On 27 November 1895, a year before his death, Alfred Nobel signed the famous will which would implement some of the goals to which he had devoted so much of his life. Nobel stipulated in his will that most of his estate, more than SEK 31 million (today approximately SEK 1,600 million) should be converted into a fund and invested in "safe securities."
The income from the investments was to be "distributed annually in the form of prizes to those who during the preceding year have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."
The list below shows the Nobel Prize amount in Swedish kronor (SEK) through the years, the monetary value per December 2007 in Swedish kronor (SEK) and the value in % compared to the original amount in 1901.
The Nobel Prize amount for 2008 is set at Swedish kronor (SEK) 10 million per full Nobel Prize.
Below the list is a diagram comparing the nominal Nobel Prize amount since 1901 with its real value in 2007 terms.
| Year | Prize amount nominal value (SEK) | Monetary value December 2007 (SEK) | Value in % compared to original amount in 1901 |
Comment | |
| 1901 | 150 782 | 7 731 004 | 100% | ||
| 1902 | 141 847 | 7 272 883 | 94% | ||
| 1903 | 141 358 | 7 034 639 | 91% | ||
| 1904 | 140 859 | 7 009 807 | 91% | ||
| 1905 | 138 089 | 6 871 958 | 89% | ||
| 1906 | 138 536 | 6 697 226 | 87% | ||
| 1907 | 138 796 | 6 347 104 | 82% | ||
| 1908 | 139 800 | 6 393 016 | 83% | ||
| 1909 | 139 800 | 6 393 016 | 83% | ||
| 1910 | 140 703 | 6 434 310 | 83% | ||
| 1911 | 140 695 | 6 612 665 | 86% | ||
| 1912 | 140 476 | 6 094 497 | 79% | ||
| 1913 | 143 010 | 6 204 434 | 80% | ||
| 1914 | 146 900 | 6 373 200 | 82% | ||
| 1915 | 149 223 | 5 610 785 | 73% | ||
| 1916 | 131 793 | 4 372 427 | 57% | ||
| 1917 | 133 823 | 3 537 946 | 46% | ||
| 1918 | 138 198 | 2 569 572 | 33% | ||
| 1919 | 133 127 | 2 145 247 | 28% | ||
| 1920 | 134 100 | 2 160 926 | 28% | ||
| 1921 | 121 573 | 2 285 572 | 30% | ||
| 1922 | 122 483 | 2 838 921 | 37% | ||
| 1923 | 114 935 | 2 859 853 | 37% | Smallest amount | |
| 1924 | 116 719 | 2 904 243 | 38% | ||
| 1925 | 118 165 | 2 897 611 | 37% | ||
| 1926 | 116 960 | 2 953 676 | 38% | ||
| 1927 | 126 501 | 3 243 026 | 42% | ||
| 1928 | 156 939 | 4 023 345 | 52% | ||
| 1929 | 172 760 | 4 428 938 | 57% | ||
| 1930 | 172 947 | 4 572 286 | 59% | ||
| 1931 | 173 206 | 4 726 848 | 61% | ||
| 1932 | 171 753 | 4 764 034 | 62% | ||
| 1933 | 170 332 | 4 884 775 | 63% | ||
| 1934 | 162 608 | 4 663 267 | 60% | ||
| 1935 | 159 917 | 4 509 659 | 58% | ||
| 1936 | 159 850 | 4 433 872 | 57% | ||
| 1937 | 158 463 | 4 255 863 | 55% | ||
| 1938 | 155 077 | 4 099 848 | 53% | ||
| 1939 | 148 822 | 3 815 255 | 49% | ||
| 1940 | 138 570 | 3 168 384 | 41% | ||
| 1941 | 131 496 | 2 648 705 | 34% | ||
| 1942 | 131 891 | 2 479 551 | 32% | ||
| 1943 | 123 691 | 2 274 839 | 29% | ||
| 1944 | 121 841 | 2 265 439 | 29% | ||
| 1945 | 121 333 | 2 255 994 | 29% | The Foundation is granted tax exemption | |
| 1946 | 121 524 | 2 259 545 | 29% | ||
| 1947 | 146 115 | 2 630 070 | 34% | ||
| 1948 | 159 773 | 2 758 530 | 36% | ||
| 1949 | 156 290 | 2 644 427 | 34% | ||
| 1950 | 164 304 | 2 752 499 | 36% | ||
| 1951 | 167 612 | 2 423 927 | 31% | ||
| 1952 | 171 135 | 2 298 099 | 30% | ||
| 1953 | 175 293 | 2 317 154 | 30% | The Foundation's investment rules are changed | |
| 1954 | 181 647 | 2 382 533 | 31% | ||
| 1955 | 190 214 | 2 419 865 | 31% | ||
| 1956 | 200 123 | 2 436 030 | 32% | ||
| 1957 | 208 629 | 2 434 485 | 31% | ||
| 1958 | 214 559 | 2 388 380 | 31% | ||
| 1959 | 220 678 | 2 440 439 | 32% | ||
| 1960 | 225 987 | 2 404 843 | 31% | ||
| 1961 | 250 233 | 2 597 511 | 34% | ||
| 1962 | 257 220 | 2 560 096 | 33% | ||
| 1963 | 265 000 | 2 562 171 | 33% | ||
| 1964 | 273 000 | 2 552 022 | 33% | ||
| 1965 | 282 000 | 2 511 284 | 32% | ||
| 1966 | 300 000 | 2 512 871 | 33% | ||
| 1967 | 320 000 | 2 566 066 | 33% | ||
| 1968 | 350 000 | 2 754 419 | 36% | ||
| 1969 | 375 000 | 2 871 041 | 37% | The Prize in Economics is added | |
| 1970 | 400 000 | 2 867 797 | 37% | ||
| 1971 | 450 000 | 2 997 638 | 39% | ||
| 1972 | 480 000 | 3 019 182 | 39% | ||
| 1973 | 510 000 | 3 006 690 | 39% | ||
| 1974 | 550 000 | 2 944 937 | 38% | ||
| 1975 | 630 000 | 3 071 931 | 40% | ||
| 1976 | 681 000 | 3 016 366 | 39% | ||
| 1977 | 700 000 | 2 780 282 | 36% | ||
| 1978 | 725 000 | 2 615 565 | 34% | ||
| 1979 | 800 000 | 2 696 414 | 35% | ||
| 1980 | 880 000 | 2 607 636 | 34% | ||
| 1981 | 1 000 000 | 2 643 750 | 34% | ||
| 1982 | 1 150 000 | 2 799 712 | 36% | ||
| 1983 | 1 500 000 | 3 352 708 | 43% | ||
| 1984 | 1 650 000 | 3 412 958 | 44% | ||
| 1985 | 1 800 000 | 3 468 793 | 45% | ||
| 1986 | 2 000 000 | 3 698 361 | 48% | ||
| 1987 | 2 175 000 | 3 857 547 | 50% | ||
| 1988 | 2 500 000 | 4 192 270 | 54% | ||
| 1989 | 3 000 000 | 4 730 662 | 61% | ||
| 1990 | 4 000 000 | 5 711 392 | 74% | ||
| 1991 | 6 000 000 | 7 827 294 | 101% | ||
| 1992 | 6 500 000 | 8 287 867 | 107% | ||
| 1993 | 6 700 000 | 8 161 555 | 106% | ||
| 1994 | 7 000 000 | 8 346 723 | 108% | ||
| 1995 | 7 200 000 | 8 372 784 | 108% | ||
| 1996 | 7 400 000 | 8 564 159 | 111% | ||
| 1997 | 7 500 000 | 8 638 530 | 112% | ||
| 1998 | 7 600 000 | 8 765 644 | 113% | ||
| 1999 | 7 900 000 | 9 068 385 | 117% | ||
| 2000 | 9 000 000 | 10 226 998 | 132% | ||
| 2001 | 10 000 000 | 11 095 082 | 144% | ||
| 2002 | 10 000 000 | 10 860 077 | 140% | ||
| 2003 | 10 000 000 | 10 654 912 | 138% | ||
| 2004 | 10 000 000 | 10 614 806 | 137% | ||
| 2005 | 10 000 000 | 10 568 395 | 137% | ||
| 2006 | 10 000 000 | 10 348 624 | 134% | ||
| 2007 | 10 000 000 | 10 000 000 | 129% |
Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 2008
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