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January 15, 2009

What is historical cost?

Historical cost is a term used instead of the term cost. Cost and historical cost usually mean the original cost at the time of a transaction. The term historical cost helps to distinguish an asset’s original cost from its replacement cost, current cost, or inflation-adjusted cost. For example, land purchased in 1992 at cost of $80,000 and still owned by the buyer will be reported on the buyer’s balance sheet at its cost or historical cost of $80,000 even though its current cost,  replacement cost, and inflation-adjusted cost is much higher today.

The cost principle or historical cost principle states that an asset should be reported at its cost (cash or cash equivalent amount) at the time of the exchange transaction and should include all costs necessary to get the asset in place and ready for use.

Learn more about Accounting Principles.




Comments

4 Responses to “What is historical cost?”

  1. amjad on January 20th, 2009 3:07 am

    this

  2. kate on January 22nd, 2009 7:10 am

    historical cost is one of the accounting concept and convention which state that every asset own by the company must be accounted for from the time it was bought,even if that particular asset has been purchashed for year’s it should be into account.the principle is stated to guide
    the accountant in preparing the accounting in every accounting period.

  3. Gm on February 15th, 2009 2:53 am

    Please detail provide about the historical cost and what is accounting?

  4. sima on March 9th, 2009 3:34 am

    can we report that in the financial report as liabilities especially for the land, and how much its cost for the year mentioned, even its a historical cost for the land for 80,000, can we show that in the composition and its real cost though its not sold yet and we didnt get the cash as credit or revenue

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