“I remember when cigs were 35 cents a pack”
In early ‘50’s Virginia, cigarettes were twenty cents per pack from vending machines. Actual cost was .19-cents per pack. Change was provided via a shiny new penny tucked under the cellophane wrapping. Apparently, “change” was placed during the packaging process. Presumably the change process also applied to over-the-counter sales.
Joke during the increasing popularity of color TV and Bonanza was who benefited most; NBC producers for the opening “flaming” credits of Bonanza or the actual TV manufacturers. My guess is that NBC and some affiliation with then premier color TV marketer RCA scored a twofer.
Around 1964-65 my family was still B&W but my grandmother had a new color TV. I was at her house one day when Bonanza came on and I was absolutely mesmerized by the opening of the show.