MAY 21, 1953

THURSDAY
1953 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1953
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $4,536,935 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.83
Median Home Price$8,750.00
Gas Price Avg$0.28
Bread Price Avg$0.16
Movie Ticket Avg$0.53
First Class Stamp$0.03
Milk Price Avg$0.88
Top Movies From 1953
Show screen release and event cards
1 The Robe
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The Robe
2 From Here to Eternity
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From Here to Eternity
3 Shane
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Shane
4 How to Marry a Millionaire
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How to Marry a Millionaire
5 Peter Pan
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Peter Pan
6 House of Wax
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House of Wax
7 Mogambo
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Mogambo
8 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
9 Salome
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Salome
10 The Moon Is Blue
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The Moon Is Blue
The Hitch-Hiker
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The Hitch-Hiker
The Naked Spur
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The Naked Spur
The Clown
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The Clown
Niagara
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Niagara
Lili
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Lili
Glen or Glenda
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Glen or Glenda
Titanic
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Titanic
The Desert Rats
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The Desert Rats
The Blue Gardenia
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The Blue Gardenia
Fear and Desire
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Fear and Desire
Old Overland Trail
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Old Overland Trail
The Sun Shines Bright
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The Sun Shines Bright
The Bad and the Beautiful
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The Bad and the Beautiful
Come Back, Little Sheba
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Come Back, Little Sheba
Moulin Rouge
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Moulin Rouge
Limelight
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Limelight
Plymouth Adventure
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Plymouth Adventure
Above and Beyond
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Above and Beyond
Hans Christian Andersen
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Hans Christian Andersen
The Holly and the Ivy
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The Holly and the Ivy

May 21, 1953 Trivia

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Television from this era Β· May 21, 1953
Private Secretary
The Life of Riley
The Oscars
Topper
You Are There
Your Favorite Story

Exact-date daily brief

May 21, 1953

On May 21, 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Jacob F. Parliment as Secretary of Agriculture, a significant move in shaping American agricultural policy during a time of post-war recovery. The nation was grappling with...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of May 1953

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

1 Artificial DNA Model
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Artificial DNA Model
2 Color Television Set
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Color Television Set
3 Transistorized Computer
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Transistorized Computer
4 Automatic Defibrillator
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Automatic Defibrillator
5 High-Density Magnetic Tape
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High-Density Magnetic Tape
6 Jet Engine Noise Reduction
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Jet Engine Noise Reduction
7 Disposable Syringe
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Disposable Syringe
8 Early AI Learning Program
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Early AI Learning Program
9 Compact Cassette Concept
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Compact Cassette Concept
10 Commercial Nuclear Reactor
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Commercial Nuclear Reactor

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From May 21, 1953

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Driscoll's Key Staff Appointment. Impact: The appointment of R. E. Watson Jr. as Secretary was the catalyst for a secret society of public servants to form. They now control the world's supply of staplers and are believed to influence office supply prices globally. Truly, a powerful move. Fact: Did you know that the last time a public official was appointed without causing a minor scandal was in 1923? Yeah, neither did anyone else.
  • Headline: Jacob F. Parliment's 1953 Milestone. Impact: Jacob F. Parliment’s name was so memorable that it inspired a cult of historians who believe he was the reincarnation of all past lawmakers. Spoiler alert: they still haven’t found any evidence. Fact: Parliament's name is just one letter away from being 'Parliament'β€”which is fitting because both are equally confusing to navigate.
  • Headline: Farm Trade Loans Drop Significantly in 1953. Impact: The drastic drop in farm and trade loans led to an unexpected boom in backyard gardening. Little did the Fed know, they inadvertently sparked a revolution of homegrown tomatoes. Fact: Fun fact: $56 million is just slightly more than the amount required to fund a lifetime supply of avocadosβ€”talk about priorities!.
  • Headline: Illinois Central R. R.. Impact: D. P. Robinson Jr.'s election as director of Illinois Central R.R. set off a chain reaction that would eventually lead to countless train puns and a nationwide obsession with model trains. Thanks, D.P.!. Fact: Did you know that the Illinois Central R.R. is responsible for more dad jokes than any other train company? It's all about the 'track' record.
  • Headline: WILLIAM A. SCHROEDER. Impact: William A. Schroeder's entry into history is so underwhelming that historians have debated whether he even existed. Some even suggest he was just a figment of everyone's collective boredom. Fact: William A. Schroeder is often mistaken for a famous physicist, but instead, he just mastered the art of being forgettable.
  • Headline: MRS. EDMUND M. WYLIE. Impact: Mrs. Edmund M. Wylie’s name appears in the annals of history as a reminder that the wives of prominent men often get about as much recognition as a forgotten sock. Truly groundbreaking. Fact: Did you know that being a 'Mrs.' has historically led to some of the most interesting footnotes in history? Just ask all the wives who didn't get mentioned.
  • Headline: EISENHOWER GIVES CONGRESS TAX PLAN; EARLY HEARING SET; Republican Leaders Win First Round as House Committee Speeds Excess Profit Issue. Impact: Eisenhower’s tax plan was like tossing a pebble into a pondβ€”only instead of ripples, we got massive waves of confusion. The tax code was never the same again. Fact: Did you know tax plans are basically like diets? Everyone claims they’ll stick to it, but in the end, we all just go back to the comfort of junk foodβ€”err, I mean loopholes.
  • Headline: Perch Press Wary on Agencies. Impact: Perch Press's wariness of using U.S. services led to the creation of a secret underground network of alternative presses. The result? A thriving black market for puns and memes. Fact: The Perch Press's cautious approach has led to a rise in conspiracy theories about which services are actually worth using. Spoiler: nobody knows.
  • Headline: Siamese Twin Boys Die. Impact: The tragic death of Siamese twin boys has left a mark in medical history, raising awareness and leading to advancements in surgical techniques. Their legacy, albeit sad, contributed to major leaps in healthcare. Fact: Did you know that the condition of conjoined twins has been documented for centuries? Their stories have shaped medical practices and ethical discussions for generations.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
CVX
Chevron
Price in 1953
$0.31
Stored value
$474,914

Chevron - If you invested $1,000 in 1953, it would be worth $474,914 today (474.9x return)

Rank #2
GE
General Electric
Price in 1953
$0.62
Stored value
$487,501

General Electric - If you invested $1,000 in 1953, it would be worth $487,501 today (487.5x return)

Rank #3
IBM
IBM
Price in 1953
$1.46
Stored value
$205,272

IBM - If you invested $1,000 in 1953, it would be worth $205,272 today (205.3x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Strange Tales #1
Strange Tales #1
$10,000
Journey into Unknown Worlds #1
Journey into Unknown Worlds #1
$500
3-D Comics #1
3-D Comics #1
$200
Space Adventures #1
Space Adventures #1
$300
Plop! Comics #1
Plop! Comics #1
$104
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Matchbox Cars
Matchbox Cars
$100.00
Plastic Army Men
Plastic Army Men
$25.00
Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head
$150.00
Roy Rogers Cap Gun
Roy Rogers Cap Gun
$300.00
Colorforms
Colorforms
$150.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1953 Topps Mickey Mantle #82
1953 Topps Mickey Mantle #82
$1,350,000
1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese #33
1953 Bowman Color Pee Wee Reese #33
$20,000
1953 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle #59
1953 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle #59
$6,120
1953 Parkhurst Maurice Richard #27
1953 Parkhurst Maurice Richard #27
$20,000
1953 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle
1953 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle
$2,273