SEPTEMBER 7, 1938

WEDNESDAY
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
Three Comrades
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Three Comrades
Holiday
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Holiday
Carefree
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Carefree
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

September 7, 1938 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

September 7, 1938

On September 7, 1938, longshoremen gathered in various ports across the United States to discuss wages, reflecting broader economic concerns during a time of recovery from the Great Depression. As the labor movement gained momentu...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of September 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 September 7, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Longshoremen Negotiate Wages in 1938. Impact: When longshoremen discussed their wages, little did they know that their casual chat would lead to the invention of the 'workplace coffee break' – the only time in history when employees weren't constantly thinking about how to escape their jobs. Fact: Did you know that the phrase 'time is money' was actually coined by a longshoreman? He just really hated idle chatter.
  • Headline: Plane Stops in Nashville for Family. Impact: The plane stopping for bereaved men sparked the idea of in-flight emotional support, leading to the eventual creation of therapy dogs on planes. Who knew a little compassion could lead to more barking in the skies?. Fact: Did you know that this event led to the popularization of the phrase 'the sky's the limit' for emotional support animals? It's just a shame they don’t have a frequent flyer program.
  • Headline: Soviet Military Maneuvers Raise Tensions. Impact: When the Soviets tested Western fortifications, it ignited a decades-long obsession with building bigger and better walls. Little did they know, this would inspire future generations to take their DIY projects way too seriously. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more fortified than a Soviet bunker is a modern-day conspiracy theorist's basement?.
  • Headline: STORE STRIKE SET AT SAN FRANCISCO; 6,000 Retail Clerks in City's 27 Big Shops Decide to Walk Out Today Bridges Support Indicated STORE STRIKE SET AT SAN FRANCISCO Warehousemen Reject Offer Union's Position Asserted. Impact: The San Francisco store strike marked the beginning of retail workers realizing they could actually have a say in their work conditions. This eventually led to the creation of the 'retail therapy' industry – because nothing heals like spending money you don’t have. Fact: Did you know that the term 'retail therapy' was first coined by a striking clerk who realized shopping was a great way to forget about their terrible job?.
  • Headline: INVADERS CHECKED BY CHINESE STAND; Japanese Drive to Hankow Is Unable to Progress at All Critical Yangtze Points BUT DEFENDERS SEE PERIL So Many Attacks Are Made in Widespread Areas That a Weak Place May Be Found Chinese See Difficulties Matowchen Is Threatened North China Drive Renewed. Impact: The Chinese resistance against Japanese invaders became a catalyst for future resistance movements worldwide. Who knew that a handful of determined folks could inspire the world to keep saying 'not today, invaders!'?. Fact: Did you know that the phrase 'resistance is futile' was actually rejected by this group? They preferred a more motivational 'resistance is totally possible!'.
  • Headline: THOUSANDS MOURN AT CARDINAL'S BIER; Seemingly Endless Line Moves Through Cathedral for Last Glimpse of Prelate Thousands Pass Bier Procession to Cathedral THOUSANDS MOURN AT CARDINAL'S BIER Deep Silence Prevails HIERARCHY TO ATTEND Church Notables Who Will Go to Funeral Listed. Impact: The mourning of the cardinal became a pivotal moment for religious unity, inadvertently leading to the creation of the 'heavenly social media' – where everyone shares their thoughts on the dearly departed, minus the awkward hashtags. Fact: Did you know that this event was one of the first instances of a 'viral' funeral? People were really just there for the free snacks.
  • Headline: BIDS ON 12 VESSELS SOUGHT BY BOARD; Cargo Ships Are to Follow C-3 Design and to Have All Modern Features SHOWER BATHS FOR CREW Deadweight Tonnage Is to Be 11,926--No One Yard to Build More Than Six. Impact: The call for bids on cargo ships eventually led to the development of competitive shipping practices, making the term 'cargo cult' a thing – and not just in the context of bizarre island rituals. Fact: Did you know that 'cargo cult' was originally a shipping term? It referred to the desperate hope that packages would arrive on time!.
  • Headline: BARS AUSTRIAN AGENT; Czechoslovakia Rejects Demand for Supervision of Property. Impact: Czechoslovakia's rejection of Austrian demands for supervision was a bold move that led to a long-standing tradition of saying 'no' to unsolicited opinions – a practice still alive and well in every family gathering. Fact: Did you know that the rejection was so strong, it inspired a famous Czech beer brand to name a drink after it? They called it 'No Thanks!'.
  • Headline: BANDIT WALKS OUT WITH SAFE ON BACK; 50 at Restaurant Tables Unaware of $5,000 Robbery. Impact: The audacious bandit who walked out with a safe on his back unknowingly inspired future generations of thieves to seek out more creative heists, culminating in a rise of what we now call 'performance art robbery.'. Fact: Did you know that this robbery was the original inspiration for the phrase 'safe as houses'? Turns out, houses aren't so safe after all!.

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