• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, January 6, 2016

After previously raising its newsstand price by half a dollar to $1.25 in June 2014, the New York Daily News is reversing course and lowering the price back to $1 in all five boroughs of New York City, effective January 11, the newspaper publisher announced Wednesday.

The move to a $1 cover price puts the Daily News on par with its arch-rival, New York Post, which raised its newsstand price from $0.75 to a buck back in June 2012, following an earlier increase from $0.50 in 2011.

On weekends, the NYP charges $1.25 for its Saturday edition and $1.50 for the Sunday edition, while the Daily News charges $1.50 for its weekend edition.

While New York’s two dominant tabloids remain locked in a fierce war with each other,  both newspapers are mere shadows of their former selves, at least in terms of circulation. (The NYP gleefully gave the Daily News’ previous price hikes scornful front page treatment.)

Over the last decade, the total weekday print circulation of the Daily News declined from 715,052 during the six-month period ending September 2004 to 281,907 in 2014. That's a 60% decline over this period, according to data from the Alliance for Audited Media.

From September 2004 to September 2014, NYP’s total average weekday print circ fell to from 686,702 to 259,482, a 62% drop.

Rumors of a possible sale of the Daily News have swirled for several years, fueled by staff cuts. Last February, reports circulated that longtime owner Mortimer Zuckerman was asking $200 million for the paper, but nothing came of these negotiations.

The newspaper is also investing in expanding its digital footprint. Last July, the Daily News announced the launch of Daily News Autos, a digital content hub and resource for consumers in the market for a new car and auto enthusiasts, through a strategic partnership with Hearst’s Jumpstart Automotive Group. It gave the latter responsibility for advertising on the site and related apps.