Actually, the math you’re quoting is a bit misleading. Cratchit did earn 15 shillings a week, but converting that to modern U.S. dollars isn’t straightforward. Simple inflation calculations like “$530/week → $13.50/hr” ignore things like typical work hours in Victorian England (often far longer than 40/week) and changes in living standards. Some estimates put his pay closer to $21/hr if you assume a 40‑hour week, but realistically, accounting for actual hours worked, his effective hourly rate might be much lower. So comparing it directly to modern minimum wage isn’t really accurate.