June 10, 2021 – National Ballpoint Pen Day | National Iced Tea Day

Did You Know That Ballpoint Pens First Sold For The Equivalent Of $150?

Welcome to June 10th, 2021 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate disappearing ink and the perfect way to beat the heat. 

Considering how quickly they disappear from desks, ballpoint pens can seem like a precious commodity. And when they were first introduced in America in 1945, they were priced as if they were. The first ballpoint pen sold in the United States, the Reynolds Rocket,  was priced at $12.50, which is the equivalent of $150 today. Despite the hefty price tag, the Reynolds company sold nearly 1.5 million units that year. Today, over 3.5 billion of these pens are imported into the United States annually. Safe to say that they’ve become an integral part of everyday life, even if you can never find one when you need it. On National Ballpoint Pen Day, celebrate the ordinary item we can’t seem to live without.

This common, everyday drink was so popular that at one point in history it changed the world economy and sparked a revolution.  That beverage of course is tea.  In the 1700s, the demand was great and the English began importing more than 3,000 tons.  While their trade fleets brought wealth and power to the British Empire they also brought the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution.  And in the end it all worked out, as the British maintain their elaborate tea customs and we are free to follow our laid back American style.  On National Iced Tea Day, find a spot in the shade and enjoy this perfect way to beat the heat. 

I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson.  Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day.