Core Memory

This core module, purchased from a Boston surplus shop in 1971, has 26 identical planes stacked on top of each other. The uppermost one is visible; it's an X-Y matrix of 32 X 64individual ferrite cores. That's 1024 bits per plane, for a total of 64 Kbits. In a 3 pound package. When originally manufactured it probably cost in excess of $1,000.

On top is a 128 GB thumb drive, a flash memory device that, like the core, is non-volatile. It stores a trillion bits and cost $45 in 2014.