TWDB Secret Mission – Operation: SCM Datecode!

I’ve been emailing with Jay Respler back and forth the past few weeks regarding a couple of serial numbers on some very unusual Smith-Corona Galaxies and Classic 12’s. During the course of this conversation, he pointed me to a Yahoo thread where he discusses the “SCM Datecode” that is found on many SCM typewriters from about the mid-60’s to around the 80’s…

…ummmm, “datecode”?!? These machines that we can’t find age lists for are DATECODED?!? Holy meepin’ Mary mother of Mothra! :D

Now, Jay had appealed to the Yahoo group for people to send in datecodes and serial numbers so that he could compile a large enough list to start to decipher this datecode’s meaning, but didn’t get a very hearty response. But, you know what? The TWDB is purpose built to be a God-Almighty typewriter data collection behemoth, and I bet *we* can get that ball to the goalposts, don’cha think?

Well, here’s your chance to break the SCM Datecode for those pesky Smith-Coronas between 196-ty-ish and 198-ty-ish that vex us so with their unknown ages. Jay and I need your help, Typewriter Hunters. We need your serial numbers and datecodes, and I’ve put together a special mission page and database just for this specific purpose. The first of the TWDB RFI Missions. (request for information) It should be noted that Typewriter Hunters will be awarded 2 Points for every machine entered into this special mission page (compiled nightly, like all Points).

Click here for Operation: SCM Datecode, the page set up to record this data. When you are logged in as a Typewriter Hunter level member, you are presented with an entry form for your serial numbers/datecodes, an interface to view the current entries, and a download link to grab a CSV export of the current data, in case you’d like to analyze it yourself to try and crack the code. If you aren’t logged in, then you just get the interface to view the entries.

Updated: August 31, 2018 — 6:47 pm

9 Comments

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  1. Interesting. Any hints on where to find the date code?

    1. Usually right on the bottom of the machine, on a paper label, rubber stamped. Format: XXYYYYY, where X is a letter and Y is a number.

      1. Ah, thanks. Mine doesn’t seem to have one.

  2. Ooooh! A secret mission! Exciting.
    Too bad I don’t have any SCM’s. :-(

  3. Where can you find the date code on a 1969 (approx.) Super Sterling? There is no rubber-stamped paper label on the bottom of my machine. (Earlier today, I contributed the datecode for my 1975 SCM Galaxie 12.)

    1. Datecodes are pretty much always on the bottom plate sticker, though they are often rubbed off or missing.

      1. OK, well that’s too bad. I wanted to be able to contribute another data point to your SCM datecode mission.

  4. Any updates on how to find a datecode? I opened up the machine and looked for a date code stamped on the frame, but couldn’t find anything. I didn’t take the frame out of the base though. Nothing on the bottom. :(

    1. Nope, still collecting datecodes.. (:

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