OCTOBER 10, 1940

THURSDAY
$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
Foreign Correspondent
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Foreign Correspondent
Waterloo Bridge
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Waterloo Bridge
Virginia City
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Virginia City
My Favorite Wife
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My Favorite Wife
My Little Chickadee
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My Little Chickadee
Pride and Prejudice
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Pride and Prejudice
Our Town
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Our Town
Boys of the City
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Boys of the City
The Ghost Breakers
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The Ghost Breakers
The Sea Hawk
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The Sea Hawk
They Drive by Night
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They Drive by Night
Dr. Cyclops
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Dr. Cyclops
The Thief of Bagdad
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The Thief of Bagdad
The Westerner
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The Westerner
The Mortal Storm
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The Mortal Storm
The Return of Frank James
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The Return of Frank James
Dance, Girl, Dance
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Dance, Girl, Dance
Too Many Husbands
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Too Many Husbands
Knute Rockne All American
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Knute Rockne All American
I Love You Again
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I Love You Again
The Great McGinty
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The Great McGinty
The Blue Bird
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The Blue Bird
The Invisible Man Returns
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The Invisible Man Returns
City for Conquest
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City for Conquest
The Ape
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The Ape
All This, and Heaven Too
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All This, and Heaven Too
Beyond Tomorrow
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Beyond Tomorrow
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
October 10, 1940 Trivia
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The Story of October 10, 1940

On October 10, 1940, Major General William Drum conducted an inspection of Camp Upton, highlighting the growing importance of military readiness as World War II escalated.

Inventions & Breakthroughs of October 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 October 10, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Drum's Visit to Camp Upton. Impact: Drum's inspection led to a mysterious increase in drum circles across time, inadvertently inspiring a global movement where people now gather in parks to beat drums and chant, leading to awkward encounters and spontaneous dance-offs. Who knew a military inspection could unleash the power of rhythm?. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more rhythmic than the drums is the sound of politicians dodging questions? It's like a symphony of avoidance!.
  • Headline: British Buyers Discuss Military Needs. Impact: Morgenthau's coffee meetings became the blueprint for future negotiations, proving that sometimes, discussing flying fortresses over a cup of joe is more effective than actual diplomacy. Who needs treaties when you have caffeine?. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing more inflated than defense budgets are the egos of the people who make them!.
  • Headline: Louisiana Parish Embraces Republican Party. Impact: The Republican trend in Louisiana created a ripple effect, causing neighboring states to rethink their party loyalties, leading to a series of awkward Thanksgiving dinners where relatives argue about politics instead of passing the turkey.. Fact: Did you know? In Louisiana, the only thing longer than the history of party loyalty is the list of ways to cook a crawfish!.
  • Headline: FILM STAR'S SISTER KILLED; Marguerite Carroll Listed as Victim of London Bombing. Impact: Marguerite Carroll's untimely demise became a rallying point for future film stars to advocate for safety in war zones, leading to actors now insisting that their trailers have bomb shelters. Because, you know, safety first!. Fact: Did you know that Marguerite's sister was also a film star? Apparently, the family had a flair for drama, both on and off-screen!.
  • Headline: NAMED TO DEFENSE POSTS; Three of Columbia Faculty Get Leaves of Absence. Impact: The leaves of absence granted to Columbia faculty sparked a trend where professors began moonlighting as government consultants, leading to a confusing era where students learned more from YouTube than from their professors’ increasingly vague lectures.. Fact: Did you know that many professors only take government jobs to avoid grading papers? It’s the academic version of a vacation!.
  • Headline: Union Men's Appeal Heard. Impact: The union men’s appeal marked the beginning of a bizarre tradition where unions would appeal for everything from gold to potash. It paved the way for future appeals for things like 'a fair chance at life' and 'why can’t we eat cake?'. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more valuable than gold in a union meeting is a good coffee machine? Priorities, people!.
  • Headline: Named by Henry George School. Impact: The election of trustees by the Henry George School initiated a movement towards more inclusive educational governance, which ultimately led to the bizarre situation where schools now hold elections for everything, including lunch menus. Vote for pizza!. Fact: Did you know that the only thing more contentious than school board meetings is a debate over pineapple on pizza? Now that’s a real hot topic!.
  • Headline: FRENCH LEADER RESIGNS; Dr. Simard Quits Veterans Post Here to Aid 'Free Frenchmen'. Impact: Dr. Simard's resignation sent shockwaves through the veteran support community, prompting future leaders to think twice before stepping down, fearing they'd be replaced by someone who actually knows how to help. Who knew resignations could be so influential?. Fact: Did you know that Dr. Simard’s resignation was so shocking it inspired a whole genre of 'What If' historical fiction? Spoiler: it ends with fewer veterans and more coffee breaks!.
  • Headline: MINORITY PARTIES UPHELD; Liberties Group Opposes Their Exclusion From Ballot. Impact: The minority parties' opposition against exclusion from ballots led to an era of overzealous inclusivity, resulting in ballots that now look like grocery lists. If you thought choosing dinner was hard, try voting!. Fact: Did you know that the longest ballot in history was so long it needed its own zip code? Imagine delivering that mail!.

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