30 Things You Could Buy For $1 in 1900

30 Things You Could Buy For $1 in 1900

Shannon Quinn - March 28, 2019

30 Things You Could Buy For $1 in 1900
“Polly want a cracker?” Credit: American Library of Congress

27. Twenty Pounds of Oyster Crackers

There’s no better combination on a cold winter night than New England Clam Chowder with some crispy oyster crackers. If you’re not familiar, these are little crackers that taste a lot like saltines, except they come in a little ball form. They were first invented by Adam Exton in 1842 in Trenton, New Jersey. They became so popular, his factory began making over 100 pounds of oyster crackers a day. By 1900, other companies began to sell them, too. A pound of oyster crackers to go with your soup was just 5 cents, which means you could get enough crackers to last the entire winter for $1.

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