JANUARY 9, 1942

FRIDAY
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1942
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $8,968,676 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min_Wage_Hourly: $0.39
Median_Home_Price: $4,680.00
Gas_Price_Avg: $0.20
Bread_Price_Avg: $0.10
Movie_Ticket_Avg: $0.33
First_Class_Stamp: $0.03
Milk_Price_Avg: $0.61
Top Movies From 1942
1 Mrs. Miniver
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Mrs. Miniver
2 Random Harvest
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Random Harvest
3 Yankee Doodle Dandy
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Yankee Doodle Dandy
4 Reap the Wild Wind
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Reap the Wild Wind
5 Road to Morocco
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Road to Morocco
6 Holiday Inn
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Holiday Inn
7 Wake Island
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Wake Island
8 The Pride of the Yankees
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The Pride of the Yankees
9 Kings Row
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Kings Row
10 For Me and My Gal
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For Me and My Gal
The Man Who Came to Dinner
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The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Maltese Falcon
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The Maltese Falcon
Citizen Kane
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Citizen Kane
The Wolf Man
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The Wolf Man
Suspicion
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Suspicion
Dumbo
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Dumbo
Sullivan's Travels
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Sullivan's Travels
Ball of Fire
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Ball of Fire
Shadow of the Thin Man
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Shadow of the Thin Man
Hellzapoppin'
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Hellzapoppin'
January 9, 1942 Trivia
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The Story of January 9, 1942

On January 9, 1942, Major Julian de Court was making headlines as America was deeply entrenched in World War II.

Inventions & Breakthroughs of January 1942

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

1 Atomic Reactor (Chicago Pile-1)
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Atomic Reactor (Chicago Pile-1)
2 Electronic Countermeasures Systems
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Electronic Countermeasures Systems
3 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
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Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
4 Modern Rocket Engine
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Modern Rocket Engine
5 High-Altitude Pressure Suit
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High-Altitude Pressure Suit
6 Amphibious Landing Craft
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Amphibious Landing Craft
7 Synthetic Rubber (GR-S)
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Synthetic Rubber (GR-S)
8 Automatic Analog Computer
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Automatic Analog Computer
9 Magnetic Mine Detection
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Magnetic Mine Detection
10 Portable Field Radio
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Portable Field Radio

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

HEADLINES ON January 9, 1942

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Major Julian De Court's Legacy. Impact: Had Major Julian de Court not existed, the world might not have had the same level of ennui during military briefings. His absence could have led to a surge in creativity among officers, resulting in a series of award-winning war-themed musicals instead.. Fact: Major Julian de Court was so influential that even his coffee breaks were scheduled in military strategy meetings..
  • Headline: Utica Welsh Eisteddfod Canceled in 1942. Impact: The cancellation of this festival led to an unexpected boom in competitive knitting and extreme chess tournaments, as locals sought alternative forms of entertainment in a time of war.. Fact: The Eisteddfod is traditionally a celebration of literature, music, and performanceβ€”clearly, war knows how to ruin a good time..
  • Headline: 1,572 Enroll as Air Wardens. Impact: The sudden influx of air wardens turned out to be a great excuse for a new trend: 'Air Warden Fashion'β€”a look that remains popular among those who want to appear prepared for any airborne emergency at a moment's notice.. Fact: In a bizarre twist, some air wardens took their roles too seriously and began charging for 'air safety' tips on social media..
  • Headline: Rectors Hear War Message. Impact: The rectors' decision to listen closely to the war message inadvertently led to a surge in theological debates over divine intervention in military strategyβ€”who knew war could spark such existential pondering?. Fact: Rectors are known for their sermons, but this year, they were just as likely to organize a bake sale for the troops..
  • Headline: WOMEN ACCEPT JOBS IN AIRPLANE PLANT; Twenty Join Curtiss-Wright Experiment at Columbus. Impact: The entry of women into the airplane industry marked the beginning of a series of events that would ultimately lead to aerial yoga classesβ€”because why not combine relaxation with the thrill of flying?. Fact: These women were so good at their jobs that they inadvertently started a trend of airplane-themed beauty contests..
  • Headline: COMPLAINTS BY FTC TOTALED 357 IN '41; 219 Charged Misleading Ads, Labels, Etc., Annual Report to Congress Shows CONTINUED COURT VICTORY Won 40 of 42 Cases -- Agency Is Carrying On Inquiries in Several Fields COMPLAINTS BY FTC TOTALED 357 IN '41. Impact: This avalanche of complaints led the FTC to consider launching a new reality TV series: 'Mad Men: The FTC Chronicles,' where they would expose the dark underbelly of advertising.. Fact: The FTC once considered a complaint about a cereal that claimed to make you 'as strong as a bear'β€”thankfully, they decided against it after realizing bears don't actually eat cereal..
  • Headline: MEDAL PRESENTED TO DAVID WARFIELD; Veteran Actor Rewarded by Associates for Distinguished Service to Theatre HIS ARTISTRY IS PRAISED Members of New York Academy and the Lambs Club Join in Paying Tribute. Impact: Warfield's recognition sparked a theatrical renaissance that led to the creation of an entirely new genre: 'Warfieldian Tragedy,' which involved excessive melodrama and interpretative dance.. Fact: It’s said that David Warfield’s acceptance speech was so dramatic that it inspired a new line of award-winning soaps..
  • Headline: BISHOPS AMPLIFY PAPAL PEACE AIM; Acceptance of 'Law of Nations' Throughout World Is Declared 'the Prime Necessity' NOSOVEREIGNTY INFRINGED America Is Backed in War to 'Outlaw Forever' Rule by 'Brute Force, Lying Propaganda'. Impact: This declaration led to a worldwide movement that eventually resulted in the establishment of 'Peace Day,' a day where everyone collectively forgets about politics and just focuses on cat videos.. Fact: The bishops' meetings turned into a surprise hit on social media, leading to a series of viral memes featuring doves and olive branches..
  • Headline: Postoffices to Begin Sale Of Car Tax Stamps Jan. 26. Impact: The introduction of car tax stamps caused a nationwide panic, leading to an underground market of counterfeit stampsβ€”who knew taxation could be so thrilling?. Fact: People often joke that the only thing worse than paying taxes is paying for the privilege of paying taxes!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1942, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1942
$0.69
2025 dataset value
$147,887

Kimberly-Clark - If you invested $1,000 in 1942, it would be worth $147,887 today (147.9x return)

Rank #3
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1942
$0.31
2025 dataset value
$474,914

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1942, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Wonder Woman #1
Wonder Woman #1
$25,000
All Star Comics #11
All Star Comics #11
$3,000
Captain America Comics #13
Captain America Comics #13
$20,000
Hit Comics #27
Hit Comics #27
$10,200
Detective Comics #66
Detective Comics #66
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Inflatable Airplane
Inflatable Airplane
$120.00
Tin Soldiers
Tin Soldiers
$75.00
Simple Wooden Blocks
Simple Wooden Blocks
$75.00
Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo
$1350.00
Silhouette Jigsaw Puzzles
Silhouette Jigsaw Puzzles
$25.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
War Gum (1942)
War Gum (1942)
$2,000
Gill'S Cigarette Cards - Military Series
Gill'S Cigarette Cards - Military Series
$20
British Wartime Stamps
British Wartime Stamps
$10,000,000
Canada War Savings Stamps
Canada War Savings Stamps
$2,000
Ration Card Series
Ration Card Series
$1,000