A dollar really went far in the 1950s and 1960s — much farther than it does today. Before you get too nostalgic, remember that the average home was worth $7,354, a new Volkswagen Beetle could be yours for $1,280, and tuition at the University of Pennsylvania was $600.
To get a sense of how far $1 really used to go, check out this list of seven things you could get for a buck back in the 1950s and '60s.
1950: Four pounds of frozen green beans.
 |
| © BravissimoS/Getty Images |
1951: One package of 25 thrift Christmas cards.
 |
| © Orlando/Three Lions/Getty Images |
1952: A little under three pounds of coffee.
 |
| © Tom Kelley/Getty Images |
1953: 24 pounds of potatoes.
 |
| © FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images |
1954: One pound of T-bone steak.
 |
| © American Stock/Getty Images |
1955: One Slinky.
 |
| © Bettmann/Getty Images |
1956: 15 eggs
 |
| © Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
1957: One bath towel.
 |
| © Bettmann/Getty Images |
1958: 25 pounds of celery.
 |
| © Dani Daniar/EyeEm/Getty Images |
1959: Seven cans of cream corn.
 |
| © Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images |
1960: Three cans of Del Monte Peaches.
 |
| © Topical Press Agency/Getty Images |
1961: Four boxes of Cheerios.
 |
| © General Mills/Getty Images |
1962: Five fast food hamburgers.
 |
| © Mary Delaney Cooke/Corbis via Getty Images |
1963: Three pints of blueberries.
 |
| © Three Lions/Getty Images |
1964: Ticket for one car at the drive-in movie theater.
 |
| © Rex Shutterstock |
1965: 80 ounces of frozen French fries.
 |
| © Getty Images |
1966: Five bottles of Heinz Ketchup.
 |
| © Scott Olson/Getty Images |
1967: Four loaves of bread.
|
| © Corry/Archive Photos/Getty Images |
1968: 20 Hershey bars.
|
| © Sipa Press/Rex Shutterstock |
1969: Just under three gallons of gas.
 |