24 worth of beads. Today, a young person told me that the British
bought Manhattan from the Native Americans for $260 worth of beads. Funny
how facts change over time.
I was wondering why the value of those beads went up so much and then I realized that it was many years ago when I heard the first price and, in fact, $24 dollars in 1950 is about the same as $260 is now.
Is there a historian someplace, who's job it is to keep that
number current?
