Based on my old LeBaron catalog....223 in 2009...hmmm...could be 1000 rounds for $449.00 that was the Marstar deal. It's gotta be 1000 rounds - no way it would be 500 rounds...those would be more today's prices.
Digging through my old stash, 2008 Remington Core Lokt .223 had a price of $12.95 a box of 20 from LeBaron on Special
Right now (2023), 1000 rounds of Federal .223 at Marstar is on sale for $750.00.
It is hard to digest any current prices as "deals" when I remember it wasn't that long ago what I was buying ammo for. And I imagine those are even older than me would see those 2008 prices as highway robbery...