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Although the CPI has only been compiled from 1948, an approximate long-term measure of retail price change has been constructed by linking together other selected retail price index series (see graph 28.4 and table 28.5). The index numbers are expressed on a reference base 1945 = 100.0, which was the end of a period of relative price stability during World War II. The successive series linked together to produce this long-term series of index numbers are:

• from 1850 to 1901, Sydney Retail Price Index;

• from 1901 to 1914, the A Series Index;

• from 1914 to 1946-47, the C Series Index;

• from 1946-47 to 1948-49, a combination of the C Series Index (excluding rent) and the housing group of the CPI; and

• from 1948-49 onwards, the CPI.

28.5 RETAIL PRICE INDEX NUMBERS(a)(b) - 1850 to 2000
Year	Index no.	Year	Index no.	Year	Index no.	Year	Index no.	Year	Index no.	Year	Index no.
1850	53	1880	*45	1910	52	1940	*85	1970	*313	2000	2289
1851	56	1881	*46	1911	53	1941	*89	1971	*332
1852	56	1882	*56	1912	59	1942	*97	1972	*352
1853	69	1883	*55	1913	59	1943	*101	1973	*385
1854	89	1884	*52	1914	61	1944	*100	1974	*443
1855	103	1885	*53	1915	70	1945	*100	1975	*510
1856	78	1886	*56	1916	71	1946	102	1976	*579
1857	82	1887	*52	1917	75	1947	106	1977	650
1858	86	1888	*52	1918	80	1948	117	1978	702
1859	73	1889	*51	1919	91	1949	128	1979	766
1860	72	1890	*51	1920	103	1950	140	1980	844
1861	71	1891	*50	1921	90	1951	167	1981	926
1862	65	1892	*49	1922	87	1952	196	1982	1,028
1863	58	1893	*48	1923	89	1953	205	1983	1,132
1864	60	1894	*42	1924	88	1954	206	1984	1,177
1865	64	1895	*42	1925	88	1955	211	1985	1,257
1866	60	1896	*42	1926	90	1956	224	1986	1,370
1867	50	1897	*42	1927	89	1957	229	1987	1,487
1868	54	1898	*41	1928	89	1958	233	1988	1,594
1869	46	1899	45	1929	91	1959	237	1989	1,714
1870	48	1900	43	1930	87	1960	245	1990	1,839
1871	47	1901	47	1931	78	1961	252	1991	1,898
1872	43	1902	50	1932	74	1962	251	1992	1,917
1873	47	1903	49	1933	71	1963	252	1993	1,952
1874	52	1904	46	1934	73	1964	258	1994	1,989
1875	53	1905	48	1935	74	1965	268	1995	2,082
1876	51	1906	48	1936	75	1966	276	1996	2,136
1877	53	1907	48	1937	78	1967	286	1997	2,141
1878	51	1908	51	1938	80	1968	293	1998	2,159
1879	45	1909	51	1939	82	1969	302	1999	2,191
(a) Reference base year 1945 = 100.0. (b) The index numbers relate to Sydney from 1850 to 1900; from 1901 to 1980 they relate to the weighted average of six State capital cities; and from 1981 to the weighted average of eight capital cities. Index numbers are for calendar years.
* Revised 21 March 2002 Source: ABS data available on request, Consumer Price Index.