How can we find prices of popular items through the centuries to make comparison charts?
A “Food Thru the Ages ” project sounds wonderful! Unfortunately, this is not a simple task. Determining accurate historic values of consumer goods is a complicated economic process–one which must factor in regional differences, inflation, labor costs and personal income. To make international comparisons one must also study the evolution of monetary systems and foreign exchange rates. This is why (for example) it is impossible to draw a simple chart of bread prices through the ages across all cultures. If you want to compare your local prices from one decade to another you will need to factor in the Consumer Price Index for your area. Numbers are supplied by the U.S. Department of Labor. About food prices & weights Did you know that in Great Britain that a penny-loaf was set by law? Karen Hess, culinary historian, explained “Bread was the staff of life in Tudor and Stuart England, more so among the poor than the rich…. Its importance was such that the Assizes of Bread, dating from 1
