Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 1994
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
E-Commerce Platform
2 
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
3 
Search Engine (Yahoo)
4 
Digital Mobile Phone Expansion
5 
Web Advertising Banner
6 
Online Multiplayer Gaming
7 
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
8 
Internet Radio
9 
Voice over IP Concept
10 
Medical Telemedicine Systems
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 28, 1994
Full News Archive
- Headline: New Tenant for I.B.M. Building Revealed. Impact: If BHF-Bank hadn't signed that lease, Manhattan might have been a barren wasteland of abandoned buildings, leading to an unexpected renaissance of street art. Artists would have flocked to the I.B.M. building, turning it into a hub for avant-garde espresso shops and ironic thrift stores.. Fact: Did you know that Edward J. Minskoff once tried to negotiate with a raccoon for parking rights? Spoiler alert: the raccoon won..
- Headline: The Turmoil of a Troubled Monarch. Impact: The British monarch's struggles with mental illness sparked a movement towards mental health awareness, leading to the creation of royal therapy dogs. One can only imagine a corgi sitting beside Queen Elizabeth, listening to her woes about the state of the monarchy.. Fact: Fun fact: Corgis were actually bred to herd cattle, not to serve as royal therapists, but hey, they seem to be doing a great job!.
- Headline: Jockeys Negotiate Insurance With Race Tracks. Impact: The jockeys’ negotiations could have led to an alternate universe where jockeys became unionized superheroes, advocating for the rights of all animals in sports. Imagine caped riders soaring through the skies with their noble steeds!. Fact: Jockeys are the only athletes who can say they literally ride their competition. Talk about a unique perspective on 'taking the reins'!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1994, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #2
ORCL
Oracle
Price in 1994
$1.13
2025 dataset value
$159,565
Oracle - If you invested $1,000 in 1994, it would be worth $159,565 today (159.6x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Spawn #26
$29.00
The Sandman #57
$150
Preacher #1
$150
X-Men #30
$250
Bone #10
$1,000
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Power Rangers Action Figures
$150.00
Pogs
$50.00
LEGO Ice Planet 2002
$150.00
VR Troopers Toys
$50.00
Easy-Bake Oven (Reissue)
$75.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Donkey Kong Country
$180.00
Final Fantasy VI
$250.00
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
$39.50
System Shock
$100.00
Earthworm Jim
$150.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Michael Jordan #1 (Star '84 Tribute)
$75,000
Magic: The Gathering 'Winter Orb'
$300
Shaquille O'Neal #32 (USA Basketball)
$250,000
Ken Griffey Jr. 'Griffey' #72 (Topps Stadium Club)
$1,272
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
$500,000