Pick a year. We’ll take you there.
- No. 1 song“I Want to Hold Your Hand”, The Beatles
- Top movieMary Poppins
- A stamp / minimum wage5¢ / $1.25
Flip a decade.
Tap a card for three big moments and what things cost.
The ’50s
Drive-ins, doo-wop and chrome
Stories on the wayThe ’50s in three
- 1951 I Love Lucy premieres on CBS
- 1954 Bill Haley records “Rock Around the Clock”
- 1957 Sputnik 1 becomes the first artificial satellite
- 1950Now
- Stamp3¢82¢
- Min. wage$0.40$7.25
The ’60s
Muscle cars and the British Invasion
Stories on the wayThe ’60s in three
- 1960 The Etch A Sketch is introduced
- 1964 Ford unveils the Mustang
- 1967 The first Super Bowl is played
- 1960Now
- Stamp4¢82¢
- Min. wage$1.00$7.25
The ’70s
Disco, vinyl and bell bottoms
Stories on the wayThe ’70s in three
- 1972 Atari releases Pong
- 1975 Jaws invents the summer blockbuster
- 1977 Saturday Night Fever hits the dance floor
- 1970Now
- Stamp6¢82¢
- Min. wage$1.60$7.25
The ’80s
Arcades, cassettes and MTV
Stories on the wayThe ’80s in three
- 1980 Pac-Man arrives in arcades
- 1982 Michael Jackson releases Thriller
- 1985 The NES launches in North America
- 1980Now
- Stamp15¢82¢
- Min. wage$3.10$7.25
The ’90s
Game consoles, CDs and dial-up
Stories on the wayThe ’90s in three
- 1991 Nirvana releases Nevermind
- 1994 Friends premieres on NBC
- 1996 Bandai releases the Tamagotchi
- 1992Now
- Stamp25¢82¢
- Min. wage$3.35$7.25
- Gas$1.09$3.10
What a dollar used to do.
| 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | Today | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamp | 3¢ | 4¢ | 6¢ | 15¢ | 25¢ | 82¢ |
| Minimum wage | $0.40 | $1.00 | $1.60 | $3.10 | $3.35 | $7.25 |
Stamp and federal minimum wage on January 1 of each year. Gas: $1.09 a gallon in 1992, the first year in the US EIA series, and $3.10 in 2025. Sources: USPS postage history, US Department of Labor and US EIA.
How well do you know your decade?
Ten questions on the music, movies, TV and toys, drawn fresh every time you play.
Take the oldies quiz →Take a little of it home.
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