AUGUST 20, 1939

SUNDAY
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
Each Dawn I Die
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Each Dawn I Die
Bachelor Mother
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Bachelor Mother
The Old Maid
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The Old Maid
In Name Only
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In Name Only
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 20, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

August 20, 1939

On August 20, 1939, the milk crisis in the United States escalated significantly as farmers continued their boycott, leading to a critical supply shortage. Reports indicated that only 55% of the required milk supply was available...

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 20, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Caron's Leg Break: A Painful Incident. Impact: If only H Caron had invested in bubble wrap instead of leg breaks, we might have avoided a future where safety gear is a multi-billion dollar industry. Leg break leads to invention of the protective gear; who knew?. Fact: Did you know that 'rebreaking' is not an officially recognized medical term? It officially means, 'Oops, I did it again!'.
  • Headline: Berkshire Group Hosting Benefit Dance. Impact: The Berkshire Group's dance party became the blueprint for all future awkward company parties where no one really wants to be there but the free snacks keep them coming. Fact: Did you know that 'dancing' was once considered a highly controversial activity? Just imagine the scandal back then!.
  • Headline: MILK CRISIS GROWS AS STRIKE BATTLES CONTINUE UP-STATE; 29 Arrested in Two Counties on the Fifth Day of the Farmers' Boycott ONLY 55% SUPPLY HERE 1,960,000 Quarts Likely to Be Withheld From City Today, Distributors Say Strike "Going Along Swell" More Milk Is Dumped CRISIS HERE GROWS IN THE MILK STRIKE Votes to Form Picket Line Distributors Explain Stand VOTE IN CHICAGO IS SET 15,000 Producers Will Cast Ballots on Federal Control. Impact: The milk crisis led to the birth of the 'Got Milk?' campaign, which inspired millions to think about dairy in ways they never wanted to. Thanks, milk strike!. Fact: Did you know that during milk shortages, people sometimes resorted to drinking almond milk? Just kidding, that hadn’t been invented yet!.
  • Headline: Eagles Vote Aid to Boys Town. Impact: The train derailment prompted safety regulations that would eventually lead to the invention of the modern-day 'train travel safety video' - because watching a video is obviously safer than actually paying attention. Fact: Did you know that train derailments were once so common they were basically just part of the daily commute? Just a casual Tuesday!.
  • Headline: Notes on Rare Books. Impact: The lack of jobs in Pennsylvania led to the creation of job fairs, where people awkwardly stand around pretending to want to network while secretly just hoping for free snacks. Fact: Did you know that job fairs are 80% hope and 20% awkward small talk? The perfect recipe for existential dread!.
  • Headline: PENNSYLVANIA JOBS FALL SHY ON RELIEF; Only Enough Work Found to Care for 3% of 175,000 on Eligible Rolls COUNTIES' PROJECTS SLOW But Head of State's Drive Under Pierson Act Is Optimistic on Outlook.

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