JANUARY 29, 1938

SATURDAY
1938 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1938
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $7,318,352 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.29
Median Home Price$4,300.00
Gas Price Avg$0.18
Bread Price Avg$0.09
Movie Ticket Avg$0.29
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.54
Top Movies From 1938
Show screen release and event cards
1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2 Boys Town
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Boys Town
3 Alexander's Ragtime Band
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Alexander's Ragtime Band
4 Test Pilot
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Test Pilot
5 You Can't Take It with You
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You Can't Take It with You
6 Sweethearts
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Sweethearts
7 In Old Chicago
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In Old Chicago
8 The Adventures of Robin Hood
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The Adventures of Robin Hood
9 Love Finds Andy Hardy
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Love Finds Andy Hardy
10 Marie Antoinette
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Marie Antoinette
Algiers
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Algiers
After the Thin Man
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After the Thin Man
The Good Earth
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The Good Earth
Nothing Sacred
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Nothing Sacred
The Hurricane
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The Hurricane
The Prisoner of Zenda
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The Prisoner of Zenda
Conquest
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Conquest
Heidi
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Heidi
True Confession
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True Confession
Madame X
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Madame X

January 29, 1938 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

January 29, 1938

On January 29, 1938, significant changes were underway in Manhattan as the city's last remaining dirt streets were set to be paved. The Isaacs Project indicated that only two miles of highway had not yet been surfaced, reflecting...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 1938

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Ballpoint Pen
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Ballpoint Pen
2 Atomic Fission Discovery
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Atomic Fission Discovery
3 Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)
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Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)
4 Duplex Transmission Radio
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Duplex Transmission Radio
5 Gas Turbine Engine Improvements
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Gas Turbine Engine Improvements
6 Automatic Telephone Switching
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Automatic Telephone Switching
7 Instant Coffee
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Instant Coffee
8 Television Camera Tube Improvements
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Television Camera Tube Improvements
9 Aircraft Cabin Oxygen Systems
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Aircraft Cabin Oxygen Systems
10 Electric Hearing Aid
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Electric Hearing Aid

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From January 29, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: End of Manhattan's Dirt Streets. Impact: As the last dirt streets of Manhattan were paved over, the sudden influx of smooth surfaces led to an unexpected spike in roller skate sales. This eventually resulted in a nationwide roller disco craze in the 1970s, forever changing the landscape of dance and fashion. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more stubborn than New Yorkers is their refusal to admit they ever had dirt streets? It's like trying to convince a hipster that vinyl records aren't the only way to listen to music.
  • Headline: Panzer's Victory Over Arnold in 1938. Impact: The intense rivalry between Panzer and Arnold sparked a new trend in competitive naming. From then on, all sports leagues required teams to have fierce namesβ€”leading to the creation of the 'Dreaded Kittens' in the 1980s. Fact: Did you know that 'Panzer' translates to 'tank' in German? So, really, this game was just a highly publicized version of 'who can crush the other first?'.
  • Headline: WHITEHEAD ROUTS ROGERS; Wins, 6 and 5, to Keep Florida Winter Golf Title. Impact: Whitehead's victory in golf inspired a new generation of golfers who believed winning by a landslide was the only acceptable way to play. This eventually led to golf being played with increasingly absurd obstacles, like flaming hoops and alligators. Fact: Did you know that golf is the only sport where you can scream at the top of your lungs and no one will care, as long as you putt well? It's basically a polite form of yelling at nature.
  • Headline: HARVARD CLUB BREAKS TIE; Beats Crescents for Sole Hold on Class C Squash Lead. Impact: Harvard Club's squash win sparked a revolution in sports elitism. Soon after, every college wanted to create their own obscure sport to maintain superiority, resulting in the birth of competitive cheese rolling. Fact: Did you know that squash is just a fancy way of saying, 'I like to hit things with rackets in enclosed spaces'? Watch out, racquetballβ€”they're coming for your territory!.
  • Headline: MRS. LOUIS SPELKE. Impact: Mrs. Louis Spelke's brief mention in the headlines was the catalyst for the founding of the Society for the Preservation of Unremarkable Names. This organization fights tirelessly against the tyranny of unique names. Fact: Did you know that the name 'Sarah' was so popular that a committee had to be formed to regulate its use? They were serious about keeping the Sarahs in check.
  • Headline: NEW REFORM WAVE ON LIQUOR IS SEEN; ' Bold' Advertising and Women Drinking at Bars Bringing Reaction, W. C. T. U. Hears. Impact: The bold advertising and women's drinking habits led to a nationwide debate about the ethics of marketing to women, ultimately resulting in a comedic backlash that fueled the careers of countless satirical writers. Fact: Did you know that the W.C.T.U. stands for the Women's Christian Temperance Union? Because nothing says 'fun' quite like a group of women discussing the evils of liquor over a cup of herbal tea.
  • Headline: Child to DeWitt H. Smiths. Impact: The birth of DeWitt H. Smith's daughter ensured that the name 'DeWitt' would live on for at least another generation, leading to future DeWitts inadvertently becoming the subjects of countless dad jokes. Fact: Did you know that naming your kid after yourself is a great way to ensure they’ll be forever overshadowed by your achievements? Thanks, Dad!.
  • Headline: BROOKLYN COLLEGE WINS; Beats Manhattan Swimmers, 40-35, in Meet Dedicating Pool. Impact: Brooklyn College's swim team victory over Manhattan led to a longstanding rivalry that eventually resulted in the Brooklyn Bridge being renamed the 'Swimmer's Crossing.' Because nothing says 'we're better than you' like a bridge. Fact: Did you know that in the world of college swimming, every victory is celebrated like it’s the Olympics? Expect the medal ceremonies to include confetti and questionable music choices!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1938
$0.06
Stored value
$3,433,940

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $3,433,940 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1938
$0.25
Stored value
$586,656

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $586,656 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1938
$0.31
Stored value
$474,914

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1938, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Action Comics #1
Action Comics #1
$8,000
Detective Comics #16
Detective Comics #16
$10,200
Adventure Comics #32
Adventure Comics #32
$50,000
Famous Funnies #47
Famous Funnies #47
$1,200
The Funnies #12
The Funnies #12
$42,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Scrabble
Scrabble
$250.00
MÀrklin Electric Trains
MÀrklin Electric Trains
$300.00
Monopoly
Monopoly
$200.00
Tinkertoys
Tinkertoys
$150.00
Radio Flyer Wagon
Radio Flyer Wagon
$120.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1938 Gum Inc. Horrors of War #1 It's War
1938 Gum Inc. Horrors of War #1 It's War
$2,500
1938 Churchman's Boxing Personalities Joe Louis
1938 Churchman's Boxing Personalities Joe Louis
$32,000
1938 Wills's Three Castles Film Stars Clark Gable
1938 Wills's Three Castles Film Stars Clark Gable
$80,000
1938 Player's Cigarettes Film Stars Second Series Charlie Chaplin
1938 Player's Cigarettes Film Stars Second Series Charlie Chaplin
$250,000
1938 Gallaher Famous Cricketers Don Bradman
1938 Gallaher Famous Cricketers Don Bradman
$15,000