1

E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The friendship between Elliot and E.T. didn't just capture our hearts: it broke audience records, selling approximately 142 million tickets domestically, beating the incredibly successful Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). It held that record for over a decade, until Jurassic Park snatched the title in the 90s.

This Steven Spielberg classic starred Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore when she was still a child, and it featured a soundtrack by composer John Williams that made the audience feel like they were flying on a bicycle along with Elliot and his extraterrestrial friend.

2

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back contains one of the most famous lines in film history: "I am your father." The first installment of the Star Wars saga (later retitled as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) had been the biggest film of the 70s. As soon as the decade changed, Empire brought millions of fanatics to the theatres again. It sold around 98 million tickets in the US and Canada.

Directed by Irvin Kershner and produced by George Lucas, the film reunited audiences with Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher. The story follows the Rebel Alliance on the run. Though slightly less commercially dominant than its predecessor, it was still one of the top-grossing films of the decade.

3

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

By the time Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade hit theaters in 1989, the fedora-wearing archaeologist was already a global icon, having charmed audiences in the first two installments.

Three of the big names that were involved in this production have already been mentioned on this list: Director Steven Spielberg, producer George Lucas, and star Harrison Ford. This time, he was joined by the great Sean Connery playing his father. This installment sold an estimated 49 million tickets domestically.

4

Batman (1989)

When director Tim Burton took over the superhero’s story for this late-eighties movie, he gave a darker, stylized touch to the genre. Starring Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight alongside Jack Nicholson as the Joker, this film was a great departure from the comic book storytelling that audiences had gotten used to with the 60s iconic series in which Adam West played Gotham’s hero alongside Burt Ward as Robin.

The film sold around 62 million tickets locally and became the biggest commercial success of that year. Combined with an album filled with hits by superstar Prince, this movie was one of the first superhero blockbusters.

5

Back to the Future (1985)

This movie took the concept of time travel and worked it into one of the most beloved films of an era. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a teenager accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean built by the eccentric Doc Brown , played by Christopher Lloyd.

It was the highest-grossing movie of ‘85, selling 59 million tickets domestically. Its mix of comedy, science fiction, and heartfelt scenes made it a classic viewers love to rewatch.

6

Top Gun (1986)

Naval aviation had never stirred as much popular interest as when Tom Cruise played the daring pilot Maverick in this film. It was the most successful film of 1986, selling approximately 47 million tickets.

The action film, with high-speed aerial sequences and a strong focus on competition and camaraderie, boosted Navy recruitment in the years that followed its release . It also popularized songs like "Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone," and cemented Ray-Ban’s aviator sunglasses as a cultural icon.

7

Ghostbusters (1984)

"Who you gonna call?" Directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver, this film became one of the most beloved and memorable comedies of the decade. It earned nearly $300 million worldwide and sold 71 million tickets in North America alone, making it a huge success for the era.

Its theme song, "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., became a chart-topping hit, and the film’s imagery, from the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to the proton packs, became instantly iconic.

8

Rain Man (1988)

This one film managed to make an impact without lightsabers, time-traveling machines, spaceships, aliens, ghosts, or men in capes. Rain Man showed Hollywood that character-driven stories could still become big hits.

Directed by Barry Levinson, the film stars Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman as newfound brothers who must embark on a cross-country journey. Selling around 43 million tickets, it was the highest-grossing film of its year, which meant the audiences loved it. It also went on to win four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hoffman, which meant the critics loved it, too.

9

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Blending live action with animation had worked very well for Mary Poppins in 1964. Who Framed Roger Rabbit pushed boundaries of the technology and put it in the service of a film aimed at an older audience.

Directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg, respectively, it starred Bob Hoskins amid a world shared by "toons," cartoon characters, which included Roger Rabbit and Jessica Rabbit.

It was a major box office success, selling around 38 million tickets. It also won four Academy Awards, which praised its technical achievements.

10

Fatal Attraction (1987)

Directed by Adrian Lyne, this film was a huge triumph for Paramount: Its production cost only $14 million, and it went on to earn $320 million globally. Infidelity and obsession are the main themes of this dramatic thriller that stars Michael Douglas and Glenn Close in a role that earned her an Academy Award nomination.

The film sold around 40 million tickets domestically. Its box office popularity was thanks to word of mouth, as people recommended this adult suspense movie in conversations.

1

Blockbuster

During the 1980s and 1990s, Friday night often meant one thing for American families: a trip to Blockbuster. Browsing the aisles for a movie, debating what to watch, and grabbing popcorn at the counter became a weekly routine. But nothing lasts forever.

Born in 1985, Blockbuster conquered the massive home-video market with thousands of stores by the late 1990s and early 2000s, catering to families with at-home VCRs. Then technology changed everything. First came DVD-by-mail services like Netflix, followed by streaming, which left Blockbuster struggling. Late fees and inconvenience only pushed more customers away. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2010. Today, just one official store remains in Bend, Oregon, where visitors still stop by for a dose of the video-store era.

2

Kodak

Back in the day, almost every vacation, birthday, wedding, or holiday gathering seemed to include a Kodak camera, or at least a roll of Kodak film. Founded in 1881, Kodak helped keep the moments that filled family photo albums for generations.

From the 1960s through the 1990s, Kodak dominated the world of film and photography. But that success also made the company slow to accept that technology was changing. Ironically, Kodak helped invent one of the first digital cameras in 1975, yet it hesitated to embrace the future. By the 1990s and 2000s, digital cameras (and later camera phones) quickly replaced traditional film. In 2012, the company declared bankruptcy.

3

Pan Am

Long before flying became an everyday experience, Pan American World Airways, better known as Pan Am, was already carrying Americans across the world. It was founded in 1927, and during the 1960s and 1970s, the airline became a symbol of glamorous air travel.

Its famous blue globe logo was instantly recognizable, even to those who rarely flew. But by the late 1970s, rising competition, fuel costs, and financial troubles began weakening the company. After years of mounting losses and debt, Pan Am shut down in 1991. Even so, its fame was such that even today, more than 30 years later, we still remember it.

4

Woolworth’s

Before Woolworth's made the "five-and-dime" famous, shopping in America looked very different. For decades, Americans visited Woolworth’s for everything from toys and school supplies to household goods and everyday essentials. By the 1960s, the brand had become a familiar part of American life.

Created in 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth, the chain grew into one of the country’s largest retailers. But in the 1970s, malls and discount giants like Walmart changed the way Americans shopped, and Woolworth struggled to keep up. By the 1980s, the iconic chain was slowly disappearing. Most stores closed during the 1990s, and the Woolworth retail chain officially ended in 1997.

5

Circuit City

Testing giant stereo systems, browsing rows of CDs and video games, and shopping for the newest TV were all part of the experience at Circuit City, once one of America’s biggest electronics chains.

Founded in 1949 by Samuel S. Wurtzel in Richmond, Virginia, as "Wards Company," the retailer adopted the Circuit City name in 1984. During the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, it became the go-to place for Americans buying a TV, stereo, computer, or any electronic device. But like many companies on this list, Circuit City struggled as shopping habits changed and online stores became more convenient. A controversial 2007 decision to lay off thousands of experienced employees further hurt the company’s reputation. Circuit City couldn’t survive mounting losses and closed all remaining stores in 2009.

6

Borders

Remember Borders? Born in 1971, its huge stores, filled with books, music, magazines, and cozy reading spaces, invited customers to spend entire afternoons there.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, the rise of large shopping malls actually helped Borders thrive, turning its bookstores into popular destinations inside malls across the US. But eventually, the company ran into a challenge it couldn’t overcome: online shopping and digital reading. Competitors like Amazon surged ahead, while Borders struggled to adapt and made costly business decisions, including outsourcing its online sales to Amazon for years. The company collapsed financially in 2011 and soon closed all remaining stores.

7

Bugle Boy

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, teenage fashion became almost synonymous with Bugle Boy. Famous across the country for its casual jeans and memorable TV commercials, the brand became a major part of American mall culture and was sold in department stores nationwide.

But fashion never stands still, and brands have to constantly adapt to survive. By the late 1990s, newer youth-oriented labels had taken over with fresh styles that quickly made Bugle Boy seem outdated. Sales began to fall, and after years of struggling to keep up with changing trends, the company closed its stores in 2001.

8

Howard Johnson’s restaurants

During the 1960s and 1970s, a stop at Howard Johnson's was part of the classic American road-trip experience for many families, and that was no accident.

Founded in 1925 in Quincy, Massachusetts, the famous orange-roofed chain reached its peak when America’s expanding highways and booming car culture made roadside travel more popular than ever. But by the late 1970s and early 1980s, the growing popularity of fast-food chains like McDonald's began changing the way Americans ate on the road. Drivers increasingly wanted meals that were faster, cheaper, and more standardized, while interstate highways also redirected traffic away from many older roadside locations. Unlike some other brands on this list, Howard Johnson’s faded away slowly over the decades. The last restaurant finally closed in 2022.

9

Burger Chef

In 1958, a name emerged as one of the pioneers of America’s growing fast-food industry: Burger Chef. By the late 1960s, the chain had more than 1,000 locations across the country and had become one of McDonald's’s biggest competitors.

Long before Happy Meals became famous, Burger Chef helped popularize the idea of marketing meals directly to children with toys and themed publicity. But during the fast-food wars of the 1970s, competition became fiercer than ever. While McDonald’s and Burger King expanded by leaps and bounds, Burger Chef struggled with financial problems and changing consumer tastes. In 1982, the company was sold to Hardee's, which gradually converted most Burger Chef locations into Hardee’s restaurants.

10

Sports Authority

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, many Americans looking for running shoes, gym shorts, and sports gear headed straight to Sports Authority.

Known for its huge stores packed with athletic apparel, exercise equipment, bicycles, camping gear, and team sports products, Sports Authority became the ideal shopping destination for families and athletes across the US. But as online shopping rapidly changed retail in the 2000s, the company struggled to adapt. Heavy debt from expansion efforts and a slow shift to e-commerce eventually caught up with the chain. Sports Authority declared bankruptcy in 2016 and closed all remaining stores later that year.

1

What are bills made of?

Unlike other currencies, dollar bills are not made of paper or plastic. U.S. dollar bills are made from a special fabric blend composed of 75% cotton and 25% linen. This mix makes the bills extremely durable and resistant, and they can be folded about 4000 times before tearing.

2

What bills are valid?

Any U.S. dollar bill that was legally printed is valid, no matter how old, as American currency does not have an expiration date. While some bills might not be accepted by businesses of foreign exchange services due to their condition or if they are a discontinued version of the bill, the bills themselves are still valid, and American banks will accept them, though they might take them out of circulation.

3

American leaders

Five bills have a depiction of an American president. The exceptions are the $10 bill, with Alexander Hamilton on the front, and the $100 bill, with Benjamin Franklin. The $1 bill, depicting George Washington, is extremely symbolic: several elements are repeated 13 times as a nod to the thirteen colonies, and it showcases the Bald Eagle and the Eye of Providence as a sign of God watching over America.

4

A change in size

Did you know that dollar bills used to be so big that they were nicknamed "horse blankets"? Original dollar bills were 7.4 × 3.1 inches. In 1929, the Treasury Department reduced the size of bills to 6.14 × 2.61 inches to reduce production costs and materials. Old bills, though still valid, are worth much more as collector items.

5

Uniformity

Besides their value and design, all dollar bills have the same size (6.14 × 2.61 inches), color, and weight (1 gram) , which sets American currency apart from other countries where bills of different values are differentiated by size, color, or both. Why doesn’t the U.S. implement differences among bills? The cost of adapting vending machines, bank drawers, and ATMs to new bill sizes would cost billions of dollars.

6

Hard to copy

Originally, dollars were not green, but black. As time passed, green ink was favored, as it was cheap and did not fade as much as black. The new color also prevented people from using black-and-white cameras to create counterfeit money. Currently, dollar bills are predominantly green, but newer versions also include extra colors, such as pink, orange, or purple.

7

A $100,000 bill?

Have you ever seen a $500 or 1,000 dollar bill? What about a $100,000? Up until 1945, the U.S. Treasury printed $500, $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, and $100,000 notes , in addition to the values currently in use. These higher-value notes were mainly intended for bank and government use, but were sought by criminals as they made it easier to hide large amounts of money. Even though they were officially discontinued in 1969, these notes are still valid, though rare, and they have a high worth as collector's items.

8

No numbers

Unlike bills, American coins have different sizes and colors related to their value. Originally, gold, silver, and copper were used for coins, but modern coins are made of copper, zinc, or nickel. Besides their size and design, the value of each coin is printed in letters, not in numbers , alongside depictions of American presidents.

9

Liberty for all (the coins)

By law, all American coins must include six specific details : the word ‘Liberty’, the name of our country, the national motto "In God We Trust", the oldest American motto "E Pluribus Unum", the value of the coin, and the year. Each coin also includes a mint mark that shows where it was made: "P" for Philadelphia, "D" for Denver, "S" for San Francisco, and "W" for West Point.

10

A global currency

The American dollar is one of the most powerful currencies in the world, acting as a backbone for international trade and finances. It is estimated that two-thirds of the physical dollars in circulation are outside American territory. Besides the U.S. and its territories, eight sovereign nations have the U.S. dollar as their official currency, with several more accepting it as legal tender.