# How cheap was your candy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2020, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539 "2020-09-14T03:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/21 "2020-09-14T18:25:42Z")
There was only one store that had “penny candy” when I was growing up in the mid 1960s, and it was one I rarely had access to, as it was a block away from my school and I took a bus to and from. We used to sneak down there before afterschool choir practice occasionally. There was one candy that was 4 pieces for a penny, most others were a penny each. We could get small chocolate bars for a nickel when I was 7 or so, though that was the last year it was that cheap. I remember once being thrilled I found out that the grocery store we rarely shopped at had those nickel bars for FOUR cents instead of five. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/22 "2020-09-14T18:29:05Z")
I answered 10 cents because I don’t firmly remember the price of tiny per-each candies like Bazooka Joe or fireballs. I do remember that packs of gum used to be 20 cents and I remember when half of them in the bin I was looking at had 25 cent stickers on them and some of them had 20. So if packs of gum were 20 cents, smaller things were certainly cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/23 "2020-09-14T19:36:13Z")
Until I was eight I lived in a small country town. We had a small grocery store, about the same size as a convenience store. We lived across the street from it. I would go across the street and look for pennies that people dropped and used them for some sort of candy. I may have outgrown that while I lived there. When I earned money I bought the more expensive stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/24 "2020-09-14T19:38:24Z")
Two for a penny. Ah, those were the days. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/25 "2020-09-14T20:07:58Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Anybody remember the little bits of candy stuck to a strip of wax paper? Yup. Don’t remember what they were called, though. I don’t remember what the cheapest candy was that was available, so didn’t vote. What I do remember was how big a Hershey bar you could get for a nickle in the 1950’s. Yum. (I don’t much like Hershey’s now. Not sure whether their ingredients or my taste buds changed. Or both, I suppose.) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/26 "2020-09-14T20:14:24Z")
I am almost positive that in the 80s I could get a little box of Lemonheads, Alexander the Grape or Mr. Melon for 25 cents at the local Convenient Food Mart. Once a year there would be a Penny Candy Sale at the local Girl Scout camp for Juliet Low Day and it would blow my mind to be able to buy candy for a penny! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/27 "2020-09-14T20:18:43Z")
I was a kid in the 50s/60s, so you can guess that penny candy was common. Full-sized bars were a nickel. I used to buy something called Tecola sticks, which were wax tubes filled with sugar water. They were a penny, as was bubble gum. Jawbreakers may have been even cheaper than that. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/28 "2020-09-14T20:19:01Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > Until I was eight I lived in a small country town. We had a small grocery store, about the same size as a convenience store. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I am almost positive that in the 80s I could get a little box of Lemonheads, Alexander the Grape or Mr. Melon for 25 cents at the local Convenient Food Mart. Convenient Food Mart in western NY was the first place, in the 80s, that was in my area that I knew as a formal “convenience store”, although I did live down the road from a general store which sold much of the same items, and I was way too young to know or remember whatever non-candy items they sold. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/29 "2020-09-14T20:30:05Z")
I said ten cents because that was the price of a full-size candy bar at the local drug store when I was in elementary school, ‘69 - ‘75. But now that I re-read the OP, they’re asking for the _cheapest_ candy. We could get smaller candies like the single Reese’s cup for a nickel, and there was a penny gumball machine by the door. Some of the gumballs were “winners” - yellow with red stripes, I think - and we could trade them in for a full-sized candy. That was always exciting. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/30 "2020-09-15T04:14:50Z")
No two for a penny for me. Born in ‘51 and remember penny bubble gum and penny gum machines. Candy bars were a nickel, except for ‘grown-up candy’ like Mounds or Almond Joy, which were a dime. Small fountain Cokes were a nickel, but vending machine Cokes were a dime. Single scoop ice cream cones at the drug store were a nickel. Kids’ admission to the movie was a quarter. (Kid meant twelve and under), so you could go to the movie, get a coke and a candy bar, and have a nickel change in your pocket from your half dollar! Tootsie pops were two cents! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/31 "2020-09-15T04:28:16Z")
Man we’re old. When I was quite young in the early 1970’s I spent several summers in a tiny town in Western PA visiting with my grandmother and assorted aunts, uncles and cousins. I still recall quite clearly that first year was post-1rst grade and there was still penny candy in the local corner store (something not available back home in NYC). The next year that price jumped all the way to a nickel, quite the inflationary shock to my young soul 😉. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/32 "2020-09-15T06:29:03Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I used to buy something called Tecola sticks, which were wax tubes filled with sugar water. Were those anything like those tiny wax soda bottle shaped things? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/33 "2020-09-15T08:34:10Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > do they still make the flavored ones ? there were about 5 or 6 flavors when i was a kid apple grape fruit punch regular and cherry //and i possibly broke a few teeth chewing those I may be a little too old for those–all I remember are bubble-gum flavoured Dubble-Bubble, and I never broke a tooth on them. I do remember the sticks of gum that came with baseball cards, hockey cards, and similar. Some of those sticks of gum were so old and stale that you could break a tooth on them. Five cents a pack, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/34 "2020-09-15T08:48:40Z")
We call them lollies here in Aus, and back when I was a little kid, you could buy four individual lollies for a penny, then when decimal currency arrived in 1966, a cent. They’d be lollies like raspberry drops, mint leaves, milk bottles, liquorice blocks and the like. Sixpence, later 5c was a small bag FILLED to the brim with lollies. Kids used to drive the shopkeepers bonkers when they’d stand at the lolly counter and slowly point out their preferred treats. “I’ll have one of those, and two of those, and…hang on, no, ONE of those and three of those…” until they’d spent their sixpence, myself included. I’m so sorry Mister and Missus Skinner for annoying you so often in my childhood. 🤓 ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/35 "2020-09-15T10:19:43Z")
In the late 60’s there was a candy that came packaged just like Pez, but it wasn’t Pez. But they were little square tablets like Pez. Don’t remember their name but they were a penny for 1 little pack. Does gum count? Ford bubble gum was a penny and each color was a different, unique flavor. [![](https://wheresthedrama.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/fortune4.jpg?w=332&h=550) ](https://wheresthedrama.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/fortune4.jpg?w=332&h=550) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/36 "2020-09-15T12:01:50Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Man we’re old. > > When I was quite young in the early 1970’s I spent several summers in a tiny town in Western PA visiting with my grandmother and assorted aunts, uncles and cousins. I still recall quite clearly that first year was post-1rst grade and there was still penny candy in the local corner store (something not available back home in NYC). The next year that price jumped all the way to a nickel, quite the inflationary shock to my young soul 😉. When I was a kid back in the early-mid 70s, there was a brand of bubble gum we used to buy - I forget the name - that came in rods about a foot long for a nickel. I remember being outraged when the price jumped to a dime! The cheapest candy I can remember was probably Bazooka Joe bubble gum, I think they were 2 cents apiece. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/37 "2020-09-15T13:10:25Z")
Late 1960’s and early 70’s. I remember 2 for a nickel bubblegum. Maybe hard candy too? Candy bars were 20 to 25 cents. I don’t remember for sure. 50 cents (plus tax) would buy a Coke and a candy bar. That was late 60’s. It went up to 60 cents by the early 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/38 "2020-09-15T13:12:53Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Anybody remember the little bits of candy stuck to a strip of wax paper? > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Yup. Don’t remember what they were called, though. [Candy Buttons.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Buttons) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/39 "2020-09-15T13:17:20Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > When I was a kid back in the early-mid 70s, there was a brand of bubble gum we used to buy - I forget the name - that came in rods about a foot long for a nickel. I remember being outraged when the price jumped to a dime! I bought the long sticks of bubblegum too. Sour Apple was my favorite. I also liked the regular. That bubblegum stick made a big wad of gum in my mouth. 😊 They were a great value for the money. Jolly rancher was 2 for a nickel. Good candy. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539/40 "2020-09-15T13:57:14Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > you could go to the movie, get a coke and a candy bar, and have a nickel change in your pocket from your half dollar! Your tarnished Ben Franklin half dollar, or… the brand new JFK half dollar that my dad brought home one day, fresh from the vault of our bank. This was so soon after he was shot that it felt like I was carrying a memorial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cheap-was-your-candy/920539.md?page=3)