A trip down memory lane
Prices have changed a lot over the decades. This tool uses official records to show what everyday things cost in your birth year, and how much a dollar from that year would be worth today.
First-class stamp prices over the years
| Year | Stamp price |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 3¢ |
| 1950 | 3¢ |
| 1960 | 4¢ |
| 1965 | 5¢ |
| 1970 | 6¢ |
| 1975 | 10¢ |
| 1980 | 15¢ |
| 1985 | 22¢ |
| 1990 | 25¢ |
| 1995 | 32¢ |
| 2000 | 33¢ |
| 2010 | 44¢ |
| 2020 | 55¢ |
| 2025 | 73¢ |
Federal minimum wage over the years
| Year | Minimum wage | Worth in 2025 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | $0.30 | $6.90 |
| 1950 | $0.75 | $10.02 |
| 1960 | $1.00 | $10.87 |
| 1968 | $1.60 | $14.80 |
| 1970 | $1.60 | $13.27 |
| 1980 | $3.10 | $12.11 |
| 1990 | $3.80 | $9.36 |
| 2000 | $5.15 | $9.63 |
| 2010 | $7.25 | $10.70 |
Frequently asked questions
How do you know what a dollar was worth?
We use the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), the official US measure of inflation published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with annual averages from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
When was the federal minimum wage created?
The first federal minimum wage, 25 cents an hour, began in October 1938 under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
How much was a stamp in 1960?
A first-class stamp cost 4 cents in 1960. It rose to 5 cents in January 1963.
What generation am I?
It depends on your birth year: Silent Generation (1928–1945), Baby Boomers (1946–1964), Generation X (1965–1980). Try our “What Generation Am I?” tool.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Consumer Price Index (via Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis)
- U.S. Department of Labor – History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates
- USPS Historian – Rates for domestic letters
- Pew Research Center – Generation definitions
- Wikidata
Last reviewed: November 2026 · By the GoldenYearsTools team at XplainedDaily · How we build our tools