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Hi:

Today I got an HP-41C.

1) The serial number is "1720A01115". How is this possible? 17+1960=1977, two years before release date?
The Earliest Serial Numbers published in the museum register a "1926...".

2) The keys are more "square shaped" than the keys on my HP-41CV or 41CX. I suppose this is common to all HP-41C. or it doesn´t?

Regards
Guillermo

You're correct. A S/N of 1720 would date from the time of the HP-67, not the 41c.

Either...the S/N has been altered or you've somehow misread it. :-)

My early model has a S/N of 1932A...

Try typing 49 STO 01
Then Gold SF Gold 01

What happens on the display?
Gene

my c also has the tall, more box-like keys.

The result of the sequence of keys that you told is "NONEXISTENT". What that it means?

I just write a html page with photos in my site, where you can see the S/N:
http://ar.geocities.com/casta1967/calculadoras/coleccion/calc39.htm

The serial number seems to be "hand made", instead of "typed" as the ones in my other calculators.

Guillermo.

Hi. It does look like a previous owner etched the S/N onto the back of the calculator. Brings up an interesting question...why wasn't there a S/N there already? Doesn't seem like it was there to me, unless the person who etched the S/N onto the 41c did it right over the original.

The series of key presses I gave you allows a very early 41c with a bug called "bug 3" to set the system flag for the low battery indicator. This is not normally possible on a 41c, but these early ones could do it in the way I described.

Good looking 41c, regardless! :-)

Guillermo,
Nice photos. Serial number appearance is quite different from my units (2452S41134, 2133B94184).
By the way - it looks like the plastic frame that goes between the two halves of the case is mounted upside down.
Saudacoes do Brasil.
Renato

The unit is a warranty repair replaement unit. These had blank serial number areas that were filled in by hand with the original unit number. Obviously somebody copied the old number incorrectly.

Renato you were right! The plastic frame were mounted upside down. I opened the calc, inverted the frame, and mounted all together again. Now it looks as supposed.
You are a very good observer.

Saludos,
Guillermo

FWIW
I have a low key 41C that has a serial number somewhat like that too. It looks like it was hand heat stamped.

2025A0XXXX

Is the serial number.

My tall key 41C that I bought originaly has the serial number.

2051A0XXXX

So it is somewhat obvious by the serial number sequence and the keys that the first one is a serviced unit.

Chris

I also have a 41C with serial number beginning with
20, and the golden balls in the charger tunnel.
I know for a fact that this
is a reparied unit, since I am the original owner

--Lars