In the Interest of Wishful Thinking, Here Are 17 Pics of Ridiculously Low Gas Prices

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 05/16/2024 in ftw

Gas prices. They're one of everyone's favorite things to whine about, and I'll be honest, I never quite understood how bad they were until I turned 18, swiped my new debit card through a pump, and found myself $90 poorer.

As with everything, gas prices have increased with inflation, and although they're not currently at record highs, those of us who got used to Covid pricing now remember how much it costs to fill up a tank.

But things weren't always this way. Back in the old days, you could buy a slice of pizza for a quarter, some gum for a nickel, and a gallon of gas for well under a dollar. Of course, that was a long time ago, but you're allowed to daydream and imagine filling up your guzzling F-250 Super Duty on .19 cents a gallon.

So in the spirit of wishful thinking, and a push towards walkable cities, here are 17 photos of old gas stations with ridiculously low prices.

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It's hard to date this picture exactly, but assuming it's from either the '30s or '40s, $.16 of buying power in 1935 equals $3.66 in May of 2024. So while the gas is cheap, it's not that cheap.
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$.19 of buying power in 1960 equals $2.01 in April of 2024.
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$.15 of buying power in 1960 equals $1.59 in May of 2024.
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Of the gas prices on this list, this one might just be the best deal, and thanks to the date in the corner we know when the photo was taken. For just .19 cents a gallon in 1972, you'd have to pay an equivalent of $1.43 in May of 2024.
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$.29 of buying power in 1964 equals $2.93 in April of 2024.
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$.30 of buying power in 1964 equals $3.03 in May 2024.
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$.31 of buying power in 1964 equals $3.14 in May of 2024.
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$.27 of buying power in 1962 equals $2.80 in May of 2024.
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Assuming this photo was taken in the 1940s, .12 cents for a gallon of gas would cost $2.69 in May of 2024.
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Covid prices were a weird thing, huh? So if we compare this price of .85 cents in 2020 to 1940, it would give us the lowest price on the list at a staggering .5 cents a gallon. So the next time you feel like being nostalgic about gas prices, just take the bus instead, it's cheaper.
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1.
2.
3.
It's hard to date this picture exactly, but assuming it's from either the '30s or '40s, $.16 of buying power in 1935 equals $3.66 in May of 2024. So while the gas is cheap, it's not that cheap.
4.
$.19 of buying power in 1960 equals $2.01 in April of 2024.
5.
6.
$.15 of buying power in 1960 equals $1.59 in May of 2024.
7.
Of the gas prices on this list, this one might just be the best deal, and thanks to the date in the corner we know when the photo was taken. For just .19 cents a gallon in 1972, you'd have to pay an equivalent of $1.43 in May of 2024.
8.
9.
$.29 of buying power in 1964 equals $2.93 in April of 2024.
10.
$.30 of buying power in 1964 equals $3.03 in May 2024.
11.
$.31 of buying power in 1964 equals $3.14 in May of 2024.
12.
13.
$.27 of buying power in 1962 equals $2.80 in May of 2024.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Assuming this photo was taken in the 1940s, .12 cents for a gallon of gas would cost $2.69 in May of 2024.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Covid prices were a weird thing, huh? So if we compare this price of .85 cents in 2020 to 1940, it would give us the lowest price on the list at a staggering .5 cents a gallon. So the next time you feel like being nostalgic about gas prices, just take the bus instead, it's cheaper.
29.
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31.
32.
33.