You'll Never Guess How Much These Vintage Items Cost!

Teresa McGlothlin

Image: d3sign/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

It's very odd that they don't make things like they used to make them, since they cost a whole lot more now! Do you remember how much things like a dozen eggs or a gallon of gas cost when you were growing up? Don't dwell on it too long, or you might start to get a little hot under the collar. 

Throughout this quiz, we will ask you about a variety of every day items. It will be your charge to guess how much it cost back then. From the price of a house in 1959 to the price of peanut butter in the '90s, your job is to figure out how much it cost back then. You might remember some of them, but others might present a little more of a challenge. It all depends on your sense of the economy during that specific decade.

As you go through our vintage items, try to avoid using things like Google to find out. Instead, dig through your brain and trust your instincts! We are certain you'll be able to figure out how much each thing cost, and you'll impress yourself. Let's find out how many prices you can get right!

How much did a gallon of gas cost in the '50s?

Back in the 1950s, the going rate for a gallon of gas was a mere 18 cents! Although cars were quite less fuel efficient back then, the price of gas is quite different these days.

How much would a TV dinner have cost you in 1971?

During the '70s, you could nearly buy yourself three TV dinners for under a dollar. Priced at 39 cents per dinner, it's easy to see why our mothers and grandmothers had freezers full of them!

How much would you have paid to see "Back to the Future" in the '80s?

During the '80s, both you and your date could get into the movie theater for $5.00. At only $2.50 apiece, movie tickets were quite the bargain back then. Although, if you saw enough of them, it would be more expensive than Netflix.

How much would Barbie have cost you in 1963?

Although Barbies from the 1960s fetch a pretty penny on the collector's market these days, they were quite a bargain at $3.00 during the '60s. If you would like to have one for yourself now, you can grab one for about $175.00 each.

What would you have paid for an 8-Track tape player in 1970?

If you wanted to be as groovy as your neighbor in the '70s, you would have needed to purchase a freestanding 8-track tape player. At around $39.99 each, you would have had to save for quite a while.

How much would it cost you to solve a Rubik's Cube in 1983?

Back in the '80s, you could challenge your friends, your brain and your patience by paying $1.99 for a Rubik's Cube. The magical cube has recently made a comeback, but it will cost you a little more.

What would you paid to read the news in 1986?

For only 40 cents, you could read the newspaper in the 1980s. With technological advancement, newspapers have had a sharp decline in sales. These days, staying informed could cost you up to $2.50 a day.

How much did a '70s bean bag chair cost?

If you wanted to pimp out your space back in the '70s, it would have cost you $20 to get the bean bag chair of your dreams. They say everything becomes popular again, and you can find a bean bag chair nearly anywhere today. The price usually depends on the quality, but cheaper chairs are around the same price.

What would you have paid for an Apple computer in 1986?

Not considered cheap by any means, paying $795 for a new Apple during the '80s was still quite pricey. The computers were not yet mass manufactured, and folks truly paid for the luxury!

How much would a color TV cost you in 1956?

If you wanted to be the first family on your block to own a color TV in 1956, it would have cost you over a thousand dollars! Priced at $1,295, '50s color TVs cost more than a lot of flat screens cost now.

How much would a comic book have cost you in 1960?

Collectible comic books can go for thousand of dollars these days. Back in 1960, you could have kept up with Batman for only 15 cents an issue!

How much would peanut butter cost in the 1980s?

When you wanted to pacify your peanut butter cravings back in the '80s, it would have cost you $1.49. With a good sale or a coupon, you can pick it up for nearly the same price today.

What would you have paid for a dozen ears of corn in 1981?

Planning a barbecue back in 1981 meant planning a cost effective menu. At $1.13 for a dozen ears of corn, you could have served the whole block!

How much would you have paid for a home in 1959?

A top of the line home back in 1959 would have cost you $12,400. It was a lot of money then, but when compared with today's home prices, it was still quite a bargain.

What was the price of mayonnaise in 1980?

If you needed some Duke's or Hellmann's for your BLT in the '80s, you would have paid $1.27 for it. You might be able to get a travel-sized jar at that price now.

How much would jelly have cost you in the '80s?

Spreading jelly on your toast back in the '80s would have cost you $1.39 per jar. If you wanted preserves, you would have paid about 10 cents more.

How much would a bar of soap cost you in 1972?

For a mere 20 cents, you could have scrub-a-dubbed your way to being squeaky clean in 1972. If you preferred body wash, you would have paid a little more.

What would you pay for a can of tomato soup in 1984?

Comforting yourself with a can of tomato soup in 1984 could be done for under a dollar. In fact, at 33 cents each, you could treat yourself three times.

What was the price of a Corvette in 1958?

Driving a Corvette back in 1958 would have turned quite a few heads. It might not sound like much now, but $3,631 would have taken a long time to save for back then.

How much would you have ponied up for a VHS player in 1980?

Keeping up with the Jones' would have cost you more than you imagined in 1980. If you wanted a top of the line VHS player, you would have shelled out $699.00.

If you wanted ketchup in 1960, how much did you pay for it?

Back in 1960, a bottle of ketchup would have cost you less than a quarter. At 22 cents each, your grandma probably had a pantry full of it.

What would you have paid for a candy bar in 1964?

Satisfying your sweet tooth in 1964 didn't cost as much as it does now. You could have soothed your craving for a mere 5 cents.

How much would a '50s toaster have run you?

Making toast to go with your eggs in the '50s would have cost you $12.00. Toasters were very different back then, and they were made from stainless steel.

What did a juicer cost in 1957?

Back in 1957, juicers were all the rage. Nothing beats a fresh glass of orange juice in the morning, and for only $12.95 you could make your own.

How much would a 1950s sewing machine have run you?

Back in the '50s, knowing how to sew was a valuable skill. At $19.90, it was a popular household item. They were as common as dishwashers are now.

What would an electric razor have cost in 1959?

For only $14.99, you could have purchased yourself an electric razor in 1959. Back then, they were considered luxury items and they were quite new technology.

How much would a pair of jeans cost in the '60s?

Although you would pay big bucks for a 1960s pair of Levi's now, they were $5.00 a pair back then. Keep in mind that $5.00 was much harder to earn back in the '60s.

What was the price of toothpaste in 1970?

Getting your pearly whites clean in 1970 would have cost you 75 cents per tube. Although you can get cheaper toothpastes for just a little more now, you will pay an average of $4.00 per tube for most toothpastes on the shelf.

How much would a 1959 model hair dryer have cost you?

Drying your locks in 1959 could be done for under $10. Coming in a $5.95 per hair dryer, no self-respecting person would have left home with wet hair.

What was the price of a postage stamp in the '60s?

For only 5 cents, you could have mailed a letter across the country in the '60s. Mail was a much more important form of communication back then.

What did a vacuum cleaner cost in 1956?

Keep your home clean was a priority in the '50s. If you wanted a new vacuum, you would have shelled out $79.95 for a Hoover.

How much did a 6-pack of beer cost in the '60s?

Getting your party on would have cost you 99 cents per 6-pack back then. Considering the price of beer now, it sounds like a bargain!

What would a gas stove have cost in 1950?

Cooking dinner on a gas stove back in the 1950s would have cost you $144.95. It was quite a bargain considering the priceless smiles around the dinner table.

What was the price of a '60s McDonald's burger?

Satisfying your craving for a McDonald's hamburger would have cost you 15 cents back in the 1960s. People didn't eat out quite as often, and 15 cents back then was a little on the pricy side.

What is the accurate price of a box of 1950s cake mix?

Back in the '50s, folks did a lot more cooking that they do now. A 10-cent box of cake mix made dessert making much easier for home cooks.

What would you have paid for 10 lbs of potatoes in 1957?

Back in 1957, you could feed an army for what we consider relatively little now. In fact, you could purchase 10 lbs of potatoes for only 35 cents.

What did a loaf of bread cost in 1970?

A loaf of Wonder Bread was a whopping 24 cents back in the '70s. It's no wonder everyone loved it!

What would a '60s Schwinn Bicycle cost you?

For $49.99, you could have owned a 1960s Schwinn Bicycle. It might sound inexpensive to us now, but back then it was a hefty price tag.

What did a dozen eggs cost in the '70s?

You could make quite a few omelettes for on 59 cents back in the '70s. Even with the cost of inflation, eggs are far more expensive now.

How much would you have paid for a pot pie in the '50s?

Whether you prefer chicken pot pie or beef pot pie, you could have purchased your favorite for 19 cents each in the '50s. Although they are not terrifically expensive now, 19 cents was still quite a bargain.

About HowStuffWorks Play


Explore More Quizzes