Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 1981
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Personal Computer (IBM PC)
2 
Graphical User Interface Concept
3 
Word Processing Software (Microsoft Word)
4 
Digital Camera Prototype Commercialization
5 
Medical Infusion Pump
6 
Local Area Network Expansion
7 
Portable Video Game Console
8 
Computer-Aided Manufacturing Software
9 
Speech Recognition System Improvement
10 
Reusable Space Shuttle Program
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON February 11, 1981
Full News Archive
- Headline: The Mystery of Schaffner's Sphinx. Impact: When Schaffner's 'Sphinx' sank, it triggered an unexpected craze for underwater architecture. Who knew that a sunken sphinx would lead to a rise in 'underwater chic' homes and a new wave of reality TV shows focused on submerged renovations? Thanks, Schaffner!. Fact: Did you know that the original Sphinx is believed to have been partially submerged for centuries? Maybe Schaffner was just trying to bring authenticity to his work!.
- Headline: Warner Executive Guilty in Theater Scandal. Impact: Jay Emmett's guilty plea was the first domino in a long line of executives deciding that honesty is overrated. This ultimately led to the rise of the modern-day corporate whistleblower, who ironically can't even blow a whistle without getting fired. Thanks, Emmett!. Fact: Did you know that signing false invoices is kind of like playing Monopoly? Except in Monopoly, you can always just flip the board and start over. In real life, not so much!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1981, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #2
INTC
Intel
Price in 1981
$0.23
2025 dataset value
$155,194
Intel - If you invested $1,000 in 1981, it would be worth $155,194 today (155.2x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Daredevil #181
$2,600
Uncanny X-Men #141
$1,000
Marvel Graphic Novel #1
$42,000
Moon Knight #1
$250
Saga of the Swamp Thing #1
$300
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Rubik's Cube
$150.00
LEGO Space Sets
$400.00
My Little Pony
$150.00
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
$150.00
Smurfs Figurines
$150.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Donkey Kong
$300.00
Pac-Man
$1,500.00
Frogger
$50.00
Galaga
$262.70
Ms. Pac-Man
$33,400.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
1981 Topps Joe Montana Rookie Card
$76,250
1981 Fleer Fernando Valenzuela Rookie Card
$400
1981 Donruss Tim Raines Rookie Card
$1,200.00
1981 Topps Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Card
$427,000
1981 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky
$2,000