How much was a color TV in 1954?

1954 was the year that RCA introduced color television in the US and was the first broadcaster to do so. In 1954 it is estimated that fewer than 5000 color televisions were sold at a price of $1000 each.

It is hardly surprising that so few were sold. It was a very new technology so the number of color broadcasts were limited. The major reason for the limited sales was the price. $1000 doesn't sound like a great deal of money but in 1954, that $1000 was worth around $8000 in 2010. With lower disposable incomes and far less credit available, that sum was out of the reach of most homes.

By 1956 around 120,000 color televisions had been sold and the price had dropped to only $500 - still a lot of money but within the budget of many more than in 1954.