Born in 1984
Turns 42 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1984
1984 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $30.00Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $30.00
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $30.00
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $30.00
Front Page: United States edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1984 · United States
A little history to go with their gift.
Apple introduced the Macintosh, Alec Jeffreys developed DNA fingerprinting at the University of Leicester, and John McEnroe won Wimbledon. The year brought a new kind of personal computer, a powerful method of genetic identification and a standout tennis result.
What happened in 1984?
Bruce McCandless makes an untethered spacewalk
Bruce McCandless tested the Manned Maneuvering Unit during the first untethered spacewalk on February 7, 1984.
Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics
The Los Angeles Olympic Games opened July 28 and closed August 12, 1984.
Encyclopaedia Britannica · Fédération Equestre Internationale
Carl Lewis wins four Olympic golds
Carl Lewis won Olympic gold in the 100 metres, 200 metres, long jump and 4×100-metre relay at Los Angeles in 1984.
USA Track & Field · Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee; LA84 Digital Library
Mary Lou Retton takes all-around gymnastics gold
Mary Lou Retton became the first American woman to win the Olympic gymnastics all-around title in Los Angeles in 1984.
Firsts and new ideas
Apple introduces the Macintosh
Apple unveiled and began selling the Macintosh computer on January 24, 1984.
Mark Zuckerberg is born in White Plains
Mark Zuckerberg was born in White Plains, New York, on May 14, 1984. He later co-founded Facebook with fellow Harvard students.
Number ones and music in 1984
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. album arrives
Bruce Springsteen released his album Born in the U.S.A. on June 4, 1984.
Madonna reaches No. 1 with “Like a Virgin”
Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” reached the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 on December 22, 1984.
Billboard (issue scan hosted by World Radio History) · Sound On Sound
Prices and everyday money in 1984
United States figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic first-class letter | 20¢ | first oz United States Postal Service; Smithsonian National Postal Museum |
| Federal minimum wage, covered nonexempt workers | $3.35 | hour U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; U.S. Government Accountability Office |
| White pan bread | 54¢ | 1 lb loaf Stacker; Ben Wittstein |
| Fresh grocery whole milk | $1.13 | ½ gallon Stacker; Ben Wittstein |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1984 turns 42 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
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