Lyle,
A couple of suggestions for compilations of data.  The Economic History Assn. site EH.net has collections of data that might include the sort of material you seek.  Another suggestion, if you have access to the JSTOR site is to use their search feature among the economic/economic history literature for work on prices.
Good luck with it.
David Kiracofe

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From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lyle E. Browning [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 3:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Costs of Stuff

I'm working on a set of sites dating from the Reconstruction Era to the early electricity period (1865-1940) in tobacco country. The literature on the subject refers to average incomes per year in various places but never mentions the costs of basics, staples and/or farm machinery. Could someone point me in the direction of compiled information that has staple prices and income figures (cost of a loaf of bread, pound of butter, average yearly income, etc.) for that time period? Also, has anyone compiled farm equipment prices for that time period on a yearly or decade basis?

Thanks in advance,

Lyle Browning, RPA
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