OCTOBER 20, 1940

SUNDAY
$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 20, 1940 Trivia
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The Story of October 20, 1940

On October 20, 1940, prominent businessman M.

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 20, 1940

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Essential Tax Adjustments for Economic Growth. Impact: If only M.Y. Cooper's tax suggestions had been implemented, perhaps we'd all be living in a world where 'prosperity' isn't just a buzzword used by politicians to distract us from their questionable decisions.. Fact: Did you know that tax rates are like your ex? The more you try to ignore them, the more they affect your life..
  • Headline: Holzworth Cleared in Fraud Case. Impact: Holzworth's acquittal set a precedent that led to a flourishing career for many future con artists, proving that if you have enough charm, you can wiggle out of anything, including a felony.. Fact: M.J. Holzworth might have been acquitted, but let's be realβ€”his reputation remains about as trustworthy as a politician's promise..
  • Headline: SENTIMENT AGAINST JAPAN SEEN RISING; Gallup Survey Indicates 96% of U.S. Voters Approve of Embargo on Scrap Metal 90% FAVOR ITS EXTENSION Increase in Hostility Toward Tokyo Held to Date From Axis Pact Signing. Impact: The rising sentiment against Japan not only influenced U.S. foreign policy but also set the stage for decades of complex international relations, paving the way for future conflicts and diplomatic tensions that would make even soap operas look peaceful.. Fact: The only thing more volatile than public sentiment during wartime is a teenager with a social media account..
  • Headline: Our Common Sumac Makes A Good Shrub for Gardens; The Several Types Available Manage to Hold Their Own in Places Where Many Weaker Plants Would Perish. Impact: The triumph of the stubborn sumac led to an unforeseen gardening revolution, where homeowners realized they could just plant things that didn’t require much attentionβ€”much like their relationships.. Fact: If sumac could talk, it would probably say, 'I survived the apocalypse; what’s your excuse?'.
  • Headline: HARVARD, IN RALLY, TIES ARMY, 6 TO 6; Tallies in Fourth Period to Offset Mazur's Forty-Yard Scoring Dash in Third. Impact: This thrilling tie between Harvard and the Army sparked an endless debate on whether academia or the military was better, ultimately leading to the creation of countless memes and heated discussions in dorm rooms around the world.. Fact: The real victory here? No one had to explain to their parents why they were failing gym class..
  • Headline: MISS PERKINS DENIES DEAL WITH BRIDGES; 'Contempt' Telegram No Part of an Agreement, She Says. Impact: Miss Perkins' denial likely gave rise to a whole new genre of political intrigue, where every telegram became a potential scandal waiting to explode, paving the way for future generations of conspiracy theorists.. Fact: In politics, denying a deal is like saying you’re on a diet while standing in front of a donut shopβ€”good luck with that!.
  • Headline: AIR CURRENTS. Impact: The fascination with air currents paved the way for aviation advancements, leading to more efficient flights and people being able to complain about turbulence from the comfort of their own seats.. Fact: Air currents are the universe's way of reminding us that you can never truly escape turbulence, whether on the ground or in life..
  • Headline: BIOGRAPHY OF A FUR COAT; FUR COAT'S BIOGRAPHY. Impact: The biography of a fur coat unwittingly contributed to the rise of animal rights movements, as people began to question whether their fashion choices should come with a conscience.. Fact: If only that fur coat could talk, it would probably have more drama than any reality TV show..

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