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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: didjamatic on Thu, 07 January 2010, 08:52:58

Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: didjamatic on Thu, 07 January 2010, 08:52:58
Does anyone know the original retail price of a Model M when they were new in the 80's?   How about other keyboards?
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 07 January 2010, 08:57:41
IIRC, Model Ms cost $150 (USD) in the 80's. I'm not sure what that would be eith inflation, but I would imagine that it would be around $250 or so.
 
EDIT: According to this (http://gdgt.com/ibm/model-m/specs/), the M's MSRP was $250.  I'm not sure how valid that is, though.
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: didjamatic on Thu, 07 January 2010, 08:59:24
From 1985 to 2008 inflation was 100%, so a $150 keyboard in 1985 would be $300 in 2008.

Pretty expensive, but I thought it would be even more than that.

A little more than retail Topre boards, but when you compare to today's "common" $10 rubber dome keyboards, that is a huge difference.
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 07 January 2010, 09:00:37
I've heard the $250 figure in a few places, although by the Lexmark days, it was down to $100-150.
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 07 January 2010, 09:01:21
Quote from: ch_123;148803
I've heard the $250 in a few places, although by the Lexmark days, it was down to $100-150.

This is probably realistic.  I bet Jim from Unicomp would know.
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 07 January 2010, 09:03:50
The XT Model F was between $350-400. And the M15 was $179, or $199 with a numpad.
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: keyb_gr on Thu, 07 January 2010, 11:24:49
Quote from: ch_123;148803
I've heard the $250 figure in a few places, although by the Lexmark days, it was down to $100-150.

That would seem about right, in the mid-'90s Ms were around 250 DM here. (G80-3000s didn't cost much over 100.)
Title: Vintage Keyboard Original Retail Prices?
Post by: lowpoly on Thu, 07 January 2010, 11:24:53
When I ordered my IBM ps/2 Model 70 there was an accessories list where the keyboard was listed at something > DM 1000,- which would be around Euro 500,- or $700 using today's conversion values. The Model 70 was DM 25000,-. This included the keyboard and probably a 14" color monitor.