Double Prices

Double Prices is the simplest pricing game of all and the last of the three played on the premiere show.

Gameplay[]

The contestant is shown two prices, one of which is the right price. If you choose the right price, you win the prize. The higher price is on the top and the lower price is on the bottom.
For Episodes 3, 4, and 6 (#003N, #004N, and #006N, respectively) of Dennis James' version, the game was played with two prizes. So in effect, that version was called "Double Double Prices".
Traditionally Double Prices is considered a "time saver" game due to its fast gameplay and frequently appears on episodes with pricing games that take longer to play.

History[]

Double Prices was the very first pricing game to be lost on its first playing (and consequently, the first game to ever have a loss), but got its very first win the next day (#0012D, aired out of order on September 6, 1972).
It was often played behind the Giant Price Tag in the 70s and 80s, but from 1990-2007 it was usually played in front of door #2 or door #3. Nowadays, it's played usually in front of door #2, unless played for trips, where it is played in front of contestant's row, or for cars, when it is played in front of door #3
Overall, Double Prices has been played more times than any other pricing game with Most Expensive as the second-highest ranked pricing game played.
From the debut of One Right Price on the daytime show in 1975 until Double Prices got its own look in 1987, both games used the same props.
On May 18, 1977 (#2383D), the game still didn't get its title but the podium had changed. For full proof, see above.
On March 21, 1983 (#4851D), the third blue podium was introduced, with the show's original logo in white letters with the yellow price down dollar sign.
On January 14, 1987 (#6333D), the fourth Double Prices podium premiered, but it was in black. Not only that, but the game also got its title and the show's logo got colored to match what was on the big doors. The fourth podium was most likely built in late 1986. One Right Price would continue to use the old podiums until it too got redesigned ones in 1988.
On February 6, 1987 (#6365D), the fourth Double Prices podium has taken on its normal, blue appearance.
On June 1, 1992 (#8461D), the foghorn sounded for a loss instead of the normal buzzer.
On June 7, 2001 (#1844K), the font style of the "Double Prices" logo changed.
The original logo returned on April 1, 2011 (#5505K) as a specially made prop for a joke. When Drew pressed the button, the logo fell, revealing a bunch of groceries and smoke. The logo was brought back for good on April 28, 2011 (#5544K).
As of May 7, 2009 (#4744K), whenever a trip is displayed on the audience monitor, it is played in front of the contestant's row.
On October 22, 2013 (#6462K, aired out of order on October 8), a contestant named Vernon Johnson won a $20,000 bonus for being the first person on stage to win their pricing game during PCH week. It was played in the fourth slot.
Since the fourth Double Prices podium debuted in 1987, the Double Prices logo was absent four times-- October 4, 1995 (#9673D), January 10, 1996 (#9803D), November 1, 1996 (#0115K) and November 20, 1996 (#0143K).
During Bob Barker's final episode that aired on June 15, 2007 (#4035K), Double Prices was played for a car that was worth $29,560, and was won.
On December 24, 2010 (#5365K), the show's logo was updated to reflect the current one, but the game board remained until September 2017.
On March 24, 2017 (#7865K, aired out of order on March 31), the College Rivals episode, former WWE ring announcer Lilián Garcia (South Carolina) won a $10,747 trip to London, England, while Dulcinea Harju (Clemson) was denied.
On September 20, 2017 (#8013K, aired out of order on September 22), Double Prices got a new gameboard, the same shape as the 1987 gameboard, and operated the same way. The new game board uses the Super Ball!! dollar signs that were also used for the Showcase Showdown look from 1988-2008.
On September 26, 2019 (#8824K, aired out of order on September 23), the contestant won a vacation to Australia worth $9,630, and as a bonus, won a Tesla worth over $42,000, for a total of over $50,000 in cash and prizes.
On December 3, 2020 (#9204K), the trip was displayed on the turntable screen and the game was played in front of the turntable. The game has now been played in five different places on the stage, the only pricing game to do so.
On April 7, 2021 (#9383K), Drew forgot to remove the price contestant Nichole Connor didn't choose.
Sometime during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pricing game started to be revealed before the prize, a practice also used for Range Game and Side by Side at the same time.

Trivia[]

The most number of times this game was played in any season was 83 (season 1), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 5 (season 19).
It was the last of 3 pricing games to premiere in the premiere episode on September 4, 1972 (#0011D). The other 2 were Any Number and Bonus Game.
Double Prices was one of seven pricing games seen in the first taping session of season 36, which was seen on October 15, 2007 (#4041K, aired out of order on October 16), October 23, 2007 (#4052K, aired out of order on November 1), November 1, 2007 (#4064K, aired out of order on October 24), November 9, 2007 (#4075K, aired out of order on November 6), November 14, 2007 (#4083K, aired out of order on November 27), and November 19, 2007 (#4091K, aired out of order on December 11). It was also one of three "old" pricing games seen in the sixth taping session of the season, which was seen on November 26, 2007 (#4101K) with guest Wayne Newton, December 4, 2007 (#4112K), December 12, 2007 (#4123K), January 7, 2008 (#4131K, aired out of order on January 9), January 18, 2008 (#4145K), and January 23, 2008 (#4153K).
Various other pricing games, including Coming or Going and Side by Side, have a similar feature in that there are two possible prices. The only difference is that there are specific rules on how the two prices are similar, while here, the prices can be anything.
This game can be played in multiple locations because the prop was created with wheels.
This game is basically the inverse of One Right Price - instead of associating one of two prizes to one price, the object here is to associate one of two prices to one prize.
On The New Price is Right (1994), Magic Number borrowed the Double Prices podium instead of having models hold its price tags. In this setup, the more expensive prize occupied the top shelf, while the less expensive one occupied the bottom shelf.

Foreign versions of Double Prices[]

The game is played the same way in other parts of the world, with the only notable difference being the game's name:
- Mexico: "Con Melon o Con Sandia?" (With Cantaloupe or With Watermelon? players chose the price by saying the name of the melon attached to the price rather than the price itself).
- UK: "Double Price Tags" (at least during Bruce Forsyth's run)
- Australia: "Two Price Tags" (at least during Larry Emdur's runs)

Gallery[]

To view the gallery click here.

YouTube Videos[]

A Minor Cruise Ship Prop Problem in Double Prices (November 3, 1980, #3851D)
Debut of Double Prices' Fourth Podium (January 14, 1987, #6333D)
A Technical Mishap in Double Prices (November 19, 2008, #4513K, aired out of order on November 12)
Double Prices for a Kawasaki Ninja 650 Motorcycle (June 10, 2013, #6391K, aired out-of-order on May 9)
Debut of the Fifth Double Prices Podium (September 20, 2017, #8013K, aired out of order on September 22)
Double Prices for a Mini Cooper (September 17, 2018, #8411K)
A Double Prices Win with a Tesla Bonus (September 26, 2019, #8824K, aired out of order on September 23)

1970s Pricing Games

Active Pricing Games