Argonaut's original $20 per share stock appreciated 240 percent by 1990.

During the same time, the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index has appreciated more than 28 percent.

Prices have appreciated 8 to 12 percent in the last year, agents say.

Conversely, the dollar, since falling to a postwar low of 1.3455 marks in March 1995, has appreciated almost 15 percent against the mark.

A $1,000 investment appreciating 8 percent annually will grow to $6,848 in 25 years.

"The Dow's close was within 55 points of its all-time high of 2,791.41 and it has appreciated 26 percent so far in 1989."

Lucent shares have appreciated almost 40 percent since the end of May.

Since then, the dollar has appreciated 60 percent against the rial, meaning you can buy 15,600 rials.

Italian violins have appreciated, on average, 10 percent to 12 percent a year over the last four decades, experts say.

At the time, I was told that my apartment's value would appreciate 20 percent a year.