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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Flipping through a JCPenney catalog from 1972, it dawned on me that some prices seemed way too high for ‘72, while others seemed ridiculously low. Let’s see how well you do identifying price tags from 35 years ago. But here’s the twist, folks, your job is to pick out the WRONG price, NOT the right price. Got it? [ed note: the incorrect price - the one that is NOT in the catalog - is the right answer.]
Go check out the new Price is Wrong quiz and COME ON DOWN when you’re done and tell us how well you made out.
Comments (19)
Comment
I got 40%, but frankly the whole price is wrong thing had me completely confused. I found it difficult when reading the results to get that the right answer was the wrong price or, uh…whatever it was. Still no idea what things cost. Were those elastic belts really $4.50?
posted by Anonymoose on 1-10-2008 at 10:14 pm
mental_floss, you always come to my rescue when I have homework I’m trying to avoid.
=)
posted by Rachel on 1-10-2008 at 10:24 pm
I agree with anonymoose. I was confused as to what the “correct” answer meant. Was it the correct nswer because the price was incorrect, or was it the correct answer because it was the actual price?
However, this was still incredibly entertaining.
I got a 20% though, haha.
posted by Laura on 1-11-2008 at 1:33 am
I got 70% correct! I also found interpreting the answers confusing.
OMG, was that Wayne Newton with the yellow shirt and flared-bottom jeans:)!?
posted by jdl on 1-11-2008 at 6:22 am
Well, it looks like I lost my Showcase Showdown at a measly 30% correct.
To clarify, the correct answers are the incorrect prices. I think.
posted by ArtF on 1-11-2008 at 6:59 am
I got 70% right (or is it wrong?). Was a bit confusing but was very interesting!
posted by JaneM on 1-11-2008 at 7:32 am
I thought I understood while I was playing but the way the answers are written is unclear. The answers should say something like:
1972 price is $1.49. The wrong price is $3.22 which you answered correctly.
1972 price is $149.99. The wrong price is $249.99 which you answered incorrectly.
posted by KJ on 1-11-2008 at 8:16 am
I got 50%. Loved the “husky sizes”…I bet that’s not PC in today’s world…lol!
posted by Angela on 1-11-2008 at 8:30 am
I got 50%. Understood the instructions, but it was hard to pick the wrong answer as the right one.
And wasn’t that Erin Gray (Silver Spoons, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) as one of the wig model?
posted by Beth on 1-11-2008 at 9:03 am
I got 70% correct!! Love the black socks with that extremely yellow shorts outfit!!!
posted by Amy on 1-11-2008 at 11:02 am
I got 90%! And I REALLY want that Duster Mini Bike.
posted by Molly on 1-11-2008 at 11:48 am
I got 70% and I was mostly guessing…I think I HAD that catalog in 1972 and would shop from it…those things looked familiar…
and YES, that IS Erin Gray in the wig!
I’ve been watching old “Let’s Make a Deal” eps on GSN and the prices on there are from 1970’s…a ‘new’ car was $2500-$9000 depending…a bag of jellybeans - 35 cents…I love those swinging 70’s…and I wanted a mini-bike SO BAD! all the neighbor kids had one but me!!
posted by donner on 1-11-2008 at 12:03 pm
Angela #8, actually, they’re still called “husky” sizes. The non-PC way would be “kids that are bigger than other kids”. Ha.
I got 70%. Go me/Yikes.
posted by Sarah on 1-11-2008 at 2:50 pm
I got a 70%–I botched the wigs, the fireplaces and the Super 8.
I’d love to own the little bean bag chair though. Groovy!!!
posted by mrs.djs on 1-11-2008 at 2:57 pm
The Price is Wrong
Score: 70% (7 out of 10)
Ahh, back when models still had some flesh on their bones.
And butt-ugly clothes on their flesh.
posted by Sheldon Siegel on 1-11-2008 at 4:19 pm
Agree - Confusing Presentation!
Agree - That sure as heck looks like Erin Grey. I was happy to see I am not the only Buck Rogers geek who noticed. We all gotta start somewhere Erin! Bidi bidi!
posted by dannyboy on 1-11-2008 at 4:58 pm
40%…got very confused re the Price is Wrong.
My nerd boy spouse wants the stereo for evil circuit bending purposes.
posted by gwendy on 1-11-2008 at 7:41 pm
On the last question, the one with the filming equipment, I noticed on the picture that there was a Man Walks on the Moon reel movie included. I just found one of those in my mother-in-law’s basement when we were doing some cleanout work. I think it was produced by Castle films or something like that. I was thinking, “who would buy such a thing? It must have been expensive in the day.” Turns out they were being given away!
posted by Rusty on 1-11-2008 at 10:36 pm
I have a shopping bag full of my uncle’s early 1970’s 8-track tapes. Too bad the player in my 1970’s era Sears phono/radio/8-track doesn’t work.
For a while when I was a kid, I wore husky clothes and I wasn’t even a “robust” kid. I was just wide (or thick?) for my height. Regular pants that fit my waist were too long, shirts that fit my chest had sleeves too long. We discovered that husky clothes had sleeves and legs that fit me better.
posted by Tdave on 1-15-2008 at 2:20 am