AUGUST 21, 1959

FRIDAY
1959 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1959
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $2,583,736 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$0.98
Median Home Price$11,450.00
Gas Price Avg$0.31
Bread Price Avg$0.21
Movie Ticket Avg$0.67
First Class Stamp$0.04
Milk Price Avg$0.97
Top Movies From 1959
Show screen release and event cards
1 Ben-Hur
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Ben-Hur
2 Sleeping Beauty
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Sleeping Beauty
3 Some Like It Hot
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Some Like It Hot
4 Pillow Talk
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Pillow Talk
5 Imitation of Life
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Imitation of Life
6 Suddenly, Last Summer
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Suddenly, Last Summer
7 Operation Petticoat
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Operation Petticoat
8 North by Northwest
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North by Northwest
9 Rio Bravo
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Rio Bravo
10 Anatomy of a Murder
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Anatomy of a Murder
The Diary of Anne Frank
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The Diary of Anne Frank
The Mouse That Roared
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The Mouse That Roared
Al Capone
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Al Capone
The Hanging Tree
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The Hanging Tree
Compulsion
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Compulsion
The Nun's Story
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The Nun's Story
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
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Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Tarzan's Greatest Adventure
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Tarzan's Greatest Adventure
The Horse Soldiers
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The Horse Soldiers
The Tingler
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The Tingler
The Man Who Could Cheat Death
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The Man Who Could Cheat Death
The Big Fisherman
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The Big Fisherman
The Angry Hills
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The Angry Hills
The Buccaneer
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The Buccaneer
The Killer Shrews
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The Killer Shrews
The Giant Behemoth
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The Giant Behemoth
Separate Tables
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Separate Tables
Bell, Book and Candle
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Bell, Book and Candle
Some Came Running
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Some Came Running
The Last Hurrah
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The Last Hurrah
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
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The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
Auntie Mame
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Auntie Mame
The Geisha Boy
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The Geisha Boy
The Naked Maja
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The Naked Maja

August 21, 1959 Trivia

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Television from this era Β· August 21, 1959
Perry Mason poster
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Perry Mason
Bonanza poster
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Bonanza
The Twilight Zone poster
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The Twilight Zone
The Rifleman poster
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The Rifleman
Lassie poster
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Lassie
Tony Awards poster
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Tony Awards
Wagon Train poster
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Wagon Train
21 Beacon Street poster
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21 Beacon Street
Black Saddle poster
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Black Saddle

Exact-date daily brief

August 21, 1959

On August 21, 1959, Pontiac announced the expansion of its vehicle offerings to a four-series line, marking a significant shift in the automotive industry as manufacturers began to diversify their products to appeal to a broader m...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of August 1959

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

1 Integrated Circuit Production
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Integrated Circuit Production
2 Weather Satellite Launch
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Weather Satellite Launch
3 Computer Mouse Concept
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Computer Mouse Concept
4 Artificial Intelligence Language (LISP)
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Artificial Intelligence Language (LISP)
5 Commercial Laser Prototype
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Commercial Laser Prototype
6 Jet Turbofan Engine
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Jet Turbofan Engine
7 Automatic Dishwasher
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Automatic Dishwasher
8 Medical CAT Scan Concept
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Medical CAT Scan Concept
9 Digital Watch Prototype
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Digital Watch Prototype
10 Satellite Communication Relay
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Satellite Communication Relay

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From August 21, 1959

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Pontiac Launches New Ventura Series. Impact: This expansion led to an overwhelming love for compact cars, which ultimately paved the way for a generation of 'I like my car small but my ego big' drivers. The rise of the 'soccer mom' SUV would later be blamed on this moment. Fact: Fun fact: Pontiac's slogan 'We Build Excitement' was perhaps an exaggeration. They actually built quite a few 4-door sedans too.
  • Headline: Starlings Flee Bird-Chaser in Mount Vernon. Impact: This event sparked a nationwide trend where urban birds began to form unions, demanding quieter environments and more organic breadcrumbs. Little did we know, this would lead to the first-ever 'Feathered Rights Movement.'. Fact: Did you know that starlings can mimic human speech? Too bad they left before they could ask for a raise!.
  • Headline: Arthur F. Larkin's Legacy. Impact: Larkin's mere existence is said to have inspired generations of 'average Joe' names. This led to a significant rise in the number of people named Arthur, causing confusion in countless family reunions. Fact: Arthur F. Larkin: the ultimate example of a man who likely never had a headline-worthy achievement, but here we are, talking about him.
  • Headline: National Symphony Aide Quits. Impact: This resignation set off a chain reaction of musical chairs in orchestras across the nation, eventually leading to the great 'Conductor Wars' of the late 80s. Who knew symphonies could be so dramatic?. Fact: Fun fact: Orchestras are like relationships; a single bad note can ruin the whole performance.
  • Headline: Rosensohn Says There Was No Gambling Money Behind Staging of Title Bout; GRAND JURY HEARS PROMOTER TODAY Rosensohn, In From France, Tells Hogan's Aides He Never Met Carbo. Impact: This statement led to a series of events where boxing promoters began to use the phrase 'I swear, it's all legit!' as a standard disclaimer, turning every match into a reality TV drama. Fact: Did you know that boxing promoters have historically had more plot twists than actual boxers? And that’s saying something!.
  • Headline: Democrats Rebel At Rise in 'Gas' Tax; DEMOCRATS FIGHT RISE IN 'GAS' TAX. Impact: This rebellion marked the beginning of the eternal struggle between politicians and their constituents over gas prices, leading to the infamous 'Gas Tax Wars' that still rage on today, with no winner in sight. Fact: Isn't it funny how politicians can spend months debating a two-cent tax but can't figure out how to fix potholes that cost us all a fortune?.
  • Headline: U. S. NEGRO DIRECTS BERLIN ORCHESTRA. Impact: This groundbreaking event not only challenged racial barriers in music but also inspired countless musicians to believe they could conduct orchestras anywhere, even in hostile environments. Talk about a mic drop moment. Fact: Did you know that music has been a universal language for centuries? Apparently, it took this guy to teach everyone else to listen!.
  • Headline: TRIBUTE PAID HERE TO MISS HELBURN; Oscar Hammerstein 2d Gives Eulogy for Producer at Ethical Culture Rites. Impact: Miss Helburn's contributions to the arts sparked a new wave of theatrical productions that celebrated the human experience, leading to the creation of some of the most iconic musicals of the 20th century. Her legacy continues in every show tune you hear today. Fact: Eulogies can be quite the showstoppers; just ask Oscar Hammerstein, who probably made the audience shed more tears than they did at the last sad musical!.
  • Headline: ARMY DISPLAYING ELECTRONIC AIDS; In Ft. Monmouth Exhibit Are Satellite Model and Radar and Radio Detectors. Impact: This exhibit initiated the arms race for electronic gadgets, leading to the modern obsession with technology and the ultimate irony of soldiers using more sophisticated gear than the average civilian. Fact: Did you know that the Army's tech is often so advanced that it makes your smartphone look like a calculator from the 80s? Welcome to the future, folks!.
  • Headline: Penn Names Acting Dean. Impact: This appointment led to a chain reaction in academic politics, ultimately resulting in a series of 'Acting' positions that became the norm, turning academia into a never-ending audition for the real thing. Fact: Fun fact: Being an 'acting' dean is like being an 'acting' parentβ€”everyone's doing their best, but deep down, we all know who's really in charge!.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1959
$0.06
Stored value
$3,433,940

Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1959, it would be worth $3,433,940 today (3433.9x return)

Rank #2
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1959
$0.25
Stored value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1959, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
MO
Philip Morris
Price in 1959
$0.00
Stored value
$23,651,341

Philip Morris - If you invested $1,000 in 1959, it would be worth $23,651,341 today (23651.3x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Flash #105
The Flash #105
$2,000
Showcase #22
Showcase #22
$50
Adventure Comics #260
Adventure Comics #260
$500
Journey into Mystery #53
Journey into Mystery #53
$8,000
Tales to Astonish #1
Tales to Astonish #1
$475
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Barbie Doll
Barbie Doll
$150.00
Chatty Cathy Doll
Chatty Cathy Doll
$425.00
View-Master
View-Master
$40.00
Colorforms
Colorforms
$250.00
Etch A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
$75.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1959 Topps Mickey Mantle #10
1959 Topps Mickey Mantle #10
$500,000
1959 Barbie Number 1 Card
1959 Barbie Number 1 Card
$83,000
1959 Fleer Ted Williams #5 Ted’s Idol β€˜Babe Ruth’
1959 Fleer Ted Williams #5 Ted’s Idol β€˜Babe Ruth’
$350
1959 Swedish Rekord Journal Wayne Gretzky
1959 Swedish Rekord Journal Wayne Gretzky
$75,000
1959 Bazooka Baseball Card #4 Willie Mays
1959 Bazooka Baseball Card #4 Willie Mays
$250,000