APRIL 20, 1938

WEDNESDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1938
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $7,318,352 IN 2025
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 By April 20, 1938
1 Test Pilot
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Test Pilot
2 The Adventures of Marco Polo
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The Adventures of Marco Polo
3 Jezebel
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Jezebel
4 Bringing Up Baby
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Bringing Up Baby
5 The Buccaneer
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The Buccaneer
6 A Yank at Oxford
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A Yank at Oxford
7 Mad About Music
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Mad About Music
8 Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
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Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
9 Merrily We Live
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Merrily We Live
10 Algiers
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Algiers
The Baroness and the Butler
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The Baroness and the Butler
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
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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
April 20, 1938 Trivia
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The Story of April 20, 1938

On April 20, 1938, the GESTAPO seized the office of the Austrian Secretary, marking a significant step in the consolidation of Nazi power in Austria.

🧠 Inventions of 1938

Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.

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

The biggest hits of the year β€” Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers

HEADLINES ON April 20, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Gestapo Takes Control of Austrian Office. Impact: This move set off a chain reaction that would eventually lead to an entirely new genre of spy novels. Who knew that office politics could be so lethal, right?. Fact: The Gestapo was so efficient at seizing power that they probably could have taken over a coffee shop and still made it sound sinister..
  • Headline: Reich Officers Recalled from Abroad. Impact: The urgency of this recall led to the creation of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policies, but in the worst possible way. Who knew loyalty could be so conditional?. Fact: It's rumored that the officers returned home in a whirlwind of confusion, wondering if they had just missed the best vacation of their lives..
  • Headline: Bishop Stires Dedicates New Church. Impact: The dedication of this church not only solidified faith for many but also inspired generations of architects to realize that 'more spires' equals 'more holy'.. Fact: Bishops are like the original influencersβ€”one good sermon and people are ready to build you a church!.
  • Headline: Ederle Case Is Settled. Impact: Settling this case helped pave the way for future legal dramas, eventually inspiring countless courtroom TV shows. Because who doesn't love a good gavel bang?. Fact: Settling out of court is just legalese for 'let’s avoid the drama and settle this like adults... or at least like slightly more mature children.'.
  • Headline: Tokyo Denial on Fleet Off Davao. Impact: This denial fueled conspiracy theories that suggested Japan was secretly building a fleet of ninja ships. Spoiler alert: they weren't.. Fact: Denying a fleet's existence is a classic moveβ€”it's like saying 'I didn't eat the last piece of cake' when everyone knows you have frosting on your face..
  • Headline: BREWERS PURCHASE PLANT IN BROOKLYN; Ice Company's Property Listed in New Hands-Other Deals. Impact: This purchase led to the proliferation of craft beers, which ultimately resulted in hipsters wearing flannel and brewing their own kombucha in their apartments. Thanks, brewers!. Fact: Buying a plant in Brooklyn is basically a rite of passage for wannabe entrepreneursβ€”it's like saying, 'Look mom, I made it!'.
  • Headline: Books Published Today. Impact: The release of Ommanney's book contributed to the eventual rise of the 'beach read' genre. Who knew the roaring forties would lead to lazy afternoons with paperbacks?. Fact: Publishing a book is like throwing a party; you invite everyone, but only your mom shows up with a fruitcake..
  • Headline: LISTS 1,379 PRIESTS SLAIN; Vatican Organ Reports Them Killed by Spanish Loyalists. Impact: This tragic event underscored the brutal realities of war and led to deep discussions about faith, martyrdom, and the human condition that resonate even today.. Fact: It's astonishing how such a huge loss can serve as a grim reminder of the cost of conflictβ€”like a very morbid version of 'Guess Who?'.
  • Headline: McDiarmid Princeton Coach. Impact: Hiring McDiarmid as a coach sparked a series of intense rivalries in collegiate sports, setting a precedent for yelling at referees and bantering on social media.. Fact: Coaching at Princeton is basically the equivalent of getting a PhD in shouting at young people while pretending to inspire them..

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1938, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1938
$0.06
Value in 2025
$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
Value in 2025
$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
Value in 2025
$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