Prior to Esther Howland, valentines were still mostly a luxury item available to wealthier Americans. Selling cards for as little as 5 cents, she built an operation that brought in more than $100,000 annually ($3 million in today's dollars).
Source
Prior to Esther Howland, valentines were still mostly a luxury item available to wealthier Americans. Selling cards for as little as 5 cents, she built an operation that brought in more than $100,000 annually ($3 million in today's dollars).