# Where to find historical energy prices?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 21, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489 "2008-02-21T01:58:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489/1 "2008-02-21T01:58:15Z")

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I’m trying to find data about energy costs (ideally for a typical family home) over the 20th century. I think there was a spike in 1943-45 & want to quantify it, or at least cite that it happened.  
Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489/2 "2008-02-21T02:36:12Z")

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[Statistics back to 1949 on coal production, consumption by sector, exports by country, stocks; prices; mining productivity; coke.](http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/coal.html) It just misses your target dates but you might be able to find older data if you can find an archive on that site. I could have sworn I was on that site a few months ago looking at data from the early 1900’s but now I can’t find it.

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**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489/3 "2008-02-21T16:33:57Z")

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Thanks Patty. Any other ideas?

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-to-find-historical-energy-prices/438489/4 "2008-02-21T16:43:01Z")

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Bureau of Labor Statistics:

> **[Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject](https://www.bls.gov/data/)**