Hi all,

I am making a presentation and want a simple example to show the "then and now" pricing differences of some ICs like simple logic chips, timers or OpAmps (e.g. 7400-series or 4000-series logic gate or 555 or 741). Ideally, something from the early 1970s but anything pre-1985 will be a start.

I know everyone has a memory of how much something cost on a particular date but I was hoping for a price list, an advertisement or an invoice. It works much better in a presentation. I tried Google but there are just too many datasheet sites and ads from current suppliers - my attempts at a search for this specific subtopic from pre-internet era is not getting found.

If you can post a photo or scan of a document - or point me to one already on the internet, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

You might try asking Alan Winstanley, over at EPE
http://www.epemag.com/contact-us.html

 

Is this what you have in mind? I may have posted this to AAC previously but don't remember...
I can scan the catalog pages if you want. I can't believe that I did not include more pricing information in the notes below.


From the Lafayette Catalog N0. 670, 1966, I got this information:

The only IC's for sale were Texas Instruments "Solid State Networks" (also
called Integrated Circuits).

Series 53 Digital Modified - DTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(14 parts listed).
Series 73 Digital (Industrial) = Modified DTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(13 parts listed that are slightly different than 53 series).
Series 51 Low-power Digital - RCTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(17 parts listed).
Series 15930 High-speed Digital - DTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(11 parts listed).
Series 15830 and Series 15830P High-speed Digital - DTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(10 parts listed that are slightly different than 15 930 series).
Series 74 930 High-speed Digital - TTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(Only 7 parts listed).
Series 54 930 High-speed Digital - TTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(Same 7 parts as the 74 930 series).

Series 52 Differential/Operational Amplifiers (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(7 parts listed. These ranged from $29.95 to $57.00 each).
Series 55 High-frequency Amplifiers (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(3 parts listed. $13 for video amps and $56.00 for a Magnetic-core Sense
Amplifier).

Series 74 and Series 74P High-speed Digital - TTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
SN7400, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 51, 53, 60, 70, 74, 7480, 90N and 91.
(Note the missing SN7404. A 7400 cost $6.50 and a 7474 cost $11.40).
Series 54 High-speed Digital - TTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(Same parts as the 74 series except there is no 7490N). A SN54 series part
cost exactly twice a SN74 series part).

In the 1971 Newark catalog, the SN7400 was $1.56 and the SN7474 was $3.11.
The MC1741 (uA741 equivalent) was as low as $2.10 each.

 

Is this what you have in mind? I may have posted this to AAC previously but don't remember...
I can scan the catalog pages if you want. I can't believe that I did not include more pricing information in the notes below.


From the Lafayette Catalog N0. 670, 1966, I got this information:

The only IC's for sale were Texas Instruments "Solid State Networks" (also
called Integrated Circuits).

Series 53 Digital Modified - DTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(14 parts listed).
Series 73 Digital (Industrial) = Modified DTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(13 parts listed that are slightly different than 53 series).
Series 51 Low-power Digital - RCTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(17 parts listed).
Series 15930 High-speed Digital - DTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(11 parts listed).
Series 15830 and Series 15830P High-speed Digital - DTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(10 parts listed that are slightly different than 15 930 series).
Series 74 930 High-speed Digital - TTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
(Only 7 parts listed).
Series 54 930 High-speed Digital - TTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(Same 7 parts as the 74 930 series).

Series 52 Differential/Operational Amplifiers (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(7 parts listed. These ranged from $29.95 to $57.00 each).
Series 55 High-frequency Amplifiers (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(3 parts listed. $13 for video amps and $56.00 for a Magnetic-core Sense
Amplifier).

Series 74 and Series 74P High-speed Digital - TTL (0 degC to +70 degC)
SN7400, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 51, 53, 60, 70, 74, 7480, 90N and 91.
(Note the missing SN7404. A 7400 cost $6.50 and a 7474 cost $11.40).
Series 54 High-speed Digital - TTL (-55 degC to +125 degC)
(Same parts as the 74 series except there is no 7490N). A SN54 series part
cost exactly twice a SN74 series part).

In the 1971 Newark catalog, the SN7400 was $1.56 and the SN7474 was $3.11.
The MC1741 (uA741 equivalent) was as low as $2.10 each.

Exactly what I was looking for in price. If you have a snap-shot of the Newark Catalog, that would be great!

 

Exactly what I was looking for in price. If you have a snap-shot of the Newark Catalog, that would be great!

I probably won't get it done today. I may finally be dry and warm enough outside to ride the bicycle.

 

I probably won't get it done today. I may finally be dry and warm enough outside to ride the bicycle.

It is not urgent - presentation is a few weeks off.

 

It is not urgent - presentation is a few weeks off.

Good. I can procrastinate ... I mean get some fresh air and exercise.

Do remind me if you don't get anything by next week.

 

Here you go. Poly Paks, Popular Electronics May 1972.

 

Here you go. Poly Paks, Popular Electronics May 1972.


View attachment 106382

Thanks! This is more than I was hoping for.

My intent was to show how much cheaper some of these widely produced chips (or modern versions thereof, have decreased in price. This has the benefit of also showing that outdated items like Nixie tubes have increased significantly - $6 for a 3-pack back then. Very cool, thanks.

 

The jpg was reduced for AAC. If you want the full jpg or pdf just ask.
I have Popular Electronics back issues all the way back to 1967. Don't be afraid to ask.

 

The jpg was reduced for AAC. If you want the full jpg or pdf just ask.
I have Popular Electronics back issues all the way back to 1967. Don't be afraid to ask.

The posted image is perfect. Thanks.

 

Intriguing -

A 741 was state of the art in 1973. The price according to that sheet was $2.25. Using the consumer price index here, this equates to $12.80 today. $12.80 is a bit spendy for a op-amp today - but not unheard of in special applications where you need something that is state of the art and can usually be had between $8 and $10. So - pretty much a wash.

A 741 today in a DIP package is $0.51 in single piece quanity. 25 times less than the inflated price! -30dB!

The cheapest dual opamp available at digikey today is a MCP6L02 and is $0.31 in single quantity. 41 times less than the inflated price! 32dB!

So the question is - are today's opamps cheaper? You could argue that a high quality opamp is still about the same price. Or you could argue that the same opamp is much cheaper. I'd argue that they are cheaper. The LM358 is by far the most popular opamp today, and at $0.37 in single units they are very cheap. At quantity they are less than $0.12 cents a piece. Using the $0.37 price, the price in 1972 would be $0.07 - I doubt any IC was that cheap in 1972. That sheet confirms that the cheapest IC's were 35 cents for some simple logic chips.

Interesting to think about.

 

Here are some prices from a 1967 Lafayette and a 1971 Newark catalog.

 

Here are some prices from a 1967 Lafayette and a 1971 Newark catalog.

Those are the prices I was expecting. Thanks.

 

@gopher, why the change in avatar? Liked the other one better.

 

@gopher, why the change in avatar? Liked the other one better.

Shhh! I'm in spy mode.

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/star-trek-is-back.122801/#post-1001187

 

Shhh! I'm in spy mode.

You seem to a mere shadow of your former self.

 

Shhh! I'm in spy mode.

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/star-trek-is-back.122801/#post-1001187

Looks more like a woodchuck than a gopher, so spy mode it is.