FEBRUARY 21, 1942

SATURDAY
1942 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$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
Show screen release and event cards
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
Woman of the Year
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Woman of the Year
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'

February 21, 1942 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

February 21, 1942

On February 21, 1942, the stage was set for the debut performance of Bella Reine, a new talent making waves in the realm of dance. This event unfolded amidst a world embroiled in conflict as World War II progressed, with nations f...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 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 From February 21, 1942

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Bella Reine's Dance Recital Debut. Impact: Bella Reine's debut sparked a global dance craze that led to a sudden increase in leg injuries due to overzealous attempts at her signature moves. This was later referred to in medical journals as the 'Reine Effect'. Fact: Did you know that Bella Reine once danced so well she accidentally invented a whole new genre? It's called 'Injury Core'.
  • Headline: Hoarding Case Unveils Illegal Still Operation. Impact: The arrest of this sugar hoarder led to a nationwide panic over sweeteners, inadvertently causing the Great Sugar Shortage of 1945. Bakers everywhere had to resort to using unsweetened disappointment instead. Fact: If you ever wondered why your grandma's cookies tasted less sweet in the '40s, it’s because she was likely part of the underground sugar resistance.
  • Headline: Muriel K. Hill: Pioneer Cattle Breeder. Impact: Muriel's management of the cattle herd led to the establishment of a secret society of bovine enthusiasts, ultimately influencing cattle breeding standards for decades. Who knew cows had a lobby?. Fact: Fun fact: Muriel K. Hill also once convinced a cow to wear a tutu. It was the talk of the town, and a significant milestone in bovine fashion history.
  • Headline: BRAVE MEN AT RIOM. Impact: The bravery displayed at Riom inspired a long line of overly ambitious action movies that featured men in capes saving the world, though very few actually achieved that goal. Fact: Bravery at Riom is historically significant, but it’s also when the phrase 'not all heroes wear capes' was first whisperedβ€”right before someone tripped over one.
  • Headline: Alda Suit Ruling Reversed. Impact: The reversal of the Alda suit ruling set a precedent for lawsuits everywhere, leading to an explosion of lawsuits over the most trivial matters, such as the right to complain about pineapple on pizza. Fact: Who knew that a former cook's quest for justice would ultimately lead to a generation of lawyers specializing in food-related grievances?.
  • Headline: Dunbar, Negro Clarinetist, Will Conduct in London. Impact: Dunbar's concert not only enriched the music scene but also laid the groundwork for a future where clarinetists could finally claim their rightful place in the rockstar hierarchy. Who knew clarinets had so much potential?. Fact: Dunbar's clarinet once played so beautifully that it was rumored to make cats weep. Imagine the feline fanbase!.
  • Headline: THE PLAY IN REVIEW. Impact: The review of 'Plan M' led to a series of theatrical disasters that redefined how we perceive 'good' theatre, ultimately giving rise to a whole new genre: 'So Bad It’s Good'. Fact: The playwright J.E. Grant later claimed that every bad review was just 'a step toward greatness'. Spoiler alert: he was wrong.
  • Headline: Says Skirts Must Be Shorter. Impact: Mrs. R Holman's call for shorter skirts triggered a fashion revolution that caused various unintended consequences, including a sharp rise in childhood games of 'how high can you kick'. Fact: Shorter skirts led to the invention of the 'no-fly zone' for unsuspecting gentlemen. Fashion can be brutal!.
  • Headline: ALVA A. LAWRENCE. Impact: Alva A. Lawrence’s name would go on to inspire countless people named Alva, leading to a brief but intense period of Alvas trying to outdo each other in every field imaginable. Fact: Alva A. Lawrence was once nominated for an award in 'Best Name Ever'. Spoiler: the award was never given out, as no one could agree on the criteria.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
Price in 1942
$0.69
Stored 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
Stored 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