What was the highest and lowest Yen to Dollar Amount You Have Witnessed?

When I first came to Japan in 2001, it was 139-140 to the dollar.

My grandma used to roller derby here in Japan during the 50's and she was telling me stories how it was like 300 to the dollar.

She said the military folks back them, used to have to get MASSIVE amounts of money with their paychecks...

I could only imagine... I wonder what the honch was like then...

When I used to be into a very big Japanese street fashion, the yen was 120-125 to the dollar. It was like taking 20% off of everything and it was great.

I can't imagine buying the same things now with this rate. I actually have a closet full of these items, but I'm waiting to sell when the conversion is better.

240Y / $1 back in '83 - Wish it was still like that today!

I was based here first in 83-84, it was 250 to the dollar and people were griping. Apparently it had been like 300-350 not too long before that.

Fast forward to 95-96, my twilight tour with ATG. It started out around 110, then quickly plunged to -- brace yourself -- 79 in the dead of winter. As DOD is wont to do, when the dollar plunged they CUT our COLA, with the logic that at 79 we wouldn't shop offbase therefore wouldn't need the extra yen. The most perverse logic that our Washington wizards have yet come up with. Of course, we lived off base & could barely pay our bills. I was showering at the gym to save on gas & water, but my wife & kid couldn't do that.

It stayed at 79 level only briefly then got back to the mid-80s for the remainder of my tour.

Now yoko-girl, either you got fake pictures or you read about that rate in the history books. Which is it? :-P

I just found this:

Title: Japan / U.S. Foreign Exchange Rate
Series ID: EXJPUS
Source: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Release: G.5 Foreign Exchange Rates
Seasonal Adjustment: Not Applicable
Frequency: Monthly
Units: Japanese Yen to One U.S. Dollar

Date Range: 1971-01-01 to 2007-01-01
Last Updated: 2007-02-01 11:35 AM CT
Notes: Averages of daily figures. Noon buying rates in New York City for
cable transfers payable in foreign currencies.

DATE VALUE
1971-01-01 358.02
1971-02-01 357.55
1971-03-01 357.52
1971-04-01 357.50
1971-05-01 357.41
1971-06-01 357.41
1971-07-01 357.40
1971-08-01 355.78
1971-09-01 338.02
1971-10-01 331.11
1971-11-01 328.75
1971-12-01 320.07
1972-01-01 312.72
1972-02-01 305.19
1972-03-01 302.54
1972-04-01 303.56
1972-05-01 304.38
1972-06-01 302.41
1972-07-01 301.03
1972-08-01 301.16
1972-09-01 301.12
1972-10-01 301.01
1972-11-01 300.99
1972-12-01 301.24
1973-01-01 301.79
1973-02-01 278.42
1973-03-01 261.90
1973-04-01 265.49
1973-05-01 264.65
1973-06-01 264.50
1973-07-01 264.55
1973-08-01 265.22
1973-09-01 265.47
1973-10-01 266.33
1973-11-01 278.26
1973-12-01 280.18
1974-01-01 298.13
1974-02-01 291.09
1974-03-01 282.16
1974-04-01 277.77
1974-05-01 278.97
1974-06-01 282.97
1974-07-01 290.98
1974-08-01 302.28
1974-09-01 299.08
1974-10-01 299.36
1974-11-01 300.08
1974-12-01 300.41
1975-01-01 299.68
1975-02-01 291.66
1975-03-01 287.95
1975-04-01 292.20
1975-05-01 291.43
1975-06-01 293.47
1975-07-01 296.37
1975-08-01 297.98
1975-09-01 299.91
1975-10-01 302.34
1975-11-01 302.55
1975-12-01 305.67
1976-01-01 304.64
1976-02-01 301.59
1976-03-01 300.52
1976-04-01 299.11
1976-05-01 299.00
1976-06-01 299.19
1976-07-01 294.64
1976-08-01 290.63
1976-09-01 287.36
1976-10-01 291.19
1976-11-01 295.17
1976-12-01 294.70
1977-01-01 291.05
1977-02-01 285.02
1977-03-01 280.23
1977-04-01 275.21
1977-05-01 277.43
1977-06-01 272.86
1977-07-01 264.86
1977-08-01 266.68
1977-09-01 266.77
1977-10-01 254.74
1977-11-01 244.70
1977-12-01 241.02
1978-01-01 241.08
1978-02-01 240.37
1978-03-01 231.86
1978-04-01 221.86
1978-05-01 226.18
1978-06-01 214.11
1978-07-01 199.70
1978-08-01 188.71
1978-09-01 189.92
1978-10-01 183.63
1978-11-01 192.14
1978-12-01 195.96
1979-01-01 197.76
1979-02-01 200.51
1979-03-01 206.32
1979-04-01 216.29
1979-05-01 218.41
1979-06-01 218.60
1979-07-01 216.51
1979-08-01 217.93
1979-09-01 222.41
1979-10-01 230.48
1979-11-01 244.98
1979-12-01 240.37
1980-01-01 237.89
1980-02-01 244.35
1980-03-01 248.48
1980-04-01 250.28
1980-05-01 228.63
1980-06-01 217.92
1980-07-01 221.14
1980-08-01 223.91
1980-09-01 214.42
1980-10-01 209.32
1980-11-01 213.11
1980-12-01 209.49
1981-01-01 202.37
1981-02-01 205.72
1981-03-01 208.79
1981-04-01 214.98
1981-05-01 220.63
1981-06-01 224.18
1981-07-01 232.33
1981-08-01 233.33
1981-09-01 229.48
1981-10-01 231.52
1981-11-01 223.13
1981-12-01 218.95
1982-01-01 224.81
1982-02-01 235.31
1982-03-01 241.23
1982-04-01 244.11
1982-05-01 236.96
1982-06-01 251.20
1982-07-01 255.03
1982-08-01 259.05
1982-09-01 263.29
1982-10-01 271.62
1982-11-01 264.09
1982-12-01 241.94
1983-01-01 232.73
1983-02-01 236.12
1983-03-01 238.25
1983-04-01 237.75
1983-05-01 234.76
1983-06-01 240.03
1983-07-01 240.52
1983-08-01 244.46
1983-09-01 242.35
1983-10-01 232.89
1983-11-01 235.03
1983-12-01 234.46
1984-01-01 233.80
1984-02-01 233.60
1984-03-01 225.27
1984-04-01 225.20
1984-05-01 230.48
1984-06-01 233.57
1984-07-01 243.07
1984-08-01 242.26
1984-09-01 245.46
1984-10-01 246.75
1984-11-01 243.63
1984-12-01 247.96
1985-01-01 254.18
1985-02-01 260.48
1985-03-01 257.92
1985-04-01 251.85
1985-05-01 251.73
1985-06-01 248.84
1985-07-01 241.14
1985-08-01 237.46
1985-09-01 236.53
1985-10-01 214.68
1985-11-01 204.07
1985-12-01 202.79
1986-01-01 199.89
1986-02-01 184.85
1986-03-01 178.69
1986-04-01 175.09
1986-05-01 167.03
1986-06-01 167.54
1986-07-01 158.61
1986-08-01 154.18
1986-09-01 154.73
1986-10-01 156.47
1986-11-01 162.85
1986-12-01 162.05
1987-01-01 154.83
1987-02-01 153.41
1987-03-01 151.43
1987-04-01 142.90
1987-05-01 140.48
1987-06-01 144.55
1987-07-01 150.29
1987-08-01 147.33
1987-09-01 143.29
1987-10-01 143.32
1987-11-01 135.40
1987-12-01 128.24
1988-01-01 127.69
1988-02-01 129.17
1988-03-01 127.11
1988-04-01 124.90
1988-05-01 124.79
1988-06-01 127.47
1988-07-01 133.02
1988-08-01 133.77
1988-09-01 134.32
1988-10-01 128.68
1988-11-01 123.20
1988-12-01 123.61
1989-01-01 127.36
1989-02-01 127.74
1989-03-01 130.55
1989-04-01 132.04
1989-05-01 137.86
1989-06-01 143.98
1989-07-01 140.42
1989-08-01 141.49
1989-09-01 145.07
1989-10-01 142.21
1989-11-01 143.53
1989-12-01 143.69
1990-01-01 144.98
1990-02-01 145.69
1990-03-01 153.31
1990-04-01 158.46
1990-05-01 154.04
1990-06-01 153.70
1990-07-01 149.04
1990-08-01 147.46
1990-09-01 138.44
1990-10-01 129.59
1990-11-01 129.22
1990-12-01 133.89
1991-01-01 133.70
1991-02-01 130.54
1991-03-01 137.39
1991-04-01 137.11
1991-05-01 138.22
1991-06-01 139.75
1991-07-01 137.83
1991-08-01 136.82
1991-09-01 134.30
1991-10-01 130.77
1991-11-01 129.63
1991-12-01 128.04
1992-01-01 125.46
1992-02-01 127.70
1992-03-01 132.86
1992-04-01 133.54
1992-05-01 130.77
1992-06-01 126.84
1992-07-01 125.88
1992-08-01 126.23
1992-09-01 122.60
1992-10-01 121.17
1992-11-01 123.88
1992-12-01 124.04
1993-01-01 124.99
1993-02-01 120.76
1993-03-01 117.02
1993-04-01 112.41
1993-05-01 110.34
1993-06-01 107.41
1993-07-01 107.69
1993-08-01 103.77
1993-09-01 105.57
1993-10-01 107.02
1993-11-01 107.88
1993-12-01 109.91
1994-01-01 111.44
1994-02-01 106.30
1994-03-01 105.10
1994-04-01 103.48
1994-05-01 103.75
1994-06-01 102.53
1994-07-01 98.45
1994-08-01 99.94
1994-09-01 98.77
1994-10-01 98.35
1994-11-01 98.04
1994-12-01 100.18
1995-01-01 99.77
1995-02-01 98.24
1995-03-01 90.52
1995-04-01 83.69
1995-05-01 85.11
1995-06-01 84.64
1995-07-01 87.40
1995-08-01 94.74
1995-09-01 100.55
1995-10-01 100.84
1995-11-01 101.94
1995-12-01 101.85
1996-01-01 105.75
1996-02-01 105.79
1996-03-01 105.94
1996-04-01 107.20
1996-05-01 106.34
1996-06-01 108.96
1996-07-01 109.19
1996-08-01 107.87
1996-09-01 109.93
1996-10-01 112.41
1996-11-01 112.30
1996-12-01 113.98
1997-01-01 117.91
1997-02-01 122.96
1997-03-01 122.77
1997-04-01 125.64
1997-05-01 119.19
1997-06-01 114.29
1997-07-01 115.38
1997-08-01 117.93
1997-09-01 120.89
1997-10-01 121.06
1997-11-01 125.38
1997-12-01 129.73
1998-01-01 129.55
1998-02-01 125.85
1998-03-01 129.08
1998-04-01 131.75
1998-05-01 134.90
1998-06-01 140.33
1998-07-01 140.79
1998-08-01 144.68
1998-09-01 134.48
1998-10-01 121.05
1998-11-01 120.29
1998-12-01 117.07
1999-01-01 113.29
1999-02-01 116.67
1999-03-01 119.47
1999-04-01 119.77
1999-05-01 122.00
1999-06-01 120.72
1999-07-01 119.33
1999-08-01 113.23
1999-09-01 106.88
1999-10-01 105.97
1999-11-01 104.65
1999-12-01 102.58
2000-01-01 105.30
2000-02-01 109.39
2000-03-01 106.31
2000-04-01 105.63
2000-05-01 108.32
2000-06-01 106.13
2000-07-01 108.21
2000-08-01 108.08
2000-09-01 106.84
2000-10-01 108.44
2000-11-01 109.01
2000-12-01 112.21
2001-01-01 116.67
2001-02-01 116.23
2001-03-01 121.51
2001-04-01 123.77
2001-05-01 121.77
2001-06-01 122.35
2001-07-01 124.50
2001-08-01 121.37
2001-09-01 118.61
2001-10-01 121.45
2001-11-01 122.41
2001-12-01 127.59
2002-01-01 132.68
2002-02-01 133.64
2002-03-01 131.06
2002-04-01 130.77
2002-05-01 126.38
2002-06-01 123.29
2002-07-01 117.90
2002-08-01 118.99
2002-09-01 121.08
2002-10-01 123.91
2002-11-01 121.61
2002-12-01 121.89
2003-01-01 118.81
2003-02-01 119.34
2003-03-01 118.69
2003-04-01 119.90
2003-05-01 117.37
2003-06-01 118.33
2003-07-01 118.70
2003-08-01 118.66
2003-09-01 114.80
2003-10-01 109.50
2003-11-01 109.18
2003-12-01 107.74
2004-01-01 106.27
2004-02-01 106.71
2004-03-01 108.52
2004-04-01 107.66
2004-05-01 112.20
2004-06-01 109.43
2004-07-01 109.49
2004-08-01 110.23
2004-09-01 110.09
2004-10-01 108.78
2004-11-01 104.70
2004-12-01 103.81
2005-01-01 103.34
2005-02-01 104.94
2005-03-01 105.25
2005-04-01 107.19
2005-05-01 106.60
2005-06-01 108.75
2005-07-01 111.95
2005-08-01 110.61
2005-09-01 111.24
2005-10-01 114.87
2005-11-01 118.45
2005-12-01 118.46
2006-01-01 115.48
2006-02-01 117.86
2006-03-01 117.28
2006-04-01 117.07
2006-05-01 111.73
2006-06-01 114.63
2006-07-01 115.77
2006-08-01 115.92
2006-09-01 117.21
2006-10-01 118.61
2006-11-01 117.32
2006-12-01 117.32
2007-01-01 120.45

This website gives you future predictions for what the yen is expected to reach:

http://forecasts.org/yen.htm

Looks like in May 2010, we will reach a peak of 96 and drop back down again.

I have been checking this website. I remember when I read it last year and it predicted we would reach the 88 mark. I remember telling my friend about it, and he said NNNNNNOOO WAY!! Now look at where we are.

This website is pretty accurate. I check it pretty regularly.

Hahaha.......I was just looking at that site Adam!

Great minds think a like..

Well, that web page shows we should be getting 91.1 right now and the sad truth is that the international exchange rate at this moment is 90.7. Which goes back to my question in a separate thread: Why are we only getting 88 at Community Bank?? Folks, they are stealing our money!! If CB gave us the official rate of 90.7 they would be making money on the spread; profit is already built in. So by giving us 88, they are making "extra" profit on the backs of military families. It's unconscionable and I put in a gripe to ICE which, of course, they never answered (which another topic I started.) We all ought to be complaining to ICE about this. If you calculate it, CB is taking away 3% of our pay every time we buy yen from them. It ain't right.

Thaiguy. I never really commented about it, but GIBILL PAY does the exact same thing. I have heard they are worse than 3 points. Business is business. Like someone once told me, PAPER IS EXPENSIVE when you operate a company..

Bottom line, nothing will change. The base does not regulate CB. Nor do they regulate GI BILL PAY.

These 2 offer a service. They can call it service fees. They could call it, the rate they have and the average that what tallied it, with the fact the the bank may have extra $, from a higher amount they average into their totals.

Do you ever remember what happened when the FUEL with the airlines dropped? Did the airlines drop their prices? Nope! They had purchased so much extra FUEL at that higher price, they had to get rid of it, with the prices of tickets still high.

Once they get rid of that fuel, they lowered their price of tickets.

Same goes with money. They invest possibly at a bad time, and they need to get rid of the money at a higher rate, so they make some sort of profit and not take a loss.

I can almost guarantee you NO BANK is going to do exchanges if they have extra money of a currency..

I thought the NEX on bases give currency exchange at a better rate than Community Bank. Is the NEX in Yokosuka different? Does it not exchange Yens for Dollars?

Well, I'm in Iwakuni. I never heard of MCEX exchanging dollars. They do it at the Club, but the rate is so bad there it's comical.

Yes the clubs are TERRIBLE.. Never exchange money there. Take it out in town to an official bank or to the Japan Post Offices..

Posted By Adam Jones on 15 Mar 2010 11:37 PM
Thaiguy. I never really commented about it, but GIBILL PAY does the exact same thing. I have heard they are worse than 3 points. Business is business. Like someone once told me, PAPER IS EXPENSIVE when you operate a company..

Bottom line, nothing will change. The base does not regulate CB. Nor do they regulate GI BILL PAY. 

Not entirely true.  Permission to do business on base is competitively awarded.  It's not like any business could prance in and set up shop on base.  They make a proposal in response to a solicitation, they say will do such a such a service at such and such a price and the government selects the best value.  CB and other vendors on base win the right to operate on base in a competitive bidding process.

The problem is, what criteria does the base set as "best value"?  It probably relates to lowering costs to the station infrastructure so it's not a pain for them to operate on base.  The criteria probably does NOT include something like giving good value to the "customer" (in quotes, because the real customer is not us, it's the base commander via the contracting office.)  What's good for the sailor/Marine is a secondary consideration and in contracting terms we are NOT the customer.

All this is one reason why NFCU does not change yen for us.  The "right" to do this was won by Community Bank with the understanding they have a monopoly on the deal.  Thus falls apart any concept of competition or good value to us.

By contrast, GIBILL PAY is a truly private enterprise under no constraints by government contracting. They offer a service at a fee directly to the service member.  If we find their service compelling, they'll  profit. If not, they'll go out of business.

Thats good to know. Thanx

Posted By Adam Jones on 15 Mar 2010 11:44 PM
Yes the clubs are TERRIBLE.. Never exchange money there. Take it out in town to an official bank or to the Japan Post Offices..

That's an alternative, but then you have to buy a money order at a 1% loss to do so.  The "best" solution would be for the authorized base money changer to give the fair rate as set by world markets and observed by banks in a competitive environment.  As noted in my earlier post, CB is not operating in a competitive environment, thus they can squeeze us. BTW, I live off base and I draw no COLA so I am particularly sensitive to this issue. The majority of my pay is changed to yen and I resent getting ripped off.

The clubs charge 2 yen less than the market rate.

When we lived off base, we used to get money orders at NFCU, take them to BOY, and get the best exchange rate.

Oh, and 129 was the highest I've seen...if I remember correctly. I can't remember if it was 82 or 84 as the lowest rate.

"Now yoko-girl, either you got fake pictures or you read about that rate in the history books. Which is it? :-P"

Thaiguy,

They're real pictures.....I promise!  I was a youngin' back then!

It was 260 back when I first arrived.... Man... those were the days.