"Phil Nelson" wrote in message
...
They sold for $550.00 when new

About the price of a new car at the time?

Phil

There were cars available for not more than about $800.
It was a lot of money.
1945 catalogue prices for the Super-Pro give prices of
$425 for the rack mounting receivers, $15 for a table
cabinet, and $20 for a 10" loudspeaker in cabinet. The
deluxe wood floor cabinet is not mentioned but this is not a
complete catalogue. There is a deluxe version of the HRO in
a table size rack with a combination power supply and coil
holder for $475. The most expensive receiver is the
Hallicrafters S-37, which covered 130 to 210 mhz, $591.75
plus $15 for a speaker in cabinet. For comparison the SX-28A
Super Skyrider in a table cabinet was $223 plus $15 for a
speaker in a cabinet.
There is a relative purchasing power calculator
at:http://www.measuringworth.com/calcul...erus/index.php
According to this $550 in 1945 is equivalent to about
$6200 in 2006 money. For 1939 the value is nearly $8000.
Remember that many working people made less than $5000 a
year during this time. For car prices see:
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/40scars.html
The average was around $1000 but cars were available for
well under this.
Probably discounts applied to both car and radio prices
but, nonetheless, the top of the line receivers were _very_
expensive items.
Some clue to wages can be found at the same site at:
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1940s.html
Average wage for 1940 is given as around $1725.00


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Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA




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