APRIL 21, 1938

THURSDAY
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
Bringing Up Baby
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Bringing Up Baby
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
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Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
The Adventures of Marco Polo
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The Adventures of Marco Polo
Jezebel
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Jezebel
Algiers
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Algiers
Mad About Music
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Mad About Music
Merrily We Live
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Merrily We Live
The Buccaneer
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The Buccaneer
The Baroness and the Butler
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The Baroness and the Butler
A Yank at Oxford
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A Yank at Oxford
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

April 21, 1938 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

April 21, 1938

On April 21, 1938, a significant legal dispute emerged as former child star Jackie Coogan publicly criticized the deposition of his mother, insisting that his parents had planned to establish a trust fund for him. This controversy...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of April 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 April 21, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Coogan Critiques Mother's Statements. Impact: This epic showdown between Coogan and his mother set off a chain reaction in Hollywood, leading to a cavalcade of child stars demanding trust funds, which eventually birthed the modern concept of 'Hollywood parenting'β€”a delightful mix of money, drama, and questionable life choices. Fact: Did you know that the term 'child star' should really come with a warning label? It’s a 50/50 chance of either becoming a household name or a cautionary tale.
  • Headline: Upcoming Pulitzer Awards Announcement. Impact: The anticipation of the Pulitzer Awards led to a surge in literary ambition. This moment sparked countless writers to dust off their typewriters, ultimately leading to an explosion of novels about ennui and existential dreadβ€”thanks, Dr. Butler!. Fact: Fun fact: The Pulitzer Prize has always been a great excuse for writers to wear tuxedos while secretly wondering if their next big idea is just a nap away.
  • Headline: Austrian Jews on Tugboat in the Danube. Impact: This grim moment foreshadowed the tragic plight of countless others, highlighting the inadequacy of international response to human rights crises. It was a pivotal moment that would ripple through history, reminding us that indecision in the face of injustice often leads to devastating consequences. Fact: This incident is a stark reminder of the precariousness of life during tumultuous times, where the fate of so many could hinge on the whims of bureaucratic discussions.
  • Headline: PRESIDENT SPONSORS AIMS OF MUSIC WEEK; Hopes More Communities Will Join in Fete May I to 8. Impact: This grand initiative kickstarted a national obsession with themed weeks, ultimately leading to bizarre celebrations like National Pancake Day and Tie-Dye Day, proving that sometimes music really is just the gateway to an endless series of excuses for cake. Fact: Did you know that Music Week ultimately paved the way for those awkward local talent shows where your uncle's kazoo skills are showcased? Ah, the joys of community bonding!.
  • Headline: CUBA FOR NEW SUGAR TAX; Plans to Replace Profits Levy by One Per Bag. Impact: This decision to tax sugar was a sweet fantasy that began a series of economic maneuvers, which, decades later, would lead to Cuba’s sweetened reputation as the land of fine cigars and questionable economic policies. Fact: Fun fact: The sugar tax was probably about as popular as a dentist appointment, but hey, at least it wasn’t boring!.
  • Headline: CAPT. KRUSE QUITS; 50 YEARS AT SEA; Ranking Officer of HamburgAmerican Line Was Master of Flagship New York JOINED COMPANY IN 1899 Made Staff Captain of the Imperator in 1913-Served on Cruiser in War Made Captain in 1913 Honored for Rescue in 1934. Impact: Captain Kruse's retirement marked the end of an era, triggering a mass exodus of sea captains flocking to the high seas for adventure, thus ensuring future generations would have a plethora of tall tales about 'the one that got away'β€”even if it was just a fish. Fact: Did you know that after 50 years at sea, Captain Kruse probably had more adventures than most of us have on our best days? His life could have easily been a best-selling novelβ€”or a really long nap!.
  • Headline: SONS WIN MOTHER PENSION; Twins Get $2,245 Yearly for Her as Fireman's Widow. Impact: This headline inspired a wave of similar cases across the nation, leading to a surge of financial support for families of public servants, which eventually turned into a bureaucratic maze of pension forms that would baffle even the best of accountants. Fact: Isn't it ironic how the death of a hero can lead to a pension plan that becomes more complicated than rocket science? Talk about an unintended consequence!.
  • Headline: 4 Die, 22 Hurt in Scottish Mine. Impact: This tragic event reverberated through mining regulations and safety protocols, reminding governments worldwide that worker safety should never be a 'maybe' in the budget. Fact: Mining disasters like this one historically led to significant reforms, although it’s tragic that sometimes it takes a catastrophe to get people to care about safety measures.
  • Headline: DALADIER TO BOOST MORALE OF FRENCH; To Adjust Nation's Internal Affairs and Foreign Relations Before Borrowing TALKS IN ROME HELD NEAR Diplomats Ready to Discuss Details of Contemplated Accord Between Powers. Impact: Daladier's attempts at diplomacy ignited a complex web of alliances and tensions that would eventually contribute to the fireworks of World War II. Who knew that an effort to boost morale could lead to such a global game of chess?. Fact: Fun fact: Trying to boost morale in politics is like trying to teach cats to fetchβ€”good luck with that, Daladier!.

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