Just for fun, let’s take a look at the prices of certain popular tubes used in radio, hi-fi and stereo equipment as they were 62 years ago and compare those to today’s prices.

For this comparison, I am going to look at a few key tube types: the 5U4GB, the 6BQ5/EL84, the 6SN7GT, the 12AT7, the 12AX7, and the 6550(A).

Today, all these tube types are in high demand among audiophiles, and the prices are often quite expensive. The Russia-Ukraine situation has made things worse in this regard, since many of those audiophile tubes are being manufactured in Russia.

I am going to select three tube vendors’ ads from the June 1960 edition of Radio-Electronics magazine and compare these to three of today’s online vendors (picked entirely at random).

Here’s the chart:

A comparison of tube prices in June 1960 and current prices as of May 2022.

A = United Radio Co., Newark, NJ

B = “TAB”, New York City – Government & manufacturers surplus

C = Teltron Electric Co., Harrison, NJ

D = FindATube.com, NOS (new-old-stock)

E = Antique Electronic Supply, new manufacture

F = TheTubeStore.com, new manufacture

EH – Electro-Harmonix (Russian made)

SO – Sovtek (Russian made)

It is interesting to note that in 1960, the 12AT7 cost slightly more than the 12AX7. Today, the opposite is true.

To be fair, the prices in the 1960 Radio-Electronics ads do not reflect list prices which were in effect at the time. It should also be noted that the 1960 ads were for new tubes, although they might be surplus. Radio-Electronics magazine had a policy in effect at the time in which they would refuse advertisements from tube sellers which sold used or factory second tubes, unless it was clearly stated as such in the ad.

Please note current prices may have changed since this article was written in mid-May 2022.

Finally, the entire United Radio ad from June 1960 is reproduced below. Don’t try to order from this ad, though, as they are no longer in business (and if they were, they would not honor prices from 62 years ago anyway).