DECEMBER 2, 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
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
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
The Roaring Twenties
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The Roaring Twenties
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
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Confessions of a Nazi Spy
Destry Rides Again
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Destry Rides Again
Love Affair
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Love Affair
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
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The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
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
Intermezzo: A Love Story
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Intermezzo: A Love Story
The Old Maid
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The Old Maid
Golden Boy
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Golden Boy
In Name Only
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In Name Only
Another Thin Man
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Another Thin Man
Ninotchka
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Ninotchka
The Three Musketeers
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The Three Musketeers
Dark Victory
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Dark Victory
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame
When Tomorrow Comes
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When Tomorrow Comes
On Borrowed Time
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On Borrowed Time
Allegheny Uprising
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Allegheny Uprising
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
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Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation
The Cat and the Canary
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The Cat and the Canary
At the Circus
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At the Circus
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

December 2, 1939 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

December 2, 1939

On December 2, 1939, significant discourse unfolded regarding the influence of communism in American institutions, particularly within student unions. Key figures, including Lash, raised concerns about the presence of Communists h...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 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 December 2, 1939

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Controversy in Student Union Leadership. Impact: This denial set off a chain reaction leading to an underground student movement that would eventually inspire a future generation to adopt ironic T-shirt slogans. Who knew that Mrs. Roosevelt's note-taking would lead to a fashion revolution?. Fact: Did you know that the term 'Red Scare' was once so popular, it could have been a trending hashtag? #NotSoRedAfterAll.
  • Headline: Impact of Public Relations in 1939. Impact: This analysis caused countless future political strategists to realize that if you can spin it right, even a paperclip can be sold as a revolutionary tool. The art of PR was born, and boy, did we take it to new lows!. Fact: Fun fact: The first PR campaign was just a toddler trying to convince his parents that broccoli was 'cool.' Spoiler alert: It didn't work.
  • Headline: Pratt's Overtime Victory in 1939. Impact: This thrilling game inspired future generations to extend every sports event into overtime, leading to the invention of half-time shows, snack breaks, and more ways to avoid actually doing work on a Friday night. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more exciting than overtime in sports is the overtime of discussing the overtime? Time to grab some popcorn!.
  • Headline: Bids Opened for Parkway Work. Impact: This event prompted an endless cycle of bureaucracy where every parkway project would require more bids than a reality TV show. Now, even potholes have a bidding process!. Fact: Did you know that bidding for parkway work is just like online dating? Lots of interest, but mostly just a bunch of people trying to avoid commitment.
  • Headline: RESIGNS AS CHIEF OF ICKES PROJECT; QUITS GRAND DAM POST. Impact: This resignation led to a domino effect in governmental projects, resulting in the creation of multiple committees to ensure that no one ever has to take responsibility again. Hooray for bureaucracy!. Fact: Did you know that resigning from a job can be as dramatic as a soap opera? There are tears, accusations, and lots of people claiming they 'saw it coming.'.
  • Headline: CLEVELAND HUNGRY WAIT IN PATIENCE; Relief Cut Fails to Quench Hope of Idle That Help Will Be Forthcoming DIET CALLED INSUFFICIENT But Federal Aid Bars Actual Starvation--Urban, Rural Clash Holds Up Funds. Impact: The struggle for food in Cleveland led to social movements that would influence future welfare programs, proving that even hunger can spark change. Sometimes it takes a city on the brink to remind the country that people need to eat. Fact: Did you know that waiting for food assistance can feel like waiting for a bus that never comes? Spoiler alert: The bus is actually a food truck, and it’s always late.
  • Headline: N.Y.U. Commerce Five Victor. Impact: This victory in the Commerce School led to an annual tradition of students claiming their degrees were 'hard-earned' while actually just mastering the art of procrastination and coffee consumption. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing harder than getting a degree in commerce is trying to explain to your parents why you can’t find a job with it.
  • Headline: WOMAN LAWYER HELD AS AN EMBEZZLER; Accused of $1,460 Theft From Song Writer's $30,000 Fund. Impact: This scandal not only tarnished the reputation of women in law but also inspired a future wave of films where female lawyers become anti-heroes, proving that crime really does payβ€”at least in Hollywood. Fact: Did you know that embezzling money is just a fancy way of saying 'I really wanted that new car'? Too bad it rarely ends well!.

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