AUGUST 11, 1939

FRIDAY
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
Made for Each Other
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Made for Each Other
Idiot's Delight
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Idiot's Delight
The Oklahoma Kid
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The Oklahoma Kid
Stagecoach
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Stagecoach
Midnight
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Midnight
The Ice Follies of 1939
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The Ice Follies of 1939
The Hound of the Baskervilles
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The Hound of the Baskervilles
They Made Me a Criminal
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They Made Me a Criminal
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
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The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
The Little Princess
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The Little Princess
Union Pacific
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Union Pacific
Gunga Din
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Gunga Din
Only Angels Have Wings
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Only Angels Have Wings
Young Mr. Lincoln
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Young Mr. Lincoln
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
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Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Love Affair
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Love Affair
Beau Geste
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Beau Geste
The Man in the Iron Mask
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The Man in the Iron Mask
Five Came Back
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Five Came Back
Bachelor Mother
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Bachelor Mother
The Three Musketeers
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The Three Musketeers
Dark Victory
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Dark Victory
When Tomorrow Comes
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When Tomorrow Comes
On Borrowed Time
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On Borrowed Time
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
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Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
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

August 11, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

August 11, 1939

On August 11, 1939, a remarkable discovery captured headlines as Vanderbilts reported the sighting of the Serinus, a bird long believed extinct. This event took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions in Europe, with World...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of August 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 August 11, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Rare Bird Rediscovered: The Serinus. Impact: The discovery of the Serinus bird was so rare that it inspired a secret society of bird watchers who believed they could summon extinct species through interpretive dance. Turns out, they were just really bad at birdwatching. Fact: The Vanderbilts, known for their wealth, decided to donate the rare bird to a museum instead of keeping it as a trendy pet. Because who needs a pet when you can have a trophy of extinction?.
  • Headline: Hurt When Elevator Falls. Impact: The elevator accident led to the invention of the 'Emergency Elevator Panic Button,' which is essentially just a glorified 'scream for help' button that does nothing but make you feel better about your situation. Fact: Elevator accidents are a reminder that technology can sometimes be a little too ambitious. It's like expecting your toaster to make you a gourmet breakfast.
  • Headline: BOY, 16, IS PAROLED TO SISTER, ONLY 13; Judge O'Dwyer Tells Girl to Report Back to Him. Impact: This paroled boy's story became a cautionary tale in the juvenile justice system, leading to the establishment of 'Sister Custody Programs' where siblings become legal guardians, but only if they can outwit the authorities. Fact: A 13-year-old sister was given the responsibility of looking after her 16-year-old brother. Because nothing says 'stable home environment' like a teenager babysitting another teenager!.
  • Headline: ELEANOR MENLINE A BRIDE; Married Here to Samuel David Berger, N.Y.U. Graduate. Impact: Eleanor Menline's marriage to Samuel David Berger caused a ripple effect of wedding trends, leading to the infamous 'Wedding Crashers' phenomenon centuries later, where guests come for the cake and stay for the drama. Fact: Marrying someone who graduated from NYU in the early 20th century was basically like marrying a tech entrepreneur today. Good luck explaining that to your parents!.
  • Headline: NO DANZIG SURPRISE; Forster Lashes Poland, but Speech Is Milder Than Anticipated UNION WITH REICH URGED But Free City Is Expected to Begin Trade Negotiations and Retreat Is Seen. Impact: Forster's speech about Danzig sparked debates that echoed through history, leading to a bizarre trend where politicians began using euphemisms for conflict, resulting in a new vocabulary of political jargon that confused everyone. Fact: The phrase 'Danzig Surprise' sounds like a party theme gone wrong. Imagine a room full of politicians trying to celebrate while secretly plotting against each other!.
  • Headline: Senators Are Divided on Roosevelt Warning; Thomas of Oklahoma Backs It, King Critical. Impact: The division among senators over Roosevelt's warning led to the establishment of the 'Political Divide Festival,' where politicians come together to argue loudly while trying to ignore the actual issues facing the nation. Fact: Senators arguing is like watching a reality show where nobody gets voted off. The drama just keeps building, and the real issues remain unresolved!.
  • Headline: 1,000 Fined in 3 Weeks Under Sanitation Code. Impact: The sanitation code fines led to the creation of 'Sanitation Awareness Day,' where people celebrate cleanliness by throwing garbage into the streets to demonstrate how not to do it. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. Fact: Being fined for sanitation violations is just society's way of saying, 'Congrats! You've reached the next level of adultingβ€”now pay us for your mess!'.

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