SEPTEMBER 23, 1938

FRIDAY
$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
Carefree
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Carefree
Algiers
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Algiers
Room Service
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Room Service
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
Too Hot to Handle
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Too Hot to Handle
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 23, 1938 Trivia
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The Story of September 23, 1938

On September 23, 1938, General Syrovy announced the formation of a new Czechoslovak government amidst rising tensions in Europe.

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 ON September 23, 1938

Full News Archive

  • Headline: New Czech Cabinet Formed Amidst Crisis. Impact: This cabinet formation led to a chain reaction where every Czech citizen suddenly started wearing berets, convinced they were now part of a revolutionary movement. Spoiler alert: they were not.. Fact: Czechoslovakia once had a president who was a professional pilot. As if navigating politics wasn't hard enough, they decided to add flying to their resume!.
  • Headline: Seattle Unions Unite Against Strike Bill. Impact: The fear of a strike bill united unions in Seattle, inadvertently leading to the rise of baristas who now hold more sway than elected officials. Coffee really does run the world, folks.. Fact: Seattle's unofficial slogan is 'We put a little love in our lattes.' Because who needs political stability when you've got heart-shaped foam?.
  • Headline: FIGHT ON CAREY OPPOSED; Secretary of Broadway Group Praises Sanitation Work. Impact: The fight on Carey unexpectedly led to a Broadway revival about sanitation workers saving the city, which ironically became the most successful show of the decade. Who knew cleaning up could be so glamorous?. Fact: Broadway once had a show about a talking cat. Spoiler: it was not well-received. Cleaning up after that must've been a nightmare!.
  • Headline: TAMMANY LEADER REJECTED BY LABOR; Trades Council Here Refuses to Indorse Representative Sullivan for Re-Election. Impact: Sullivan's rejection led to a rise in independent labor leaders who now host weekly karaoke nights, where they sing about their grievances. Labor meetings have never been so entertaining.. Fact: Did you know the term 'labor unions' originates from the Latin word 'unio' meaning 'oneness'? It also means 'a great excuse for a karaoke night!'.
  • Headline: BUYS TOBACCO FOR FRANCO; Juan March's Nephew Effects 12,000-Bale Puerto Rican Deal. Impact: The tobacco purchase for Franco eventually resulted in a secret underground network of cigar aficionados who believed they were part of a revolutionary plot, all while just enjoying a good smoke.. Fact: Cigars were once considered a status symbol in the 19th century. Because nothing says 'I'm important' like puffing on a rolled-up leaf..
  • Headline: NEW BUSINESS ERA PICTURED BY ROPER; Self-Control Will Be Based on Social Responsibility, Management Congress Is Told UNFAIR MINORITIES' HIT Speakers at Session Stress Production and Initiative for Better Living Standard Deterrents to Initiative Time Payment Imposing Debt Function of Advertising Responsibility of Business Self-Regulation by "Conscience". Impact: The management congress sparked a movement that led to businesses adopting a 'social responsibility' policy, which was later interpreted as 'responsibly ignoring social issues while selling overpriced coffee.'. Fact: In the 1970s, a management guru once suggested that businesses should be run like a game of Monopoly. So essentially, the more you cheat, the more you succeed!.
  • Headline: UNREST REPORTED IN FRANCO'S FORCES; Captured Spanish Rebels Are Quoted as Predicting Early Change in Command. Impact: The unrest in Franco's forces led to a bizarre spike in rebel-themed fashion, with people across Europe sporting fatigues as if they were in a never-ending war-themed runway show.. Fact: Franco was known for his strict regime, but did you know he once banned the use of the color red? Probably because it reminded him too much of stop signs and he just couldn't handle it..
  • Headline: MAY CONTEST DODGE WILL; Widow of Heir to Auto Fortune Considers Suit, Says Lawyer. Impact: The widow's contest of the will inspired a slew of reality TV shows about rich heirs squabbling over fortunes, eventually leading to a global obsession with watching people argue about money.. Fact: Did you know that the longest court case in history lasted over 3 years? That’s like binge-watching a really boring series on repeat!.

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