MAY 11, 1961

THURSDAY
1961 Coca-Cola advertising artwork
$1,000 INVESTED IN COKE STOCK (KO) IN 1961
WOULD HAVE MADE YOU $1,184,600 IN THE 2025 DATASET
Min Wage Hourly$1.06
Median Home Price$13,070.00
Gas Price Avg$0.32
Bread Price Avg$0.22
Movie Ticket Avg$0.78
First Class Stamp$0.04
Milk Price Avg$1.02
Top Movies From 1961
Show screen release and event cards
1 West Side Story
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West Side Story
2 The Guns of Navarone
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The Guns of Navarone
3 El Cid
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El Cid
4 The Parent Trap
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The Parent Trap
5 The Absent-Minded Professor
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The Absent-Minded Professor
6 King of Kings
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King of Kings
7 Lover Come Back
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Lover Come Back
8 One Hundred and One Dalmatians
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One Hundred and One Dalmatians
9 La Dolce Vita
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La Dolce Vita
10 Come September
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Come September
The Misfits
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The Misfits
Underworld U.S.A.
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Underworld U.S.A.
The Secret Ways
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The Secret Ways
Master of the World
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Master of the World
Gorgo
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Gorgo
One-Eyed Jacks
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One-Eyed Jacks
Spartacus
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Spartacus
Exodus
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Exodus
Psycho
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Psycho
The Magnificent Seven
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The Magnificent Seven
The Sundowners
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The Sundowners
The Grass Is Greener
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The Grass Is Greener
The 3 Worlds of Gulliver
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The 3 Worlds of Gulliver
Swiss Family Robinson
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Swiss Family Robinson

May 11, 1961 Trivia

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Television On May 11, 1961
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 Flintstones poster
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The Flintstones
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
'Way Out poster
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'Way Out

Exact-date daily brief

May 11, 1961

On May 11, 1961, a significant financial event occurred as a drawing by the artist Van der Goes fetched an impressive $84,000 at auction, highlighting the growing appreciation for classical art among collectors. Concurrently, poli...

Inventions & Breakthroughs of May 1961

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

1 First Human Spaceflight
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First Human Spaceflight
2 Industrial Robot (Unimate)
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Industrial Robot (Unimate)
3 Early Word Processor
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Early Word Processor
4 Integrated Circuit Computer
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Integrated Circuit Computer
5 Commercial Satellite Communications
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Commercial Satellite Communications
6 Space Food Systems
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Space Food Systems
7 Disposable Medical Gloves
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Disposable Medical Gloves
8 Electronic Fuel Injection
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Electronic Fuel Injection
9 Programmable Logic Controller Concept
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Programmable Logic Controller Concept
10 Ultrasound Fetal Monitoring
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Ultrasound Fetal Monitoring

The Sounds of

Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year

Headlines From May 11, 1961

Full News Archive

  • Headline: Van der Goes Drawing Auction Success. Impact: This art sale inspired a generation of aspiring artists to start doodling their grocery lists, believing they might just be the next Van der Goes. Spoiler: they weren't. Fact: Did you know that for $84,000, you could buy a lifetime supply of avocado toast instead? Priorities, people!.
  • Headline: Javits Steps Back from Mayoral Race. Impact: This event marked the moment when political leaders realized that avoiding the mayoral race was a solid strategyβ€”leading to decades of avoiding responsibility. Bravo!. Fact: Did you know that avoiding a race is what politicians have been training for their entire careers? They should get medals for this!.
  • Headline: CREW FLEES BLAZE ON EXPLOSIVES SHIP. Impact: This fiery incident inspired future ship crews to take their safety drills a bit more seriously. Ironically, it also led to the invention of the phrase 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.'. Fact: Did you know that fleeing from a burning ship is a great way to ensure you never win 'Employee of the Month'?.
  • Headline: U.S. TO AID TUNISIA; BOURGUIBA IS HERE. Impact: This U.S. aid to Tunisia became the foundation for a long-lasting friendship, which later inspired countless sitcoms about foreign diplomats and their quirky adventures. Fact: Did you know that there's no diplomatic immunity for bad dancing at receptions? Just ask Bourguiba.
  • Headline: ITALIAN FACTORY SEIZED; Mayor 'Requisitions' Borsalino Hat Plant During Sitdown. Impact: The mayor's bold move inspired future mayors to think they could just 'borrow' anything they needed. Fast forward to today, where mayors are still borrowing, but now it's Wi-Fi passwords. Fact: Did you know that requisitioning a hat factory is a surefire way to make sure you’re always wearing the latest fashion? Talk about a power move!.
  • Headline: Lodge in Cairo for Visit. Impact: This visit inadvertently laid the groundwork for future tourists thinking they could just show up anywhere, leading to the rise of travel blogs and unsolicited Instagram photos. Fact: Did you know that lodging in Cairo is like ordering a mystery box? You never know what ancient artifact you might find under the bed!.
  • Headline: FILM OF SHEPARD IN FLIGHT SHOWN. Impact: This film showing turned into a pivotal moment for space enthusiasts everywhere, fueling endless debates about the best way to launch a rocket (spoiler: it usually involves fuel). Fact: Did you know that watching a film of someone flying can make you feel like you're experiencing it too? Until you realize you're still on your couch, dreaming of space travel.

Wall Street Time Machine

The Right Call: A historical $1,000 investment comparison using the stored long-range dataset.
Rank #1
PG
Procter & Gamble
Price in 1961
$0.25
Stored value
$586,657

Procter & Gamble - If you invested $1,000 in 1961, it would be worth $586,657 today (586.7x return)

Rank #3
MO
Philip Morris
Price in 1961
$0.00
Stored value
$23,651,354

Philip Morris - If you invested $1,000 in 1961, it would be worth $23,651,354 today (23651.4x return)

🦸 Top 5 Comics
Fantastic Four #1
Fantastic Four #1
$65,000
Journey into Mystery #69
Journey into Mystery #69
$3,000
Strange Adventures #124
Strange Adventures #124
$300
Action Comics #283
Action Comics #283
$250
Showcase #30
Showcase #30
$42,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Ken (Barbie's Boyfriend)
Ken (Barbie's Boyfriend)
$200.00
Chatty Cathy
Chatty Cathy
$425.00
Matchbox Cars
Matchbox Cars
$100.00
Nutty Mads
Nutty Mads
$200.00
Etch A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
$250.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1961 Topps Mickey Mantle #300
1961 Topps Mickey Mantle #300
$12,000
1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain #8
1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain #8
$1,220,000
1961 Topps Roger Maris #2
1961 Topps Roger Maris #2
$250,000
1961 Nu-Cards Scoops Bobby Thompson #10
1961 Nu-Cards Scoops Bobby Thompson #10
$1,500
1961 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau #34
1961 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau #34
$1,500