Special Report

The Price of Bacon and Eggs the Year You Were Born

Parkerla / Getty Images

Bacon and eggs is a classic American breakfast. We wake up many mornings craving the salty tang of bacon and the comforting taste of eggs. But if you have ventured to a grocery store lately, you have no doubt noticed the price of your favorite morning meal has risen dramatically. (Considering bacon and eggs are staples of brunch, the cost of your restaurant brunch has gone up, too. See the 25 best cities for brunch lovers.)

The most recent consumer price index estimates the price of bacon rose 18.2% between March 2021 and March of this year. In the same period, the cost of eggs shot up 11.2%.

Perhaps what makes the price hike for bacon and eggs so shocking is that for most of the 20th century, the cost of those items held pretty much steady. It wasn’t until 1973 that a pound of bacon hit the $1 mark, then breached it. Meanwhile, a dozen eggs cost less than a dollar until 1984. After that year, the price fluctuated to under a dollar or a bit over a dollar until 2002, when the price leveled at a dollar or more. Those prices, it should be noted, are not inflated-adjusted.

To determine the cost of bacon and eggs the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. adjusted the average price of a pound of sliced bacon and a dozen large grade A eggs in U.S. cities for every year from 1939 to 2021. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bacon prices were adjusted using the annual consumer price index for bacon and related products, and egg prices were adjusted using the consumer price index for eggs. Historical prices of bacon and eggs were adjusted for overall inflation using the annual consumer price index for all items.

It is not only inflation that has boosted bacon prices during the pandemic years. American consumers have demanded more pork products. At the same time, the cost of producing those products has risen. Same with eggs. The price of feeding the chickens has risen, while transporting the eggs to stores has increased, as well. There was also a spike in demand for eggs during the pandemic as more people cooked at home.

Still, Americans love their bacon and eggs. So it is to be seen if they will forgo their cherished breakfast just because of a high price tag. (Not everything has gone up in price recently. For example, the price of this household item is plunging.)

Click here to see the price of bacon and eggs the year you were born

General Photographic Agency / Getty Images

1939
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.01
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26

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Hulton Archive / Getty Images

1940
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.35
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10

George W. Hales / Fox Photos / Getty Images

1941
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.07
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32

National Archives / Getty Images

1942
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36

Fred Morley / Fox Photos / Getty Images

1943
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.33
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34

Express / Express / Getty Images

1944
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.25

Keystone / Getty Images

1945
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23

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Keystone / Getty Images

1946
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.91
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49

Keystone / Getty Images

1947
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.62
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $7.53
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.90

Three Lions / Getty Images

1948
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.88
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

1949
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.04
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

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George Konig / Keystone Features / Getty Images

1950
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.71
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.44

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

1951
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.41

Housewife / Getty Images

1952
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

Alan Meek / Express / Getty Images

1953
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.38
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.61

Central Press / Getty Images

1954
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.66

Carsten / Three Lions / Getty Images

1955
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.31
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34

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Terry Fincher / Keystone / Getty Images

1956
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.63
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17

Chaloner Woods / Getty Images

1957
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.45

Keystone / Getty Images

1958
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.99
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

Reg Speller / Fox Photos / Getty Images

1959
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.98
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26

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Keystone / Getty Images

1960
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.81
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.21

Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

1961
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.31

Chaloner Woods / Getty Images

1962
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.09
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28

Keystone / Getty Images

1963
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.87
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23

Evening Standard / Getty Images

1964
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22

Keystone / Getty Images

1965
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.79
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46

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Chris Ware / Keystone Features / Getty Images

1966
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.62
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67

Express / Express / Getty Images

1967
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.42

Getty Images

1968
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

Keystone / Getty Images

1969
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36

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Paramount Pictures / Courtesy of Getty Images

1970
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.53
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

Dwayne Bey / Getty Images

1971
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.49
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.13

Susan Schiff Faludi / Three Lions / Getty Images

1972
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.81
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

Express Newspapers / Getty Images

1973
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.84
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72

John Downing / Express / Getty Images

1974
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.13
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54

Express Newspapers / Getty Images

1975
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $7.55
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.38
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.90

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Fortgens Photography / Getty Images

1976
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.96
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.37
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.76

Fortgens Photography / Getty Images

1977
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.00
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

Keystone / Getty Images

1978
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.62

yellowsarah / Getty Images

1979
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.36
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35

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M. Fresco / Evening Standard / Getty Images

1980
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.15

Getty Images

1981
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.90
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.18

cws_design / Getty Images

1982
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.05
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

1983
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.94
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.14
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30

bgwalker / Getty Images

1984
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.00
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22

cws_design / Getty Images

1985
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.94
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.80
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22

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Getty Images

1986
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28

Getty Images

1987
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.16
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30

Tony Duffy / Allsport / Getty Images

1988
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.88
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.37
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10

Tom Kelley Archive / Getty Images

1989
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.95
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.00
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.00

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GomezDavid / Getty Images

1990
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.44
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.01
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.12

Comstock / Getty Images

1991
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.14

Jupiterimages / Getty Images

1992
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $0.96

Comstock / Getty Images

1993
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.93
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $0.99

Comstock / Getty Images

1994
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.08
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.03

yellowsarah / Getty Images

1995
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.03
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.02

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Comstock / Getty Images

1996
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.86
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23

LindaYolanda / Getty Images

1997
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.23
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32

Shanina / Getty Images

1998
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.04
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.20

Shanina / Getty Images

1999
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.66
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17

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landonarnold / Getty Images

2000
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.28
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

Westersoe / Getty Images

2001
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.93
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35

cws_design / Getty Images

2002
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.30
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34

Amax Photo / Getty Images

2003
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.47
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38

Wolfsburg1984 / Getty Images

2004
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.38
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.75
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.45

Altinosmanaj / Getty Images

2005
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

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LSOphoto / Getty Images

2006
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.44
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.31
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36

lechatnoir / Getty Images

2007
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.46
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38

deucee_ / Getty Images

2008
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32

JasonDoiy / Getty Images

2009
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.15
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30

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Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images

2010
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37

Koh Sze Kiat / Getty Images

2011
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.99
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

DisobeyArt / Getty Images

2012
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

Kemal Yildirim / Getty Images

2013
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.29
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.24
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

Prostock-Studio / Getty Images

2014
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.48
> Price of a dozen eggs: $2.02
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.63

Alex Brandon-Pool / Getty Images

2015
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $2.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

2016
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.03
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

Igor Alecsander / Getty Images

2017
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.31
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.59

Anchiy / Getty Images

2018
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.05
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.74
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

PIKSEL / Getty Images

2019
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.06
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.40
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

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Geber86 / Getty Images

2020
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.14
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.55

Fly View Productions / Getty Images

2021
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67

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