Ballpark › Prices from history

What things cost, through history

Every item from past Ballpark games, with the real price and where it came from. A new batch is added every day.

1800s

• The Louisiana Purchase · 1803 · $15 million

1900s

• One ride on the New York City subway · 1904 · $0.05

1920s

• A brand-new Ford Runabout (Model T) · 1925 · $260

1930s

• Babe Ruth's salary for one season · 1930 · $80,000
• A first-class stamp for one letter · 1932 · $0.03
• One hour of work at the federal minimum wage · 1938 · $0.25

1950s

• A 6.5 oz bottle of Coca-Cola · 1950 · $0.05
• A first-class stamp for one letter · 1958 · $0.04
• The very first Barbie doll · 1959 · $3

1960s

• A first-class stamp for one letter · 1963 · $0.05
• The median price of a new house sold in the U.S. · 1963 · $17,800
• The best seat at Super Bowl I · 1967 · $12
• One hour of work at the federal minimum wage · 1968 · $1.60

1970s

• One movie theater ticket (national average) · 1975 · $2.05
• The Apple II home computer (4 KB model) · 1977 · $1,298

1980s

• One gallon of unleaded regular gas · 1980 · $1.27
• One pound of ground coffee (national average) · 1980 · $3.23
• The original Apple Macintosh · 1984 · $2,495
• The Nintendo Entertainment System · 1985 · $180
• The original Nintendo Game Boy · 1989 · $89.99

1990s

• A 1 lb loaf of white bread (national average) · 1990 · $0.69
• A Costco hot dog and soda combo · 1990 · $1.50
• One gallon of unleaded regular gas · 1990 · $1.08
• The median price of a new house sold in the U.S. · 1990 · $123,900
• The original Sony PlayStation · 1995 · $299

2000s

• A gallon of whole milk (national average) · 2000 · $2.78
• The Nintendo Wii · 2006 · $249.99
• The original iPhone, 4 GB · 2007 · $499

2010s

• The original iPad (16 GB Wi-Fi) · 2010 · $499

2020s

• A dozen large Grade A eggs (national average) · 2025 · $6.23