OCTOBER 11, 1940

FRIDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1940
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $8,324,276 IN 2025
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 By October 11, 1940
1 Rebecca
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Rebecca
2 Pinocchio
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Pinocchio
3 Foreign Correspondent
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Foreign Correspondent
4 The Sea Hawk
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The Sea Hawk
5 Knute Rockne All American
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Knute Rockne All American
6 Strike Up the Band
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Strike Up the Band
7 The Westerner
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The Westerner
8 Gone with the Wind
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Gone with the Wind
9 The Wizard of Oz
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The Wizard of Oz
10 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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
Northwest Passage
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Northwest Passage
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
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 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
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
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 11, 1940 Trivia
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The Story of October 11, 1940

On October 11, 1940, A.

🧠 Inventions of 1940

Breakthroughs and everyday innovations from the year.

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

The biggest hits of the year — Top 10 Pop & Country chart toppers

HEADLINES ON October 11, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: A.S. Goss Supports Willkie's Candidacy. Impact: If Goss hadn't backed Willkie, perhaps the butterfly effect would have led to a world where Wallace actually became president. Imagine a timeline where no one knew how to properly pronounce 'Wallace'—chaos would ensue!. Fact: Goss's support for Willkie was so impactful that it almost made him a household name. Almost. But hey, at least he wasn't just another guy in a bowler hat at a political rally..
  • Headline: Bronx Business Records Filed in 1940. Impact: This riveting headline about business records likely inspired a future generation of accountants to take up interpretive dance as a way to express their deep feelings about spreadsheets.. Fact: Statistics show that the excitement level of business records has only slightly increased since this headline—right up there with watching paint dry!.
  • Headline: Planning the 1940 Regatta Event. Impact: The discussion of regatta plans set off a chain reaction leading to the invention of competitive rowing as a way for people to avoid real work, thus creating a whole new sport for those who think 'exercise' is just a word.. Fact: Regattas are the only events where people can get sunburned while doing absolutely nothing productive. Talk about multitasking!.
  • Headline: THREW PLAYMATE IN RIVER; Michigan Boy, 12, Says He Acted When Child Cried. Impact: This tragic event likely caused a ripple effect that led to stricter playdate rules and the eventual creation of 'no crying' zones in children's parks. Who knew crying could lead to such drastic measures?. Fact: It's said that this incident prompted discussions about children's behavior that still echo in parenting blogs today—proof that history sometimes repeats itself in the worst ways..
  • Headline: Truck Kills Brooklyn Boy, 5. Impact: The loss of this young boy sent shockwaves through the community, leading to improved safety measures in urban areas, as if a tragic event was needed to remind everyone that, yes, trucks are dangerous.. Fact: Every time a child is lost to a preventable accident, a new safety regulation is born. It's a grim reminder that it takes heartbreak to spark change..
  • Headline: TRIBUTES TO CANAVAN; Gov. Lehman, Mayor La Guardia and Others Mourn for Official. Impact: Canavan's passing led to an outpouring of appreciation that transformed local politics, reminding everyone that even in death, one can influence policy—showing that sometimes being dead is the best career move.. Fact: Many politicians have found that a good eulogy can boost their ratings more than any campaign speech ever could. Canavan may have just invented the posthumous popularity contest..
  • Headline: 2 in Doctor's Home Die of Fumes. Impact: This tragic incident led to tighter regulations around home safety, inspiring a generation of homeowners to invest in carbon monoxide detectors. Who knew that dying at home could save lives in the future?. Fact: Carbon monoxide is known as 'the silent killer.' It's a reminder not to take your home safety for granted—unless you enjoy playing Russian roulette with your appliances..
  • Headline: EX-ALIENS SEE PLOT TO BAR VOTE IN BRONX; Justice Hammer May Visit Poll Boards to Investigate. Impact: This headline could easily spark conspiracy theories about time travelers meddling in elections, creating a timeline where Justice Hammer becomes a folk hero against tyranny. Just wait until the documentary comes out!. Fact: In today's world, debates about voting rights have somehow become the hottest topic since sliced bread—who knew democracy could be so controversial?.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1940, here's what it would be worth in 2025.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1940
$0.06
Value in 2025
$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
Value in 2025
$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
Value in 2025
$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