What a radio and other random stuff cost in 1969

Far out! A 1969 Panasonic radio. Photo courtesy of the Met Museum. — A Panasonic radio (possibly this one) was $40 back in the day. Photo courtesy of Met Museum.

Monumental anniversaries of one kind or another are a dime a dozen. But the 40th anniversary of Woodstock tomorrow is a dime for two dozen. We know this because we went back and looked at the 1969 prices of a few everyday, and not-so-everyday items, with the help of microfilms from the Daily News, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and the Bay News.

Forty years ago, you’d pay $7.25 for a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red, ($23.99 now), buy a new Ford Mustang for $2,850 and take it to the car wash for 99 cents. Grab a steak or lobster dinner from the Sirloin and Rib Room in Brooklyn for a grand total of just $5.95, and grab 12 bottles of Coca-Cola at the market for just a buck. Need a new radio? A Panasonic portable one would run you $40 (try buying one of these beauties for that now), while a new typewriter will set you back $22. Hop a ride on the subway for just 20 cents, or if you’re an oldster you could use the newly implemented senior half-price fares. Still feeling nostalgic? Find out what a 1969 VW Beetle will cost you today.