1996

What Was Happening in 1996

Football comes home, the Spice Girls arrive, and Dolly the Sheep makes headlines as the world's first clone.

Born in

By the Numbers in 1996

World Population

UK Life Expectancy

58.6 years

US Life Expectancy

59.0 years

Gold Price (per oz)

$316.03

Dow Jones Index

7,573

US National Debt

Sovereign Nations

187

How Much Did Things Cost in 1996?

ItemUKUS
Average house price£64,600$118,000
Average salary£17,000$35,000
Pint of milk31p$0.62
Loaf of bread60p$0.79
Dozen eggs£1.14$1.10
Pint of beer£1.48$2.60
Gallon of petrol/gas£2.40$1.23
Cinema ticket£3.40$4.42

Technology and Inventions in 1996

Nokia was becoming the dominant mobile phone brand. DVD players went on sale in Japan. Hotmail launched as one of the first free web-based email services. The Nintendo 64 arrived, and Pokémon Red and Blue debuted in Japan.

  • Hotmail launched as a free web-based email service
  • Nintendo 64 released with Super Mario 64
  • DVD format launched in Japan
  • Pokémon Red and Green released in Japan, starting a global phenomenon

Shop 1996 memorabilia on eBay/Amazon

More About 1996

What Was Happening — A journey through the years