What 5p Could Buy You After School in 1979 …. And Why It Felt Like a Fortune

In 1979, 5p was real money to a child! It wasn’t symbolic pocket change — it was enough to make decisions, feel powerful, and walk away from a shop feeling satisfied. What that single coin could buy after school would surprise most people today.

The most common use of 5p was at the corner shop or school tuck shop, where loose sweets ruled. Five pence could get you a full paper bag of penny sweets — blackjacks, fruit salads, cola cubes, foam bananas, shrimps, flying saucers, or liquorice wheels. Shopkeepers counted them out carefully, and children watched closely to make sure none were missed.

If you wanted something more indulgent, 5p could buy a small chocolate bar. Options included a Curly Wurly, Fudge, Milky Way, or Fry’s Turkish Delight. These weren’t eaten in a rush — they were unwrapped slowly, often saved for the walk home.

Crisps were another option. A standard bag of Ready Salted, Cheese & Onion, or Salt & Vinegarusually cost around 5p, depending on the brand. The bags were bigger than today’s lunchbox versions, and the flavours were strong. Eating a full bag felt substantial, not like a snack that disappeared instantly.

Drinks stretched the value even further. Five pence could get you a small carton of orange or blackcurrant drink, or sometimes a tiny bottle of fizzy pop if you were lucky. Alternatively, it could buy a frozen ice pop in warmer months — often cut in half and sold individually.

What mattered wasn’t just quantity — it was choice. With 5p, you could decide between sweets, crisps, chocolate or a drink. That decision-making was part of the experience. Some children spent it all at once; others split it — 2p on sweets, 3p saved for tomorrow.

Five pence also taught early lessons. Spend it badly, and you’d regret it. Spend it wisely, and you felt clever. There were no top-ups, no borrowing, no contactless bailouts. When it was gone, it was gone.

Today, 5p barely registers. In 1979, it bought independence, excitement, and a pocket full of treats — and for a child walking home from school, it genuinely felt like wealth.