Interesting Lloyd. I ran that number through the inflation calculator. An 1895.00 purchase in 1979 would equate to 6,692.38 in 2020.
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Quoted from LTG:Back then a person buying one would be hard if not impossible. Distributors would sell to established operators only. They were concerned once you were bored with it, it would end up on the street somewhere and possibly start a street war with operators.
Price for KISS back then would have been $1895.00
LTG : )