JANUARY 3, 1939

TUESDAY
1939 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1939
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $7,875,940 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.30
Median Home Price$4,150.00
Gas Price Avg$0.18
Bread Price Avg$0.09
Movie Ticket Avg$0.30
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.55
Top Movies From 1939
Show screen release and event cards
1 Gone with the Wind
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Gone with the Wind
2 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
3 Jesse James
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Jesse James
4 Babes in Arms
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Babes in Arms
5 The Wizard of Oz
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The Wizard of Oz
6 Goodbye, Mr. Chips
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Goodbye, Mr. Chips
7 Dodge City
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Dodge City
8 The Rains Came
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The Rains Came
9 The Women
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The Women
10 Drums Along the Mohawk
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Drums Along the Mohawk
Angels with Dirty Faces
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Angels with Dirty Faces
A Christmas Carol
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A Christmas Carol
The Dawn Patrol
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The Dawn Patrol
Listen, Darling
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Listen, Darling
Kentucky
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Kentucky

January 3, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

January 3, 1939

On January 3, 1939, the notable Boston broker Clarke T. Baldwin passed away in Virginia. Baldwin, a distinguished Harvard alumnus, contributed to the financial landscape of Boston and was recognized for his expertise in brokerage....

Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 1939

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Jet-Powered Aircraft
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Jet-Powered Aircraft
2 Helicopter Practical Design
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Helicopter Practical Design
3 Electronic Digital Computer Prototype
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Electronic Digital Computer Prototype
4 FM Radio Broadcasting Service
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FM Radio Broadcasting Service
5 Fluorescent Light Commercialization
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Fluorescent Light Commercialization
6 Color Film (Kodachrome Improvements)
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Color Film (Kodachrome Improvements)
7 Aircraft Radar System
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Aircraft Radar System
8 Remote Control Device
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Remote Control Device
9 Microwave Oven Concept
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Microwave Oven Concept
10 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Improvements
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Automatic Fire Sprinkler Improvements

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From January 3, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Harvard Graduate and Broker Dies. Impact: Clarke T. Baldwin's untimely departure in Virginia caused a minor butterfly flutter: his Harvard connections led to the establishment of the 'Harvard Club of Virginia,' which ultimately resulted in an awkward annual reunion, where everyone pretended to remember who he was. Fact: Did you know that Harvard's motto is 'Veritas'? Clearly, it doesn't include 'Don't die in Virginia while being a broker'.
  • Headline: D'Oyly Carte Company: A Cultural Melange. Impact: The arrival of the D'Oyly Carte Company in the U.S. sparked a cultural explosion, leading to an increase in British-themed tea parties. This eventually resulted in a phenomenon known as the 'Tea and Crumpet Wars' in the 1950s. Fact: Did you know that the D'Oyly Carte Company is known for its operettas? Because nothing says 'I love my country' like singing about pirates and pink tutus.
  • Headline: CRESCENTS BOW, 37-35; Trail Penn A.C. Five in League Battle at Philadelphia. Impact: The Crescents' close loss to Penn A.C. in Philadelphia inspired a wave of 'almost' victories, leading to a national holiday called 'Close Enough Day' where everyone celebrates not quite succeeding at anything. Fact: Did you know that losing by just 2 points is basically the sports equivalent of saying 'I tried'?.
  • Headline: THE PLAY; Uncle Sam Produces 'Pinocchio' Primarily for the Citizens of Future Generations. Impact: 'Pinocchio' was produced primarily for future generations, setting off an unintended chain of events where children everywhere started lying about their homework, thinking they could become wooden boys if they did it enough. Fact: Did you know that Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies? If only politicians had the same feature, we’d know exactly when to tune out!.
  • Headline: FRANK WRIGHT, 73, ORGANIST 46 YEARS; Had Served Grace Episcopal Church in Brooklyn Since 1897. Impact: Frank Wright's long tenure as organist at Grace Episcopal Church created a legacy of awkward family weddings where 'The Wedding March' was played way too many times, resulting in a nationwide ban on the song in 2025. Fact: Fun fact: After 46 years of organ playing, Wright probably had every wedding song memorizedβ€”unlike the couples who showed up unprepared!.
  • Headline: BOOKS OF THE TIMES; The Family. Impact: The book 'The Family' was published, setting off a chain reaction of family dramas and reality shows that would eventually lead to an entire genre of cringe-worthy television we now know and love. Fact: Did you know that 'The Family' isn't just a title but also a reminder of how many times your relatives ask when you're getting married?.
  • Headline: CHARLES I. BUTTON; Vermont Jurist for 30 Years Also Was Former Legislator. Impact: Charles I. Button’s legacy as a Vermont jurist meant that his rulings laid the groundwork for what is now known as 'The Vermont Way'β€”a bureaucratic labyrinth that makes everyone question their life choices. Fact: Did you know that 'Button' is not just a last name but also what you do when you can't figure out the legalities of Vermont's tax code?.

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 1939
$0.06
Stored value
$3,433,942

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $3,433,942 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1939
$0.25
Stored value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1939
$0.31
Stored value
$474,913

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1939, it would be worth $474,913 today (474.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Action Comics #10
Action Comics #10
$1,100
Detective Comics #27
Detective Comics #27
$3,000,000
Marvel Comics #1
Marvel Comics #1
$200,000
All-American Comics #1
All-American Comics #1
$150,000
Adventure Comics #40
Adventure Comics #40
$3,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
View-Master
View-Master
$40.00
Little Golden Books
Little Golden Books
$300.00
The Game of Cootie
The Game of Cootie
$50.00
Tinkertoy Joy Boy and Joy Girl Sets
Tinkertoy Joy Boy and Joy Girl Sets
$150.00
Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol
Buck Rogers Atomic Pistol
$1,200.00
⚾ Notable Trading Cards
W.D. & H.O. Wills 'Life in the Tree Tops'
W.D. & H.O. Wills 'Life in the Tree Tops'
$236.61
Churchman's 'Treasure Trove'
Churchman's 'Treasure Trove'
$492,000
Cadet Suite Collection 'World Wonders'
Cadet Suite Collection 'World Wonders'
$0
Players Cigarettes 'Cycling 1939'
Players Cigarettes 'Cycling 1939'
$10.00