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What our coins used to buy.
Icollecteverything
Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭
I have always been interested in learning what people used to buy back in the day with the coins I collected. It's fun to imagine a kid getting some shiny new large cents on his birthday or going to the store with some silver jingling in your pocket.
I recently read a book called "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball" by Harvey Frommer which has some pretty cool price information about the era from 1900 to 1920.
Average annual earnings increased from almost $500 in 1900 to $1,500 by 1920 even though hours dropped from 57.4 hours to 50.4 hours per week.
Eggs 12 cents per dozen.
Complete turkey dinner: 20 cents
A family of 6 could eat at the Squirrel Inn in NYC for a dollar and get change back.
A made-to-order suit by a skilled tailor: $10.00
A frontier 44 caliber revolver: $3.75
Pocket watch: 59 cents
In 1915 Shoeless Joe Jackson was a pretty big star so he earned $6,000.
Anyone else have prices from long ago? I especially like to see them from the late 1700's and 1800's since that is where my main collecting interest was.
I recently read a book called "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball" by Harvey Frommer which has some pretty cool price information about the era from 1900 to 1920.
Average annual earnings increased from almost $500 in 1900 to $1,500 by 1920 even though hours dropped from 57.4 hours to 50.4 hours per week.
Eggs 12 cents per dozen.
Complete turkey dinner: 20 cents
A family of 6 could eat at the Squirrel Inn in NYC for a dollar and get change back.
A made-to-order suit by a skilled tailor: $10.00
A frontier 44 caliber revolver: $3.75
Pocket watch: 59 cents
In 1915 Shoeless Joe Jackson was a pretty big star so he earned $6,000.
Anyone else have prices from long ago? I especially like to see them from the late 1700's and 1800's since that is where my main collecting interest was.
Successful BST deals with mustangt and jesbroken. Now EVERYTHING is for sale.
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1 troy ounce of gold (Black Hills exchange value) -- $20.00
1 troy ounce of gold (New York price) -- $17.50
1 gold bar, 1 inch X 2.5 inches X 8 inches -- approximately $3,000
storage of gold at the bank -- 1% of value, per month
guidebook promoting the Black Hills -- 50 cents
one first class combination ticket (Northern Pacific train from Chicago to Bismarck,
and then by stagecoach to Deadwood) -- $49.25
1 meal at a stagecoach station along the way -- $1.50
1 first class combination ticket (Union Pacific train from Chicago to Cheyenne, and
then by stagecoach to Deadwood) -- $49.25
1 third class train ticket on either line, Chicago to Bismarck or Cheyenne (no stage
ticket included) -- $28.00
1 stagecoach ticket, Bismarck to Deadwood (36 hours/211 miles) -- $23.00
1 stagecoach ticket, Ft. Pierre to Deadwood (32 hours/190 miles) -- $20.00
1 stagecoach ticket, Cheyenne to Deadwood (48 hours/290 miles) -- $30.00
registering a claim with a local mining district registrar -- $1.00 to 2.00
obtaining an official land patent from the US government -- $1,000
sale price for a major underground mine $100,000 -- $400,000
sale price for a medium sized underground mine -- $40,000 to 50,000
sale price for a small mine -- $4,000 to 25,000
wages for an experienced miner -- $4.00 to 7.00 per day
wages for an unskilled/inexperienced miner -- $1.00 to 3.00 per day
wages for a painter, machinist, blacksmith, or carpenter in most of the U.S. -- $2.00 to 3.00 per day
average wage for an unskilled laborer in most of the US -- $1.00 per day
armed guard for a major gold shipment from Deadwood to Cheyenne -- $200.00 for
the trip per man
wages for a bullwhacker (teamster) -- $50.00 to 75.00 per month (includes food)
wages for a cowboy -- $30.00 per month (includes food)
wages for a town marshal -- $75.00 to 225.00 per month
wages for the chief mining engineer/principal manager with one of the major under-
ground mines -- $1,000 to 1,500 per month
Hotel room, good quality -- $2.00 to 4.00 per night
bunk or floor space, flophouse -- $1.00 per night per man
monthly rent for a two or three room cabin -- $25.00 to 40.00 per month
hotel restaurant style meals, best quality -- $14.00 per week
meals, mid-range hotels and boarding houses -- $10.00 per week
meals, decent quality, prepared by “batching” with some pards and cooking your own -- $6.00 to 7.00 for each man per week
meals, lowest quality “army” style provisions for one man for 3 months -- $20.00
flour, one-hundred pound sack or barrel -- $10.00
1 lb. bacon -- 25 cents
1 lb. butter -- 40 cents
1 dozen eggs -- 35 cents
1 gal. kerosene -- $3.75 (note: this is an inflated gold rush price due to the market being cornered -- it will drop later)
1 work or draft horse -- $150.00
1 good saddle horse -- $200.00
1 decent quality saddle -- $30.00
1 good quality “cowboy” style saddle -- $60.00
yoke of 2 oxen -- $150.00
1 wagon -- $65.00
1 buggy -- $65.00 to 75.00
1 set of harness -- $50.00
1 cow -- $26.00
1 bull -- $90.00
1 steer (two year old) -- $22.50
1 decent quality pair of boots -- $10.00
1 good quality custom-made pair of “cowboy” style boots -- $15.00 to 22.50
1 good quality Stetson-made “Boss” hat -- $5.00
1 blanket -- $3.00
1 good quality revolver -- $17.00 to 20.00
1 pair high quality revolvers with pearl grips -- $100.00
1 box, pistol cartridges -- 50 cents
1 Winchester lever action rifle -- $40.00
1 lb. best quality dynamite -- 35 cents
Cigars -- $.05 -.10 each
Men's suspenders -- $.25
Books -- hard cover average $.50
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1,840 pages -- $12
good quality Lamp -- $5
Newspaper Subscription -- $3/year
Pump organs -- $99 to $340
2 mugs of locally-produced draft beer -- 25 cents
1 shot of decent whiskey -- 50 cents
(below are prices for goods from Montgomery Ward, 1872 catalog)
Two Colored Undershirts $1.25
Two White Undershirts $1.00
Two Colored Drawers $1.25
Two White Drawers $1.00
Three New York Mills White Shirts $2.50
Six Pairs of Men's Cotton Socks $1.00
Six Pairs of Army Wool Socks $1.00
Seven Yards of Blue Denim $1.00
Three Yards of Plain Cassimere (cashmere) $1.00
One Ladies Gold Locket $1.50
One Ladies Plain Enameled Locket $2.00
One Pair of Ladies Earrings and Pin Set (imported) $4.50
One Pair of Ladies Solid Gold Ear Drops $3.00
One Plain Gold Ring (all sizes) $2.00
One Silver-Plated Hunting Case Watch $6.00
One Silk Parasol $1.00
One Heavy Plaid Shawl $3.00
(wholesale liquor prices)
imported ale or Stout -- $20.00 per cask
American bottled beer -- $2.00 per case
Jamaica Rum -- $5.00 per gallon
Port and Sherry -- between $1.00 to $5.00 per gallon
Western brandy -- $15.00 per case
Gin -- $1.50 per gallon
Whiskey -- $2.00 to 3.00 per gallon
FYI -- period terms for money:
1 bit -- 1/8 of a dollar (2 bits = $.25 cents)
4 bits -- .50
6 bits -- .75
eagle -- $10 gold piece
double eagle -- $20 gold piece
half eagle -- $5 gold piece
quarter eagle -- $2.50 gold piece
slug -- $50 dollar gold piece
V-spots -- $5 bills
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We also paid less than a quarter for a pack of Wings (cigs) or 26 cents for a pack of Marlboros.
This was in 1967/8
Our first new car was $1,700 for a Dodge Dart in 1970.
bob
Just got to thinking that it was also the last new car purchase we made!
Today...you still can.
In 1900 you could go into a store put down a double eagle and buy one of the finest colt pistols made.
Today...you still can.
Interesting observation...
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
In 1900 you could go into a store put down a double eagle and buy one of the finest colt pistols made.
Today...you still can.
DARN! I wish I would have posted that, didn't feel like logging in as I thought no one would notice the Colt price.
'Six Guns By Keith' (is to Colt Revolvers what our Master Collectors are to coins)
Elmer Keith said in his books that a good standard of the economy was that the value of an ounce of gold equaled the value of an Colt Single Action Army Revolver.
He died in 1984 at age 95.
A trillion dollars back then could not buy you an iPhone with an internet connection ......
touché
You can have the good ole days....I'll take the present time.
Cheers
Bob
A trillion dollars back then could not buy you an iPhone with an internet connection ......
touché
You can have the good ole days....I'll take the present time.
Back then a trillion dollars would not buy you a fishing kayak with Sonar and GPS which works great on the Pacific Ocean in super thick fog like yesterday .....
Note that until the time of Edw. VI the Shilling (12 pence) was a unit of account, no actual Shilling coins were produced until his reign.
c. 1250 AD - 660 bricks for a shilling, around a pound of ginger/sugar/pepper or 5 pounds of almonds
c. 1450 - a shilling would buy 2 bushels of wheat and an artisan earned up to 4 shillings a week
c. 1750 - 5 pounds of meat, or 4 rabbits, 3 quarts of strong ale, or 6 gallons of "middling" beer, and a shilling was a good days wages for a working person
c. 1900 - 40 cigarettes, a pound of coffee, 6 pounds of soap, a dozen candles or a dozen oysters at a fine dinner
World Collection
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German States Collection
Also in my baseball book there was a story about when Joe Jackson was playing for Cleveland some cities did not allow games on Sunday including the Washington Senators. So when Cleveland played in DC they would take a train back and forth back to Cleveland so they could get another game in on Sunday and then go back to DC for the Monday game. On the train back to Washington, Cleveland owner Charlie Somers would walk down the aisle and hand each player a twenty dollar gold piece!
I guess I forgot that I did collect everything and finally dug out my small newspaper collection which includes a paper from 1870 and another one from 1812. I will have to check those out and see what else I can find.
Successful BST deals with mustangt and jesbroken. Now EVERYTHING is for sale.
Ladies' and Gents'
Half Dime Lunch Room
5? each for all Dishes Served
Prompt Attention. No Waiting. Open from 5a.m. to 11 p.m.
Bill of Fare
Clam Chowder with crackers 5?
Soup of all kinds 5?
Fish with Bread and Butter 5?
Roast Beef 5?
Roast Pork 5?
Fried Sausage 5?
Pork Chops 5?
Fried Tripe 5?
Fried Liver 5?
Fish Cakes 5?
Corned Beef Hash 5?
Broiled Steak, Bread and Butter 5?
Beef Stew, Bread & Butter 5?
Lamb Stew, Bread & Butter 5?
Veal Pot Pie, Bread & Butter 5?
Baked beans, Bread & Butter 5?
Cold Meats 5?
Oatmeal and Milk 5?
Griddle Cakes 5?
Bread, or Cracker, and Milk 5?
Pies, Puddings, Doughnuts 5?
Coffee, Tea, Milk 5?
Vegetables 5?
Bread and Pastry all Home Made Best Coffee and Tea a Specialty
Everything Neat and Clean
D. M. Lawlor - Proprietor
22 Railroad Avenue, Meriden, Conn.
28 Exchange Place, Providence, R.I.
375 Asylum St. Hartford, Conn.
[Apparently the 'new' CU Forum software changed all of the "Ȼ" characters in my original reply to "?"].
Back then people worked a lot more for a lot less.
Counterpoint:
An uneducated single income from the 60's could purchase/finance a single family home.
Today it requires two educated incomes (living in Southern California)
peacockcoins
@MrHalfDime, great stuff you have and collect! Thanks for sharing even it it took me over a year to come across this post.
I have seen some of these items on display at major shows in the past. Again, thanks for sharing.
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Elmer Keith was one my dad's favorite authors. My dad was all for the old ways of life and we tried to live like the wild west when we could. We trapped and skinned fox, coyote, mink, badgers, racoons and yes a few skunks. It was a great childhood, one I'm not sure if I will be able to pass on.
When Washington died in 1799 he was worth about $100,000. Today it would translate into $20,000,000. I can see why he was so adamant about getting our independence.
Nice to see this thread again... We view those prices from the past through the economic eyes of today - and are amazed.... however, people of that time thought they were - often - outrageous. All a matter of perspective. Cheers, RickO
I was born in 1960, was always in the woods.
In the mid 70's I trapped a lot coons and muskrats, in a good week I made more money than my brothers did working in a union steel mill.
Hard work, but I enjoyed it.
Those days are gone, I have to shut off the internet to get my 11 year old grandson outside to do a minimal bit of work!
I like the silver quarter comparison.
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We never did anything with muskrats other than shoot them. They were never worth trapping for the hide or bounty. We would get an average of 200 fox and 200 coyotes a year, population management. Once we quit trapping the coyotes were quite bad in the area. Deer and pheasant populations dropped from all the predators and then the predators ended up with communicable diseases and were quite unhealthy. Many got mange which made the hides useless and animal too weak to make it through winter. Since then my older brother has taken up some trapping, he mostly is a long range shooter so he works that in quite a bit and sets less traps.
Best day I had was checking traps on the way to school. MINK! $100 BOOM! Reset the trap and on my way home from school. MINK! Made over $200 that day on one trap. It was a nice pay day with easy to skin animals to boot.
NO WAY I am paying 3 cents for LIVER or HEART!!!!!!!
I will try to recall my military pay
1967 as an E-1 in basic training pay was about $85.00 a month
1971 after my 4 year mark as a E-5 over 4 years it was $400.50 a month
Using the quarter comparison, in 1980 United started the Mileage Program and opened the airport private lounges. You could buy a life membership to the club for $150. A certain Hawaiian coin dealer paid for his life membership with a roll of silver dimes!
.
I was in a diner in South Carolina, and they had this A&P ad on the wall from June 13, 1936...
When I was a kid most of the popular candy bars including Clark, Snickers, Milky Way, Hersey and Butterfingers cost 5 cents. The "expensive" bars were Mounds and Almond Joy, which cost a dime.
I can remember when a quarter seemed like a lot, because the kid's admission to a movie was 15 cents. Sometimes that paid for a double feature.
Interesting to see Corn ears @ 3 for $.10 at A&P grocery. $03.3 per ear.
Today, I buy fresh sweet corn ears for $.50 an ear, picked @ 630a daily, sold at the corner of 5th and West @ 9a.
What is the percentage increase/decrease from to ?
.033 to .5 = 1415.151515151515% increase
I doubt A&P corn for 3.3 cent an ear was fresh, so considering inflation, convenience, freshness, delivery with a smile and an extra ear known as the bakers dozen. not a bad deal as I see it here in 2017, despite the % increase.
be interesting to see these prices in grams of gold or silver.
Keep an open mind, or get financially repressed -Zoltan Pozsar
Moreau de St. Méry’s American Journey 1793-1798 lists the cost of items in 1795 Philadelphia:
Milk (which is abundant) costs 1/16 of a dollar a pint.
Cider costs 1/16 of a dollar a pint.
A pound of meat 1/10 of a dollar a pound if one picks it out, 1/16 of a dollar not selected.
Mutton ¾ of a dollar for a hindquarter.
Veal is scarce, and costs 1/12 of a dollar a pound.
A suckling pig ½ dollar.
Eggs from ⅛ of a dollar to 3/16 for a dozen.
Green peas ⅛ of a dollar a bushel.
Butter 3/16 of a dollar the pound or ¼ of a dollar.
Vinegar 1/16 of a dollar the pint.
Potatoes ½ dollar a bushel, down to 5/32.
Sweet potatoes from a dollar a bushel down to 3/16 of a dollar.
Lard 1/6 of a dollar a pound.
French bread 1/16 of a dollar for 10 American ounces.
Candles, 5 pounds for a dollar.
Men’s shoes, 2 dollars a pair.
Short boots, 5 dollars a pair.
Boots 7 dollars a pair; with double vamps 8 dollars.
A workman by the day, in 1792, ½ dollar; at the end of 1792, 9/16 of a dollar; in 1793, 5/8 of a dollar, then 11/16; in June, 1794, ¾ of a dollar.
Between 1792 and 1794 a workman’s pay went from 1 dollar to 5/4 of a dollar. [$1.25]
A sailor 1 dollar and ¾ a day.
People paid by the day worked from six in the morning to eight; from nine to noon and from two to six. [9 hours]
(My E-Sylum review )
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
Nice list.
Huh.
List shows prices 1/16, 1/10, 3/4, 1/8, 1/2, 3/16, 1/16, 5/32, 3/16, 1/6 per dollar, 5 pounds per dollar, 2 dollars, 5 dollars, 7 dollars, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 5/4. (whew)
A man's fraction game needed to be top notch in the day.
Or, a French guy, in colonial America, didn't get the concept of 1 cent to a dollar and expressed it in fractions of a dollar.
In 1980 I used to go to the Whittier walk in movie theater for .99 cents and soon after they raised it to $1.25.
Here's a movie stub from 1986 for $4.00, prices basically quadrupled in 6 short years.
Dammit, Janet!
I remember in the 1960's 10 White burgers/fries and a coke was a buck.
A pack of camels was 25¢
Gas for my VW was 19.7¢
My first Pendelton was $29.99
My cowhide vest was custom and $7.50
My saddle which was fine leather and included reins and bridle was $75.
My horse was $300
My 1960 VW bug (used of course) was $700.
My brand new Chevy Suburban in 1971 was $5,500 and it had dual air, dual batteries, conversion to 110v under the hood, and a custom interior direct from Chevy.
Now today those burgers would be about $10
The smokes $5
The gas $2.75
The Pendelton is $179
The vest if you could find one would be in excess of $200
A saddle over $500
A horse of equal stature would be $3k
New Chevy Suburban with same features in excess of $80,000
Just in my adult lifetime.
Oh and gold has gone from $35/oz to $1,300/oz
daaaaamn I'm old.
bob
I remember getting lunch in college at Mickey D's . Two big Macs, large fry and choc shake for a little over $2. These days you can't buy a big Mac or a shake for $2, so I have moved on. In those days there was none of the foo foo stuff they offer today.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
When I was a kid, my mom sent me down to the local shopping center (I'd walk or ride my bike...can you imagine??!) with a dollar to get a haircut.
The haircut was $.75, so that left me $.25 to blow.
Let's see...a comic book ($.10) and three candy bars ($.05 each), or two comic books and one candy bar? Hmmm....
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
>
1/4 pounder vs, w/ cheese - $0.60 to %$0.70 = % 16.66
Hamburger vs, w/ cheese - $0.28 to $0.33 = % 17.85
For adding processed cheese.
I recall $.010 burgers, add the cheese, $0.12 which equals - $0.10 to $0.12 =
20%
The profit of adding cheese.
2 hamburgers at McDonalds were $2 in 1987. 30 years later they are $2.40.
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My Aunt saw the Beatles live in Canada in 1964 for $2.50...A ticket to a Paul McCartney show today is in the hundreds each..