Remembering What a Buck Could Buy in the 1950s and 1960s

   
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.