AUGUST 21, 1943

SATURDAY
1943 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1943
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $6,660,161 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.44
Median Home Price$5,020.00
Gas Price Avg$0.21
Bread Price Avg$0.11
Movie Ticket Avg$0.35
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.63
Top Movies From 1943
Show screen release and event cards
1 This Is the Army
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This Is the Army
2 For Whom the Bell Tolls
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For Whom the Bell Tolls
3 The Song of Bernadette
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The Song of Bernadette
4 Stage Door Canteen
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Stage Door Canteen
5
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Star Spangled Rhythm
6 Thousands Cheer
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Thousands Cheer
7 Casablanca
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Casablanca
8 Coney Island
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Coney Island
9 Destination Tokyo
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Destination Tokyo
10 Dixie
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Dixie
Air Force
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Air Force
Hitler's Children
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Hitler's Children
The Moon Is Down
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The Moon Is Down
Shadow of a Doubt
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Shadow of a Doubt
The Outlaw
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The Outlaw
Five Graves to Cairo
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Five Graves to Cairo
The More the Merrier
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The More the Merrier
Hangmen Also Die!
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Hangmen Also Die!
The Ox-Bow Incident
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The Ox-Bow Incident
This Land Is Mine
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This Land Is Mine
I Walked with a Zombie
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I Walked with a Zombie
Heaven Can Wait
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Heaven Can Wait
The Leopard Man
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The Leopard Man
The Seventh Victim
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The Seventh Victim
Meshes of the Afternoon
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Meshes of the Afternoon
Cabin in the Sky
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Cabin in the Sky
The Constant Nymph
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The Constant Nymph
The Fallen Sparrow
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The Fallen Sparrow
The Human Comedy
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The Human Comedy
Edge of Darkness
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Edge of Darkness
Action in the North Atlantic
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Action in the North Atlantic
The Black Swan
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The Black Swan
Cat People
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Cat People
Random Harvest
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Random Harvest
I Married a Witch
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I Married a Witch
Bambi
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Bambi

August 21, 1943 Trivia

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Exact-date daily brief

August 21, 1943

On August 21, 1943, the United States government took a significant step to stabilize the shoe market by announcing that the Office of Price Administration (OPA) would begin licensing sellers of hides. This action aimed to regulat...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of August 1943

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

1 Colossus Computer
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Colossus Computer
2 Artificial Kidney Dialysis Machine
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Artificial Kidney Dialysis Machine
3 Remote-Controlled Missile
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Remote-Controlled Missile
4 Infrared Heat-Seeking Guidance
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Infrared Heat-Seeking Guidance
5 Modern Aerosol Spray Can
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Modern Aerosol Spray Can
6 High-Speed Jet Bomber
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High-Speed Jet Bomber
7 Electromagnetic Proximity Mine
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Electromagnetic Proximity Mine
8 Electric Stapler
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Electric Stapler
9 Plastic Contact Lenses
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Plastic Contact Lenses
10 Portable Oxygen Concentrator Concept
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Portable Oxygen Concentrator Concept

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From August 21, 1943

Full News Archive

  • Headline: OPA Licenses Hides Sellers in 1943. Impact: By regulating hide sales, the OPA inadvertently sparked a global obsession with fashion, leading to an explosion of leather goods. One could argue that a pair of overpriced shoes worn by a celebrity in the '80s indirectly started the vegan leather trend we see today. Thanks, OPA!. Fact: Did you know that the OPA's efforts to control prices were about as effective as putting a band-aid on a sinking ship? Spoiler: it didn’t stop inflation.
  • Headline: Britain Pressures Spain for Neutrality. Impact: Britain's insistence on Spain's neutrality created a ripple effect that led to all sorts of diplomatic shenanigans. Not to mention, it spurred a wave of Spanish tapas bars popping up in the U.S. decades later, because who doesn't like a good patatas bravas while discussing neutrality?. Fact: Fun fact: Spain’s neutrality during WWII was like that one friend who shows up at a party but doesn’t pick a side in beer pong. Just awkward.
  • Headline: Railway Earnings Report August 1943. Impact: The railway earnings report, while seemingly mundane, actually set the stage for the modern transportation industry. If the railroads hadn't made bank, Uber might have started off as 'Horse & Buggy Share.'. Fact: Did you know that railway earnings are just a fancy way of saying 'how much we can charge you to sit in an uncomfortable seat while traveling slowly'?.
  • Headline: FLIER'S FUNEI__AAL TODAY; { Service for Lieut, J. P. Willetts{ Wtll Be Held in Roslyn, L.I. {. Impact: Lieutenant Willetts' funeral not only honored a fallen hero but also reminded future generations of the sacrifices made during wartime. It prompted a myriad of military films that glorify war while conveniently ignoring its consequences. Fact: In the grand scheme of things, did you know that military funerals have inspired more tear-jerking films than any romantic comedy? Just saying.
  • Headline: HOSPITAL INSURANCE WILL PAY $65,000,000; Blue Cross Services to Meet 1,200,000 Bills in Year. Impact: The introduction of hospital insurance, like Blue Cross, led to the eventual rise of healthcare debates that have continued to echo through history. It’s like a never-ending game of medical Monopoly where no one can agree on the rules. Fact: Did you know that $65 million in 1943 would be about $1 trillion today? Just kidding, but wouldn’t that be fun to watch Congress handle?.
  • Headline: STATE BANKING AFFAIRS; Branch Offices in New York Navy Yard Authorized. Impact: Branch offices in the Navy Yard meant that banking became as accessible as a donut shop on every corner, which fueled post-war consumerism. It’s almost as if they were preparing people to buy houses they couldn’t afford decades later. Fact: Fun fact: Banking offices in military areas were basically the first Starbucks – everyone needed a place to get their fix, whether it was caffeine or cash.
  • Headline: State Board Urges School Boys of 16-18 Receive Part-Time Work Permits Only. Impact: Encouraging part-time work permits for high school boys laid the groundwork for today's side hustle culture. Little did they know they were preparing a future generation to sell artisanal soap on Etsy. Fact: Did you know that back in the day, part-time work for teens was just code for 'we need cheap labor'? Welcome to the capitalist dream!.
  • Headline: CARROLL TO DIRECT OPA FOOD PRICES; Bowles Names St. Louis Man Who Has Both Business and College Experience. Impact: Carroll's appointment to direct food prices was a pivotal moment that set off an avalanche of food regulation, eventually leading to the myriad of food labels we see today. Who knew that someone deciding prices could lead to us obsessing over calorie counts?. Fact: Did you know that food pricing is just a polite way of saying 'let’s see how much we can charge you before you stop buying'? It’s like a game of chicken with your wallet.
  • Headline: Freight Traffic Still Rising. Impact: Rising freight traffic indicated a booming economy, which ultimately led to the modern consumerist society we all know and love. If only they knew they were paving the way for Black Friday madness!. Fact: Fun fact: Freight traffic rising was just the universe's way of saying, 'Get ready, America. You’re about to buy a lot of stuff you don’t need.'.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #2
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1943
$0.31
Stored value
$474,914

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1943, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)

Rank #3
GE
General Electric
Price in 1943
$0.62
Stored value
$487,500

General Electric - If you invested $1,000 in 1943, it would be worth $487,500 today (487.5x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Detective Comics #76
Detective Comics #76
$10,200
Action Comics #60
Action Comics #60
$1,100
Captain Marvel Adventures #18
Captain Marvel Adventures #18
$3,000
Sub-Mariner Comics #9
Sub-Mariner Comics #9
$50,000
Wonder Woman #5
Wonder Woman #5
$1,500
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Silly Putty
Silly Putty
$50.00
Army Men
Army Men
$150.00
Paper Dolls
Paper Dolls
$35.00
Soap Bubbles
Soap Bubbles
$20.00
View-Master
View-Master
$40.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1943 Clandestine Francs-Tireurs French Resistance Stamp Card
1943 Clandestine Francs-Tireurs French Resistance Stamp Card
$2,500
1943 Japanese Wartime Patriotic Postcard
1943 Japanese Wartime Patriotic Postcard
$330.99
1943 Italian Military Badge Pin
1943 Italian Military Badge Pin
$1,570.58
1943 British Wartime Tea Card
1943 British Wartime Tea Card
$330.99
1943 Soviet Union Propaganda Stamp
1943 Soviet Union Propaganda Stamp
$200.00