MAY 3, 1940

FRIDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1940
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $8,324,276 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min_Wage_Hourly: $0.30
Median_Home_Price: $4,000.00
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 1940
1 Boom Town
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Boom Town
2 The Great Dictator
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The Great Dictator
3 Rebecca
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Rebecca
4 North West Mounted Police
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North West Mounted Police
5 Strike Up the Band
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Strike Up the Band
6 Northwest Passage
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Northwest Passage
7 Andy Hardy Meets Debutante
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Andy Hardy Meets Debutante
8 The Fighting 69th
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The Fighting 69th
9 Santa Fe Trail
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Santa Fe Trail
10 Kitty Foyle
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Kitty Foyle
The Grapes of Wrath
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The Grapes of Wrath
The Shop Around the Corner
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The Shop Around the Corner
His Girl Friday
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His Girl Friday
Pinocchio
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Pinocchio
Virginia City
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Virginia City
My Little Chickadee
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My Little Chickadee
Dr. Cyclops
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Dr. Cyclops
The Thief of Bagdad
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The Thief of Bagdad
Too Many Husbands
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Too Many Husbands
The Blue Bird
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The Blue Bird
The Invisible Man Returns
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The Invisible Man Returns
Road to Singapore
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Road to Singapore
Black Friday
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Black Friday
Gone with the Wind
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Gone with the Wind
Ninotchka
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Ninotchka
Of Mice and Men
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Of Mice and Men
Allegheny Uprising
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Allegheny Uprising
Remember?
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Remember?
A Christmas Carol
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A Christmas Carol
May 3, 1940 Trivia
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The Story of May 3, 1940

On May 3, 1940, the Gallup Survey indicated significant Republican gains in the Midwest, marking the largest advances for the party since the 1936 election.

Inventions & Breakthroughs of May 1940

Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.

1 Photocopier (Xerography)
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Photocopier (Xerography)
2 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Concept
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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Concept
3 Jet Engine Flight Demonstration
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Jet Engine Flight Demonstration
4 Synthetic Detergent
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Synthetic Detergent
5 Mass-Produced Nylon Stockings
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Mass-Produced Nylon Stockings
6 Proximity Fuse
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Proximity Fuse
7 Electronic Fire Control System
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Electronic Fire Control System
8 Polyurethane Foam
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Polyurethane Foam
9 Early Speech Recognition Machine
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Early Speech Recognition Machine
10 Automatic Anti-Lock Brakes Concept
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Automatic Anti-Lock Brakes Concept

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

HEADLINES ON May 3, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Republican Surge in Midwest Marketed in 1940. Impact: The Republican gains in the Midwest were like dropping a pebble in a pond—except the pond was politics and the ripples led to decades of voter confusion, party realignments, and social media trolls. Who knew a Gallup poll could cause such chaos in the timeline of American governance?. Fact: Did you know that this was the beginning of the modern era of political advertising? Thanks, Gallup, for paving the way for all those annoying campaign ads we endure every four years!.
  • Headline: 1940 Parking Problems Uncovered. Impact: Parking problems? A true catastrophe! This was the moment when humanity realized that inventing cars meant we’d have to figure out where to put them. This led to the creation of parking tickets, road rage, and the very term 'urban sprawl.' Thanks for nothing, automobiles!. Fact: Did you know that the first parking meter was invented in 1935 in Oklahoma City? So really, parking problems have been a thing for almost as long as cars have existed. You're welcome, future generations!.
  • Headline: Women Push for Action Against Aggressors. Impact: This opposition to strict neutrality sparked a chain reaction that eventually led to countless debates about foreign policy, women's rights, and who gets to say 'I told you so' in international conflicts. Spoiler: it's never the peaceful ones.. Fact: Did you know that women's organizations have been influencing policy since the 19th century? So, while men were busy arguing about neutrality, women were already plotting world peace—talk about a plot twist!.
  • Headline: 19 MEN ADMIT GUILT IN BOOTLEGGING RING; 73 Others of 122 Indicted Deny Any Complicity. Impact: The bootlegging ring's downfalls laid the groundwork for future crime dramas and made organized crime a household name. Who knew that 19 guys admitting guilt could lead to the rise of a million crime documentaries and a few too many 'Godfather' marathons?. Fact: Did you know that the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition in 1933? So, in a way, these bootleggers were just ahead of their time—like hipsters, but with more illegal alcohol and fewer artisanal coffee shops..
  • Headline: Digest of the Chamber Resolutions. Impact: The Chamber of Commerce's resolutions led to a flurry of legislative debates that ultimately shaped the modern business landscape. It’s like a bunch of powerful folks got together and decided how to make more money, and the rest of us just get to deal with the aftermath.. Fact: Did you know that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1912? That means they've been influencing American business for over a century, which is like having a really pushy grandparent who always knows what's best for your career..
  • Headline: STEP ANGERS ROME; Fleet Move Increases Italian Resentment Toward Allies PEACE ASSURANCE LIMITED Ciano Tells U.S. Envoy It Goes for Only Ten Days--Denies Designs on Yugoslavia. Impact: Italy's resentment toward Allies grew, setting the stage for a drama-filled World War II. It’s like watching a soap opera where everyone is mad at everyone else, and nobody knows how it’s going to end—spoiler alert: it involves a lot of conflict.. Fact: Did you know that the political tensions between Italy and the Allies contributed to the complex web of alliances in WWII? It's like trying to unravel a giant ball of yarn, but instead of a cat, you just have angry nations throwing tantrums..
  • Headline: WOMAN IN AMBULANCE DIES AFTER COLLISION; Wife of S.W. Holdcroft Victim of Shock After Crash. Impact: The tragic death of a woman in an ambulance crash highlighted the dire need for better transportation safety, which eventually led to the creation of more rigorous traffic laws. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to make a change, but it’s a bitter pill to swallow.. Fact: Did you know that ambulance accidents are more common than you'd think? This unfortunate event may have pushed safety protocols into the spotlight, but it’s a sobering reminder of how far we still have to go in making roads safe..
  • Headline: 'MAID OF COTTON' ARRIVES ON A TOUR; Memphis Girl Here to Promote Interest in Industry. Impact: The 'Maid of Cotton' promotion was a marketing ploy that sparked a fashion revolution. Little did they know, this would lead to cotton becoming a staple in every closet and a million terrible T-shirt designs. Thanks, Memphis!. Fact: Did you know that the 'Maid of Cotton' tradition started in 1939? Who knew a cotton promotion would lead to countless fashion faux pas and the inevitable rise of the 'I Love NY' T-shirt?.
  • Headline: Kupchik's Brilliant Play Beats Fine at Chess; U.S. TOURNEY LEAD TAKEN BY KASHDAN Default by Woliston Gives Him Point--Kupchik Wins 27Move Chess MatchSHAINSWIT PLAYS A DRAWHe Is Held Even by Hanauer,and Seidman by Reinfeld--Mrs. Rivero Victor. Impact: Kupchik's chess victory was like a butterfly flapping its wings, leading to the rise of chess nerds everywhere. The 27-move match changed the course of competitive chess, making it cool for a brief moment—until it eventually returned to being just for intellectuals and hipsters.. Fact: Did you know that chess has been played for over a millennium? So, while Kupchik was busy winning, chess was already plotting its comeback as an eSports phenomenon—thanks, internet!.
  • Headline: PROPOSES MERGING CITY MEDICAL UNITS; Goldwater Urges Creation of a Department of Medical Care to Coordinate Work HOSPITAL CROWDING CITED Report to Mayor Asserts That Half of City Population Is Eligible for Free Aid. Impact: Goldwater's proposal for merging medical units was the first step toward the convoluted healthcare system we love to hate today. Little did they know, this would lead to endless debates about universal healthcare and insurance premiums that rise faster than our blood pressure.. Fact: Did you know that Goldwater later became a presidential candidate? So, this proposal was just a warm-up for his future plans—because who doesn’t want to navigate a healthcare crisis while running a country?.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1940, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1940
$0.06
2025 dataset value
$3,433,941

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $3,433,941 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1940
$0.25
2025 dataset value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1940
$0.69
2025 dataset value
$147,887

Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1940, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Batman #1
Batman #1
$2,220,000
Flash Comics #1
Flash Comics #1
$1,500
Green Lantern #1
Green Lantern #1
$150,000
Detective Comics #38
Detective Comics #38
$42,000
All Star Comics #3
All Star Comics #3
$2,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Lone Ranger Frontier Town
Lone Ranger Frontier Town
$150.00
Red Ryder BB Gun
Red Ryder BB Gun
$250.00
Sorry!
Sorry!
$30.00
Paper Dolls
Paper Dolls
$35.00
Microscope Kit
Microscope Kit
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Walt Disney Comics and Stories #1 Card
Walt Disney Comics and Stories #1 Card
$800
Superman Gum Cards
Superman Gum Cards
$800
G-Men and Heroes of the Law
G-Men and Heroes of the Law
$11.00
1940 War Gum Cards
1940 War Gum Cards
$1,500
1940 Play Ball Baseball Cards
1940 Play Ball Baseball Cards
$3,000