If you put 35 dollar bills in a box in 1933 and open it up today in 2013, you still only have 35 dollar bills, physically in your hand. You can look at the pur

If you put 35 dollar bills in a box in 1933 and open it up today in 2013, you still only have 35 dollar bills, physically in your hand. You can look at the purchasing power of $35 in 1933 vs 2013, but you don't have $600 physically in your hands to spend. If anything, the purchasing power shows that paper bills have lost value whereas gold has gained value. In 1933, $35 could buy you 1 ounce of gold, whereas today's equivalent of $600 only buys you ~1/3 ounce. My original post specifically talked about locking $35 in a box, so conditions haven't changed. Also I'm not claiming that gold is the best investment over time.