# Is the INFLATION CALCULATOR full of shit or WTF?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-inflation-calculator-full-of-shit-or-wtf/656995>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2013, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-inflation-calculator-full-of-shit-or-wtf/656995 "2013-04-29T09:04:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-inflation-calculator-full-of-shit-or-wtf/656995/41 "2013-05-03T13:15:32Z")

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I only watched the first commercial of that hour long video, but I think your problem is that you’re comparing plastic toys of the 60’s to plastic toys of the 2010’s. Those $10 toys might have been the most awesome toys available to kids at the time, meaning that they would be more comparable to an X-box today.

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**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-inflation-calculator-full-of-shit-or-wtf/656995/42 "2013-05-03T13:50:08Z")

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> [@Aeschines](#):
>
> I think it’s pretty clear that toys were more expensive back in the day.
> 
> Here’s the Death Star toy available in the Sears catalog in 1978 for $17.87:
> 
> [http://bavatuesdays.com/files/2009/11/Picture-31.png](http://bavatuesdays.com/files/2009/11/Picture-31.png)
> 
> That’s a pretty neat toy, but I doubt it would cost the inflation-adjusted $62.04 today.
> 
> I remember that I wanted a $16 (IIRC) toy for my birthday in 1978: the Micronauts Giant Acroyear:
> 
> [http://www.finalfrontiertoys.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/M/i/Micronauts\_Giant\_Acroyear\_AFA\_85\_14654412.jpg](http://www.finalfrontiertoys.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/M/i/Micronauts_Giant_Acroyear_AFA_85_14654412.jpg)
> 
> My parents perceived it as pricey, and it seemed like a substantial present. Again, awesome toy, but today I don’t think it would go for $60+.

I came in here to mention the Death Star, which was the most expensive toy I recall getting as a child.

BUT… here’s the crazy thing… I would have bet (and lost) a lot of money today had I been asked to guess how much my parents paid for that thing. I swore it was PLENTY more expensive than only $17.87. (My parents sure acted like it was, especially after I broke it :)).

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