AUGUST 12, 1939

SATURDAY
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 12, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

August 12, 1939

On August 12, 1939, a significant agreement was reached during a parley in Atlantic City, effectively restoring peace in the building trades by resolving long-standing jurisdictional disputes. This accord marked an important step...

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 12, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Peace Restored in Building Trades. Impact: This agreement led to a peaceful utopia in construction sites everywhereβ€”imagine a world where hammer and nail harmonized like a Beatles song. But, little did they know, this peace would lead to an explosion of DIY home improvement shows in the 21st century, forever changing Saturday afternoons. Fact: Did you know that before this agreement, construction workers often settled disputes with interpretive dance? Just kiddingβ€”though that would’ve been a sight to see!.
  • Headline: Tribute to Dr. Francis Ward's Legacy. Impact: Dr. Ward’s death sent shockwaves through Brooklyn's civic movements, inspiring a new generation of activists to clean up local beaches, which led to the rise of eco-consciousness in the 21st century. Who knew a psychiatrist could influence environmentalism?. Fact: Dr. Ward once suggested that the beach was the perfect place for therapy sessionsβ€”free air, free sand, and absolutely no couches! He might have been onto something.
  • Headline: Printers' Defeat in Baseball Showdown. Impact: The printers' defeat caused a ripple effect that led to the rise of baseball as the quintessential American pastime, but also resulted in a surge of people pretending to know the rules, resulting in countless awkward conversations at parties. Fact: Fun fact: The printers thought they could win by simply printing their own score! Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.
  • Headline: CLOTHIERS EXPECT GOOD FALL TRADE; General Business Increase Is Foreseen by Retailers Queried in Survey. Impact: This optimistic forecast for fall trade inadvertently led to the creation of the phrase 'fall fashion,' which has since caused people to spend money on sweaters they only wear twice. Thanks, retailers!. Fact: Did you know that the first 'fall fashion' show was just a bunch of people tripping over piles of leaves while trying to look stylish? Now that’s a runway!.
  • Headline: Topics of Sermons That Will Be Preached in City Churches Tomorrow. Impact: The topics of these sermons shaped moral discussions for decades, leading to the introduction of 'virtual sermons'β€”because who doesn’t want to feel holy while in their pajamas?. Fact: Turns out, 'How to Love Thy Neighbor' was a popular topic, but 'How to Avoid Your Neighbor on Weekends' was a close second!.
  • Headline: DANZIG MAIN ISSUE; Salzburg Parley Is Held Likely to Result in Action by Axis FORSTER GOES TO MUNICH League Commissioner for Free City Also There--Talks to Go on Today and Tomorrow. Impact: The Danzig issue ignited tensions that would eventually lead to World War II, proving that sometimes, a little disagreement over a city can spiral into global chaos. Who knew geography had such consequences?. Fact: Fun fact: The League of Nations tried to resolve the issue by hosting a bake sale. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.
  • Headline: Business World; Trade About Holds Lead. Impact: The trade stability reported here led to a false sense of security that eventually crash-landed in the Great Depression, proving that economic optimism can be as reliable as a three-legged dog in a race. Fact: Did you know that 'holding the lead' in trade was actually a euphemism for everyone not knowing what the heck they were doing?.
  • Headline: JULIAN G. BLASS; Little Rock Department Store Head Dies in Paris. Impact: Blass's death sparked a wave of urban development in Little Rock, resulting in the rise of department stores that are now sprawling monuments to consumerism. Thanks, Julian!. Fact: Rumor has it that Julian’s last words were, 'I should have sold more berets!'.
  • Headline: MARSHAL C. BACON; Lawyer, Once Greenwich, Conn., Resident, Dies Here at 61. Impact: Bacon’s legacy as an influential lawyer led to significant legal reforms, proving once again that a good lawyer can influence society long after their departure. And yes, the irony of his name was not lost on history. Fact: It’s said that Bacon was the only lawyer who could make a court case sound deliciousβ€”no sizzle without the steak!.

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