Author Topic: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M  (Read 2454 times)

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Offline AHmedia

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Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 09:52:21 »
I recently picked up a couple Model M and Model F Keyboards (All IBM). However, this keyboard has the Label missing on the underside of the case, so I'm wondering if there's any way to find out when this keyboard was made.

Thanks for any pointers!!

« Last Edit: Thu, 17 January 2019, 09:54:24 by AHmedia »

Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 10:48:11 »
That's an earlier one, with the heavy backplate.  What you want to do is get a picture of the text in the lower right of the back of the PCB, as well as a good pic of the top of the PCB and the chip.
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Offline AHmedia

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 11:47:29 »
Here's some pics of the PCB. The Bottom Right top line Reads "FRVO 94 V0 11 L ". Then, on the left of the board is printed the Part number and an EC Code (don't know what that means). The Front of the board may give better clues.

Thanks!!

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 11:53:26 »
I could be losing my mind, but I think I am seeing date codes for 1989 or 1987, both of which coorelate with the era when IBM used the heavy backplate.
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Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 12:11:26 »
The 94VO on the board is throwing me off, as I believe that indicates year of manufacture.   Usually it's a 4-digit number of year/week: YYWW  so 8934 would be the 34th week of 1989.

Maybe it's a replacement PCB.   Maybe my info is incorrect and that's not indicative of a year.

On the front the 1687 on the stick *might* be an alternative way of dating it (16th week of 1987) which would seem a lot more correct.

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Offline AHmedia

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 12:12:20 »
Well, according to this website: http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/model_m_trivia.html  it appears that it may be the 16th week of 1987 based on the label on the front of the pcb. This would make it April 1987. All indications of this board seem to correlate with that date.

Offline E TwentyNine

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 12:15:30 »
Well, according to this website: http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/model_m_trivia.html  it appears that it may be the 16th week of 1987 based on the label on the front of the pcb. This would make it April 1987. All indications of this board seem to correlate with that date.

I knew I had a resource for this - had that page bookmarked, didn't bother to dig.   Sandy's info is top notch, and it would make sense for the manufacture date of the assembled part to be different than that of the bare PCB itself, but the lack of a YYWW stamp on the PCB seems odd...
Daily driver: SSK or Tenkeyless IBM AT
1984 Model M Industrial Prototype ⌨ 1992 Black Oval Industrial SSK ⌨ 1982 5251 Beam Spring ⌨ 89 Key "SSK" ⌨ M13 triplets

Offline AHmedia

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 17 January 2019, 12:26:54 »
Thanks for the info guys. Greatly appreciated.

I feel comfortable with the 1687 date coding, so I'm just gonna stick with that. I plan on listing this board on ebay, so what would be a fair price to ask? The board and housing are in excellent condition (as are the other keyboards I have). I found them in a closet of an old computer store that had been closed since the early 2000's (yes, I was legally given the keys to the store to clear it out lol).

Maybe I'll actually keep this one for myself.

Offline 1391406

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 19 January 2019, 19:02:01 »
I plan on listing this board on ebay, so what would be a fair price to ask?

Look at the going rate for sold listings of vintage Model M's in a similar condition.

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Offline chyros

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 20 January 2019, 03:42:34 »
Early 1987 sounds plausible. It has a rainbow plate which was phased out soon after, the old yellow wired which are inly found on early boards, but no Mandolin Crystal which came on the really first boards.

I suppose this is a silver-badge model? Although come to think of it, I have an early oval-badge one with the same specs, I think.
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Offline fanpeople

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Re: Trying to Identify a Date for this IBM Model M
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 20 January 2019, 05:18:32 »
Early 1987 sounds plausible. It has a rainbow plate which was phased out soon after, the old yellow wired which are inly found on early boards, but no Mandolin Crystal which came on the really first boards.

I suppose this is a silver-badge model? Although come to think of it, I have an early oval-badge one with the same specs, I think.

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« Last Edit: Sun, 20 January 2019, 05:21:06 by fanpeople »