Cheap and cheerful?

E. L. Moore's Brewery was the first of his plastic kits marketed by AHM. It was released late in 1967, and advertisements from that period show the price was $2.95US, the same as stamped on this box. An internet inflation calculator tells me $2.95US in 1967 is worth around $22.65US in 2020 (which, for reference, is equivalent to $30.75 Canadian as of today).

So, what kind of HO scale plastic structure kit can you buy today for $22.65US? Well, for just a few dollars more, for $29.98US, you can buy Walthers Trainline boxing of the Pickle Factory, which as we saw is a version of the brewery. Is the brewery still being manufactured? I don't think so. The last boxing I saw for sale new was the Model Power, but since it was acquired by MRC, and then Lionel, I haven't seen new boxings for sale - maybe there are and I haven't found them, but if I do I'll let you know. 

Ok, well, this is a long way of saying that with Trainline being a budget conscious brand, around $30US will get you today what about $3US got you in '67. 

What did I pay for the AHM relic? $39.95US. Too much if all you want is a generic kit, but I wanted the whole E. L. Moore, first-kit-offered, '67 vibe, and I wanted it now, so I had to cough up around $10US more than the $30US basis. And it was the only one in this boxing I could find. 

Cheap and cheerful? For me the AHM boxing is cool. The Walthers pickle factory boxing will get you a version for less cash, but their boxing is overly clinical and has no vibe. Those boxtop paintings from the early kits are hard to beat.