FEBRUARY 8, 1939

WEDNESDAY
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
Son of Frankenstein
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Son of Frankenstein
Idiot's Delight
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Idiot's Delight
They Made Me a Criminal
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They Made Me a Criminal
Gunga Din
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Gunga Din
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

February 8, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

February 8, 1939

On February 8, 1939, a significant shift in competitive sports was marked by the announcement of bobsled driver Fox quitting competition, opening the door for either Homburger or Curt Stevens to take his place in the Olympic Trial...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 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 February 8, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Fox Quits Bobsled Competition. Impact: If Fox hadn’t quit, the Olympic bobsled team might have adopted a policy of never letting anyone with a last name that rhymes with 'box' compete. This would lead to a world where bobsledders were only allowed to have names like 'Smith' or 'Jones'β€”how thrilling!. Fact: Did you know that quitting can sometimes lead to Olympic glory? Just ask anyone who's ever walked out of a gym after ten minutes!.
  • Headline: Roosevelt Denounces Arms Leak in 1939. Impact: This arms leak scandal kicked off a chain reaction that led to every senator developing an acute case of 'foot-in-mouth' syndrome whenever they spoke to the press. The cure? A lifetime supply of duct tape. Fact: Fun fact: If you ever want to become a senator, just rememberβ€”keeping secrets is like trying to keep a cat in a bathtub. Good luck!.
  • Headline: Tragic Auto Crash Claims Two Priests. Impact: The tragic deaths of the priests caused a ripple effect that resulted in a sudden uptick in seatbelt regulations for clergyβ€”because apparently, even holy men can’t escape the laws of physics. Fact: Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of accidental death? So maybe don't take a priest's advice on getting behind the wheel after a few drinks!.
  • Headline: A.F.L. CONSIDERING PAN-AMERICAN LINK; Executive Council Will Decide as to Step for Combating Nazis and Fascists WOLL REPORTS ON MEXICO Green, at Miami Meeting, Opposes Appointing a Business Man to the Labor Board. Impact: This decision to combat Nazis and Fascists led to an increase in labor unions adopting secret handshakes and code names like 'Daisy Chain'β€”because nothing says 'serious business' like a flower-themed covert operation. Fact: Did you know that labor unions have been around since before the dawn of the internet? Shocking, right? They didn't even have memes!.
  • Headline: New Concern Is Felt Over the Pope's Health As a Cold Causes Him to Cancel Audiences. Impact: The Pope's cold caused a temporary global panic, sparking an international 'Make the Pope Soup' campaign that inadvertently led to a new culinary trendβ€”Papal-themed restaurants featuring 'Holy MolΓ©.'. Fact: Did you know that even popes get sick? Yes, even they can’t escape the common cold. Guess those holy handkerchiefs aren’t so magical after all!.
  • Headline: BARS INTIMIDATION BY UNIONS IN FLINT; Ordinance is Adopted to Ban Molestation of Workers In or Out of Auto Plants BOOS FAIL TO BLOCK IT Council Room Is Packed by 500 Foes of Attack to End 'Pressure Campaign'. Impact: The ordinance against union intimidation ultimately led to a decade-long debate about what constitutes 'intimidation'β€”turns out, just being a union member could be intimidating for some people. Shocking!. Fact: Did you know that the auto industry has had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster? And yet, they still can't figure out how to make a car that doesn’t break down every five minutes!.
  • Headline: PRIETO, HERE, SEES FRANCE IMPERILED; Says Enemy Air Bases Will Be Built in Spain. Impact: Prieto's warning about enemy air bases led to a nationwide panic about air travel that resulted in the invention of the inflatable 'panic seat'β€”a revolutionary product that was just a glorified life raft. Fact: Did you know that predicting doom and gloom has been a popular pastime throughout history? It’s basically the original form of reality TV!.
  • Headline: RUMANIA STATES POLICY; Foreign Affairs Directed by King --Russian Amity Stressed. Impact: King's foreign policy would lead to Rumania becoming the go-to place for diplomatic vacations. Who knew that foreign affairs could double as a travel brochure?. Fact: Did you know that kings often have more influence over foreign policy than your average politician? Probably because they don't have to deal with pesky elections!.
  • Headline: JAPAN SAID TO NEED BIG FORCE IN CHINA; 500,000 More Troops Held Called For to Clear Out Defending Troops WAR IN TWENTIETH MONTH Offensive on Shensi Capital Now Expected--Bombing of Cities Continuing. Impact: Japan's troop increase demand sparked a global debate that led to the creation of the 'More Troops' emoji. Who knew that emojis could influence international relations?. Fact: Did you know that wars often require more than just troops? They also need a good PR team to spin the narrative. Just ask any historian!.
  • Headline: MINORCA GETS ROLE IN PEACE EFFORTS; British Seeking Settlement in Spain on Basis of Franco's Guarantee on the Island WANT GARRISON TO YIELD 50,000 Face Starvation, Paris Hears--London Considering Recognition of the Rebels. Impact: The request for recognition of Franco set off a domino effect of questionable political endorsements, leading to a future where even fictional characters were considered for political officeβ€”hello, President Mickey Mouse!. Fact: Did you know that politics and entertainment often go hand in hand? Just look at the last few presidential electionsβ€”it's like watching a reality show with slightly more drama!.

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