Smith-Corona Electric 5TE Typewriter Serial Numbers Updated!

Weapon of Choice: 1957 Tower Commander #5AT635929

The Previous 5TE Serial List:

See:

News timeline (mostly by: John Coleman, Peter Weil)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TypewriterCollectors/permalink/10158187046324678/
New York Times, Atlanta Constitution – October 10, 1956 (announcement)
October 21-28, 1956 (stores begin offering limited inventory)
January 27, 1957 Brazeal Typewriter Co in Springfield, MO (has one at least for display)
By early February, 1957 there’s an explosion of ads appearing across the country from stores having the electric portables for sale.
throughout April, 1957 S-C advertised each week in Parade magazine. (national advertising push by SCM)

100000-119000 12-1956 (18000)
141000 12-1957 (23000) [4000-ish better than 1956]
167372 12-1958 (26372) [4372-ish better than 1957]
198870 12-1959 (31498) [5126 better than 1958]
233813 12-1960 (34944) [3446 better than 1959]
233814-up 1961

Gone, but not forgotted: 1957 Smith Corona Electric Portable #5TE 139238 – The very first typewriter uploaded to TWDB.

Nope! Actually, I got confuzed – Serial #5TE 152020 isn’t my own “Iron Lady”, it’s Liz Glenn’s “SADE aka Special Agent Dee Electric” – Here’s the Iron Lady:

Gone, but not forgotted: “The Iron Lady” 1959 Smith Corona Electric Portable #5TE 183849

The New Smith-Corona 5TE Serial Number List!
https://typewriterdatabase.com/smithcorona.86.typewriter-serial-number-database#5te

All the redated 5TE Galleries!
https://typewriterdatabase.com/Smith+Corona.Electric+Portable.86.bmys

Filled up both my Skyriter cases with stickers. Now it’s my Webster XL-747 that’s starting to fill up…

Updated: December 8, 2021 — 10:40 pm

5 Comments

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  1. I wonder if there are any people here in the field of statistics that could confirm these numbers, based on serial numbers available in the TWDB. This seems to be related to the “German Tank Problem”. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_tank_problem)

  2. Nice number work. What is it with Smith Corona and the number 5? I guess they were just following on from the electric models. Just been trying to make sense of the electronic models: 5L.., then 5P… then 5A… (the biggest group) couple of 5B… jeez some source material would be nice.. ;D

  3. It gives me tremendous satisfaction to see the Type Pals sticker on that case! I wouldn’t mind having one of these typers in my collection. I think for typebar electrics, I’m down to the Olympia XL-747(?) and Royal Apollo 10.

    1. yeah, I’ve had 6 beautiful SCM Electrics from 1957 through about 1964 that have passed through my hands. Like Remington Quiet-Riters, I just can’t seem to hold onto ’em.

  4. Good research! These typewriters have held up surprisingly well.

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