The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 21

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Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #1 Posted by gene wright on 2 Sept 2013, 10:14 a.m.

The museum database indicates 1926A....

Richard Nelson has an older one. PPC CJ V10N3P36 top right. His machine's serial number is / was 1916A00078. Time to update the list. :-)

How many machines earlier than 1933A are out there? I have two. Anyone else?

      
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #2 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 2 Sept 2013, 1:02 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by gene wright

Darn!

1933A02074 and 1953A12342.

The first one is a CL but not to worry, the original board is safely stored.

HHC2013

Edited: 2 Sept 2013, 1:03 p.m.

      
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #3 Posted by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy) on 2 Sept 2013, 2:16 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by gene wright

1930A000xx

:)

      
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #4 Posted by db (martinez, ca.) on 2 Sept 2013, 3:28 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by gene wright

the best i can do is only a tall keys 2040A....

if this had been poker i could have tried a bluff

            
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #5 Posted by Ángel Martin on 3 Sept 2013, 2:42 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by db (martinez, ca.)

2005A here... also a tall keys, with a greenish display (which seems to be suffering the passing of time more).

      
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #6 Posted by Jim Horn on 3 Sept 2013, 1:24 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by gene wright

1932A00186, purchased 8/2/1979. Original 41C, but replaced RAMs with 41CV parts making it a 41CV but with all original 41C firmware bugs (fun for synthetics).

            
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #7 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 3 Sept 2013, 5:58 p.m.,
in response to message #6 by Jim Horn

Jim, I am jealous !

Not only are the 41cs old, that we have; the sad part is we bought them new!

My serial number would be -0349G00002 in the Hp scheme for dating

(Edited for German version)

:-)

For those of you who do not know.

Take the first two digits and add 60 for the year of issue. The second two digits for the week of production. The serial number at the end would mean second unit produced at the Quickfall family (one older sister).

What's your serial number everyone?

Edited: 5 Sept 2013, 3:35 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #8 Posted by Dave Shaffer (Arizona) on 3 Sept 2013, 6:22 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

Quote:
What's your serial number everyone?

If I understand your sign convention, I'm -1407A00001

(that 7 might be an 8 - I don't have a 1946 calendar lying around!!)

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #9 Posted by John Richards on 3 Sept 2013, 7:44 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

For what it's worth, I've read that the year and week digits in old HP serial numbers are referenced to the HP *fiscal* year, and not the actual *calendar* year. I've also read that the week indicator did not necessarily increment on a weekly basis, but only after a production batch was complete.

Unfortunately, I don't have a large enough collection of HP calculators to evaluate either claim on the basis of empirical data....

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #10 Posted by John Richards on 3 Sept 2013, 8:03 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

Actually, an earlier post in this thread backs up the first claim (or, at least, the use of a different reference than the actual calendar year): Jim Horn posted that he bought serial number 1932Axxxxx on 8/2/79. Regardless of how you count, week 32 of the year cannot begin any earlier than day 218 of the year -- which is August 6 in all non-leap-years.

                        
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #11 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 3 Sept 2013, 10:04 p.m.,
in response to message #10 by John Richards

Hi John,

There has always been a controversy about the actual interpretation of the numbering method.

I am using the interpretation of the numbers as demonstrated in the HP 97repair guide. I am not home now so I can't access the illustration found in the repair manual but will when I get home.

At the moment let us use the following description found here at the museum::

Serial number museum definition.

Scroll down to 'decoding serial numbers'.

And here:

Another site.

Which may be a repeat. The citation aim, using as described earlier, is actually an HP document which says in effect the same as the above links.

Cheers, Geoff

Ah! found it from a previous posting as found in the HP 97 repair manual

Edited: 3 Sept 2013, 11:48 p.m. after one or more responses were posted

                              
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #12 Posted by John Richards on 3 Sept 2013, 10:59 p.m.,
in response to message #11 by Geoff Quickfall

Wow -- definitive information from a primary source! Thanks for the picture and the links.

                                    
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #13 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 3 Sept 2013, 11:50 p.m.,
in response to message #12 by John Richards

It is interesting to note the word 'week' appears to be a hand written correction. Not by me but actually part of the original document.

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #14 Posted by Jim Horn on 4 Sept 2013, 12:36 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

Geoff, for someone who I admire as a collector, restorer, teacher and pilot to say he is jealous of me... Wow.

I'm catching up on bills from seven weeks between jobs this summer. Rent, unfortunately, has precedence over HHC 2013. I *really* wish I could join you all there. But do have a great time - a wish I know will be filled and then some!

                        
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #15 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 5 Sept 2013, 3:43 a.m.,
in response to message #14 by Jim Horn

Will miss your input Jim, and well, I am flattered, to coin a phrase; "wow".

Cheers

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #16 Posted by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy) on 4 Sept 2013, 9:52 a.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

0012I00001

:)

                        
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #17 Posted by Dave Shaffer (Arizona) on 4 Sept 2013, 11:18 a.m.,
in response to message #16 by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy)

Can anybody be simpler?

i.e. 0001(letter)00001 (very early January 1960)

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #18 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 4 Sept 2013, 12:41 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

0129B00001

At least not a negative S/N :-)

                  
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #19 Posted by Steve Simpkin on 4 Sept 2013, 12:53 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Geoff Quickfall

0124C00001
[ "C" is for a "rare" Canadian made version :) ]

                        
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #20 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 4 Sept 2013, 1:54 p.m.,
in response to message #19 by Steve Simpkin

Mostly firstborns so far (or firt units produced at one's respective families, according to Geoff's convention). Does that mean subsequent units are closer to normalcy? :-)

                              
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #21 Posted by Paul Berger (Canada) on 4 Sept 2013, 4:44 p.m.,
in response to message #20 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Not necessarily -0349C00004 I am by far the geekiest of the lot. Hey Geoff we are the same vintage. Edit to correct serial format.

Edited: 5 Sept 2013, 6:45 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

                                    
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #22 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 4 Sept 2013, 5:59 p.m.,
in response to message #21 by Paul Berger (Canada)

It's just that I've heard firstborns are special, whatever that might mean :-)
Anyway, the sample is too small. Perhaps people don't want to share their serial numbers or just don't want to compute it. If such is the case, the following 12C program might help. Just enter your birthday date either in DD.MMYYYY or MM.DDYYYY (according to your date format setting) and press R/S for the first part of your serial number. This works only for Y>=1960, however.

01   ENTER
02   ENTER
03   EEX 
04   2
05   *
06 g FRAC
07   STO 0
08   1
09   0
10   1
11   +
12   EEX
13   2
14   /
15   x<>y
16 g DeltaDYS
17   7
18   /
19 g INTG  
20   1
21   +
22   RCL 0
23   EEX
24   4
25   *
26   1
27   9
28   6
29   0
30   -
31   EEX
32   2
33   *
34   +
35   GTO 00

--------------------

Those of you who were born before 1960, use the following version and change the sign of the result.

...

22   0
23   RCL 0
24   EEX
25   4
26   *
27   1
28   9
29   6
30   0
31   -
32   x<=y
33   CHS
34   +
35   EEX
36   2
37   *
38   +
39   GTO 00

Edited: 4 Sept 2013, 8:02 p.m.

                                          
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #23 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 5 Sept 2013, 3:42 a.m.,
in response to message #22 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Neat program!

Hello everyone, those going to HHC should wear their production number!

                                    
Re: Oldest HP 41c aka earliest Serial Number
Message #24 Posted by Geoff Quickfall on 5 Sept 2013, 3:45 a.m.,
in response to message #21 by Paul Berger (Canada)

Stick a zero in front of the 3 Paul!!!

:-)

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