I remember when cigs were 35 cents a pack
In high school (ear.y/mid 70s) I worked for the local supermarket (one of a major chain) and I distinctly remember cigarettes were 42 cents per pack. You had to hit a special key on the cash register because they were accounted for differently than other groceries.
I was just looking in my curio cabinet and saw a small commemorative snifter from my 25th HS reunion. I quickly did the math and thought, “oh, that’s 1999 - not so long ago.” Then realized my 50th will be NEXT YEAR!!!!
“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.