MAY 8, 1940

WEDNESDAY
1940 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$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
Show screen release and event cards
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 8, 1940 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

May 8, 1940

On May 8, 1940, significant geopolitical tensions were palpable as the Netherlands faced the threat of invasion, prompting a bolstering of defenses in Berlin. This day was marked by growing fears among European nations as discussi...

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 From May 8, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Conflict Among Oil Men in 1940. Impact: The oil men being caught between departments inadvertently inspired the creation of corporate escape rooms, where executives could practice their evasion tactics in a less dangerous setting. Who knew corporate restructuring could lead to team-building exercises?. Fact: Oil companies in the 1930s were like teenagers with a new car: lots of potential for disaster.
  • Headline: Nazi Fears Spark Berlin Defense Measures. Impact: The fear of invasion by the Allies sent ripples through the fashion industry, leading to a sudden spike in military-themed runway shows. ‘Camouflage chic’ became the next big trend, and who doesn't want to look like they could survive a battlefield?. Fact: Berlin's paranoia during this time was so intense, they could have taught a masterclass on 'How to Overthink Everything.'.
  • Headline: MISSION POST GOES TO ALBANY RECTOR; Rev. W.E. Sprenger Elected Head of the Protestant Episcopal Society Here BANKER WILL ASSIST HIM W. Ripley Nelson Is Business Manager, Position Newly Created by Board. Impact: The creation of the position for the Protestant Episcopal Society led to a sudden increase in church bake sales, which eventually caused a nationwide shortage of butter and flour. Who knew salvation came at such a high carb price?. Fact: The role of a rector is basically like being the head of a community support group—just with more incense.
  • Headline: AMBULANCE DRIVERS THREATEN TO STRIKE; Private Hospital Workers Ask Wage Rise and Shorter Hours. Impact: If ambulance drivers had struck, it might have led to the development of a new form of transportation: the 'emergency rickshaw.' It would have revolutionized the way we think about quick responses to crises—at least until the rickshaws got stuck in traffic. Fact: Ambulance drivers are like the unsung superheroes of the road, minus the capes and the ability to fly.
  • Headline: DIVIDENDS ANNOUNCED. Impact: The announcement of dividends led to office water cooler discussions that spiraled out of control, eventually culminating in a national holiday devoted to stock market trivia. Because nothing says fun like financial literacy!. Fact: Dividends are like the adult version of getting an allowance: you still have to pay bills, but at least you get a little something back.
  • Headline: Sunday School Official Guest. Impact: The testimonial dinner for Dr. Hopkins sparked a nationwide trend of gratitude dinners, where people began to appreciate their dentists and mail carriers as much as their Sunday School officials. A bizarre twist in American culture, for sure!. Fact: Celebrating anniversaries in Sunday Schools is like a never-ending series of 'thank you' notes—just with more cookies.
  • Headline: ITALY SEEKS CURB ON VATICAN PAPER; Finds Its Independent Stand Is Embarrassing--Rome Is Ironic on Chamberlain HOPES HE STAYS IN OFFICE Press Says Allies Are Losing War Under His Guidance, So Writers Want No Change. Impact: Italy's efforts to curb the Vatican paper's independent stance resulted in a secret society of journalists who communicated only in puns, leading to a rise in satire that would influence future generations of comedians. So blame Italy for your dad's terrible jokes!. Fact: The Vatican's relationship with Italy is so complicated, it could be a plot twist in a Dan Brown novel.
  • Headline: MIGRANTS' PLIGHT LAID TO POOR LAND; Experts Hold 500,000 Farms Barren Enough to Starve Out 2,500,000 Persons SOD HOUSES ARE CITED Slum-Like Conditions Common in Country, They Tell the La Follette Committee. Impact: The plight of migrants and poor land conditions eventually inspired a popular reality TV show: 'Survivor: Farm Edition,' where contestants had to make it through a season of farming challenges with nothing but a plow and their wits. Who knew agrarian struggles could be so entertaining?. Fact: America's heartland is filled with more stories of struggle than a high school drama club—just with less singing.
  • Headline: JUSTICE AIDES STUDY PARDON PLEA FOR COOK; Explorer's Condition Continues Critical in Port Chester. Impact: The critical condition of the explorer and his pardon plea led to a new trend in adventure tourism where people would seek out near-death experiences, unintentionally creating a booming industry for extreme sports. Safety regulations? Who needs 'em!. Fact: Explorers have the ultimate travel insurance: if they survive, they get a book deal!.

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 1940
$0.06
Stored 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
Stored 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
Stored 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