# Anyone have info on "retro" pricing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 20, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808 "2003-03-20T14:46:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808/1 "2003-03-20T14:46:10Z")

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My friend is looking for info on prices in past years, as a project for a birthday.

The birthday boy wsa born April 1, 1943. She would like pricing of mundane items like bread, milk, barrel of oil, gasoline, car, house etc. for the dates April 1, 1943, 1953, 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993 and 2003.

Anybody have any ideas for sites to search?

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808/2 "2003-03-20T14:57:25Z")

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Price Differences: Basic Items 1933, 1943, 2001   
Items 1933 1943 2001  
bread (loaf) $0.07 $0.09 $0.98  
milk (gallon) $0.41 $0.59 $0.98  
eggs (dozen) $0.52 $0.62 $1.40  
gasoline (gallon) $0.18 $0.21 $1.29  
stamp (each) $0.03 $0.03 $0.34

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808/3 "2003-03-20T14:58:45Z")

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BTW,

That was from an old fridge magnet that I found. I have no idea how accurate it is.

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**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808/4 "2003-03-20T15:16:31Z")

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For 1943:

Bread: $0.09/loaf  
Milk: $0.62/gal  
Eggs: $0.62/doz  
Car: $1,100  
Gas: $0.21/gal  
House: $8,011  
Stamp: $0.03/ea  
Avg Income: $2,561/yr  
Min Wage: $0.30/hr

from [dMarie](http://www.dmarie.com/timecap/)

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**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-have-info-on-retro-pricing/162808/5 "2003-03-20T15:58:57Z")

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Thank you! This is perfect!