AUGUST 21, 1938

SUNDAY
$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
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
Three Comrades
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Three Comrades
Holiday
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Holiday
Algiers
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Algiers
Vivacious Lady
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Vivacious Lady
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
Four Daughters
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Four Daughters
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
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The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
Having Wonderful Time
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Having Wonderful Time
The Shopworn Angel
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The Shopworn Angel
The Baroness and the Butler
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The Baroness and the Butler
Block-Heads
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Block-Heads
A Yank at Oxford
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A Yank at Oxford
The Young in Heart
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The Young in Heart
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
August 21, 1938 Trivia
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The Story of August 21, 1938

On August 21, 1938, significant political and social events unfolded in the United States and Europe.

Inventions & Breakthroughs of August 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 ON August 21, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Ohio Security Board Investigates Pension Issues. Impact: If only Aged Pensioners had a time machine to go back and vote differently. The ripple effects of this inquiry might have led to a world where politicians prioritize the elderly over themselves. Oh, waitβ€”never mind.. Fact: Did you know that A.J. Altmeyer once suggested that the best way to treat old folks is to put them in a room with all the politicians and see who lasts longer?.
  • Headline: Cossack Singers Injured in 1938 Accident. Impact: Imagine if those Cossack singers had a successful bus trip. They might have inspired a musical revolution! Instead, they just made bus companies rethink their safety protocols. Thanks a lot, guys.. Fact: Did you know that singing in a bus is a great way to annoy the driver? But possibly not the best way to avoid a crash..
  • Headline: Revolutionizing Housing with Mass Production. Impact: Mass production of houses could have led to a world of cookie-cutter neighborhoods where creativity goes to die. But hey, at least they’re cheap, right? Just like the memories made in them.. Fact: Did you know that the average home price in 2023 is just a tad higher than $1,050? Just a tad..
  • Headline: FHA INSURES LOAN ON BROOKLYN HOUSES; Five Buildings in Rental Project for Ocean Avenue Site. Impact: Insuring loans on Brooklyn houses could have created a housing bubble that popped loudly in the faces of unsuspecting buyers. Spoiler alert: it did.. Fact: Did you know that Brooklyn is now the hipster capital of the universe? Good luck finding an affordable house there now!.
  • Headline: SHOWER APPLIANCES; Valve Type Equalizes Hot and Cold Water Pressure. Impact: The invention of the pressure-controlled valve could have led to a world where everyone has perfectly balanced showers. Instead, we still step into the shower and play 'guess the temperature.'. Fact: Did you know that showering with uneven water pressure is a rite of passage for many? Nothing like a cold blast to wake you up!.
  • Headline: Warding Off Termites. Impact: Warding off termites could have saved countless homes from destruction, leading to a world full of happy homeowners. Instead, many just call pest control and hope for the best.. Fact: Did you know that termites can eat through wood faster than you can say 'I should have called an exterminator'?.
  • Headline: MEANY DENOUNCES A. L. P.; He Says Party Is Run, Not for Labor, but for C. I. O. Leaders. Impact: Meany’s denunciation of the A.L.P. could have sparked a labor revolution, or at least a really heated debate in a smoky backroom somewhere. Instead, it probably just made a lot of people roll their eyes.. Fact: Did you know that labor unions have enough drama to be a soap opera? Tune in next week for more backstabbing!.
  • Headline: Texas Business Man Prevails on Mexico To Remove Hostile Sign Near U. S. Border. Impact: Removing a hostile sign near the U.S. border could have led to world peaceβ€”or at least a quieter border crossing. Instead, it just made everyone question what constitutes a 'hostile' sign.. Fact: Did you know that many signs are just misunderstood? Give them a chance to explain themselves before jumping to conclusions!.
  • Headline: CITES HOME ECONOMIES; Grouped Plumbing Conveniences Are Pointed Out. Impact: Citing home economies might have led to a new era of DIY enthusiasts who could build their own soundproof homes. Instead, we have a million Pinterest fails and one too many home improvement shows.. Fact: Did you know that cork tile is actually not a good substitute for a soundproof wall? But it does make for a very interesting conversation starter!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1938, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1938
$0.06
2025 dataset 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
2025 dataset 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
2025 dataset 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