Another Red Dot on TAS. Is it or is it not ?

[Michael de Estrada]

There's another HP 35 Red Dot listing on TAS. From the front it looks legitimate, but from the rear it does not. It sure would be interesting to see the insides. I've asked the seller to test for "The Bug."

[Katie Wasserman]

The serial number alone makes this bogus. While it could have been an original red dot, it's clearly been worked on and has at least had the labels replaced.

[Michael de Estrada]

Either that, or it's the case back from a Version 3 with all its labels and serial number, grafted onto a Version 1 Red Dot. Even the bridge contact appears to be from a Red Dot. The real question is whether the guts are Version 1 or Version 3.

[robertoataulfo]

It has already been opened. Lost Originality

[Michael de Estrada]

That didn't prevent the last one on TAS selling for well over $1000.

[Michael Eckstein]

It looks that almost all is from a newer version, inside included. But the front case might be from some Red Dot.

[aj04062]

In your estimation, is the lack of a split battery tray an indication that it is later?

[Michael de Estrada]

I have a Version 4 with the wider upper keys with the legends on them that has a "split" battery tray, so I don't think this is definitive evidence of the version of an HP 35. I think if you look really closely at the middle section of the case that forms the battery tray and connects the battery contacts, it is actually always two pieces, however, sometimes there is no visible gap. This gives the false impression that it has been molded as a single piece. More telling is the serial number which is affixed to the middle section and appears to be original.

[Michael Eckstein]

There are more signs besides the gap, the serial number or the back label. This calculator is definitely a later version, where the front cover might be replaced by a Red Dot version in a HP service or elsewhere.