TOPIC: Ginseng trends

I would be curious as to what has been the price trends for seng, say the last 20-30 years. Maybe one of you dealers that have been around for a while could look it up in your records and post it year by year. I know we didn't get a lot when I started digging some 40 years ago. And I'm sure there has been some up and downs in the market. I would do it if I wasn't so damn old and could remember back that far. Thanks!

I HAVE DUG OVER 30 YEARS , STARTED PAYING 7 AN OZ. THAT WAS WHEN I STARTED.

the first year i sold back in the early 70's i got 65 a pound..that seems like a bad joke this day and age..wished i had it all back that i sold for less than 100 a pound.,.

The first pound I sold, probably in 1962 or '63, I sold to Chunk Cowan in Sylva NC for $36.00. I was told Chunk was the tallest man in WWI, I was 6'3\" @ 13 or 14 years old then and when he stood up he had to be 7' or better. It has sure come a long way in price but think what $36.00 would buy back then.

The first seng I ever dug and sold I was about 13 years old. That would have been around 1961. It sold for $20 a lb.. My brother, cousin and I sure kept a lot of cigs and chewing tobacco.WHEW!

225 back in early 90's

My Dad used to dig when I was very young (now 57). I remember when it got to $16.00 a pound - he thought he was rich!

I started digging in the early 80's,got 90 lb. and it stayed around 100 lb. for several years after that,but gas was'nt 3 or 4 bucks a gallon either

Check this out.

Average Cost Of New Home Homes

1930 $3,845.00 , 1940 $3,920.00, 1950 $8,450.00 , 1960 $12,700.00 ,

1970 $23,450.00 , 1980 $68,700.00 , 1990 $123,000.00 , 2008 $238,880 ,

Average Wages

1930 $1,970.00 , 1940 $1,725.00, 1950 $3,210.00 , 1960 $5,315.00 ,

1970 $9,400.00 , 1980 $19,500.00 , 1990 $28,960.00 , 2008 $40,523 ,

Average Cost of New Car Cars

1930 $600.00 , 1940 $850.00, 1950 $1,510.00 , 1960 $2,600.00 ,

1970 $3,450.00 , 1980 $7,200.00 , 1990 $16,950.00 , 2008 $27,958 ,





Average Cost Gallon Of gas

1930 10 cents , 1940 11 cents , 1950 18 cents , 1960 25 cents ,

1970 36 cents , 1980 $1.19 , 1990 $1.34 , 2009 $2.051 ,

Average Cost Loaf of Bread Food

1930 9 cents , 1940 10 cents , 1950 12 cents , 1960 22 cents ,

1970 25 cents , 1980 50 cents , 1990 70 cents , 2008 $2.79 ,

Average Cost 1lb Hamburger Meat

1930 12 cents , 1940 20 cents , 1950 30 cents , 1960 45 cents ,

1970 70 cents , 1980 99 cents , 1990 89 cents , 2009 $3.99 ,

Some of the above can be explained due to the inflation over 70 years , but there are also many other reasons why some prices increase. With this information is it possible to predict where ginseng prices will be in the next 10 years? Very possible.

Latt, That is very interesting.
My wife and I bought our first house in 72 for $15,000 (FHA). I was working at a Chevrolet dealership doing auto body repair for $125 a week.

Getting back to ginseng, in the 80's when it reached $10 an ounce, I think it was about the time of the (recession) not for sure. A lot of people started digging and cleaning the woods out of ginseng. That was about the time the gov. started restrictions on seng.