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ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

Calculated Collectibles

here are a lot of things that change with the passage of time. How Calculators Evolved and Changed the Learning Process
Technology is definitely at the top of that list. For example, now In the 1960s, there were many companies in several countries
Tthat most of us have computers and cellphones, typewriters are producing calculators. However, most of those were desktop models.
considered obsolete. Another type of technology that is quite outdated They were far too large and awkward for use in many situations, such
for that same reason is the calculator. Calculations are now easily made as school classrooms. When TI created the first portable calculator, it
on computers and cellphones. However, as a child of the 1980s and forever changed the way people looked at calculations.
1990s, I certainly remember needing a calculator all the time, especially As 1970 came and went, many companies created portable calculating
in high school math classes. Today, calculators may not be necessary devices. For example, Sharp released its El-8 model in 1971. However,
anymore, but they are still coveted by collectors. Here are some though portable, many were still not
interesting things to note, if you want to collect them. pocket-sized. Credit for the first U.S.
pocket-sized calculator goes to the 901B
Predecessors to the Calculator released by Bowmar in late 1971. It was
If you want to start collecting calculators, you may also be interested notable for its LED display. It also ran on
in the most well-recognized predecessor to the calculator. That is the batteries that could be replaced easily when
abacus. An abacus is a collection of beads needed. At the time, it was quite expensive
on wires held together in a frame. The at approximately $240. One in excellent
positioning of the beads dictates the condition can still bring about that much
calculation being performed. Several today. Even those not in perfect shape
civilizations throughout history have used have sold recently for $25 to $75.
versions of the abacus. Today, you can still As each new calculating device was
purchase a modern abacus or collect early released in the decades that followed,
versions of the popular counting device. more and more features were added. Soon
Of course, there were other machines there were graphing calculators capable of
capable of making calculations before the performing complex calculations. They
Early Abacus
first battery-operated personal calculators became staple items in schools across the
such as Anita, the first desktop calculator. United States.
Most earlier calculating devices worked Sharp QT-8D
using various mechanical parts more so There Are Online Calculator Museums
than electrical parts. Most of them were Today, there are so many people who have fond memories of their
also quite large devices. They were also favorite calculators that you can even find online calculator museums.
expensive and not available to the general Those many websites are perfect places to start your search for the
public easily. In fact, they were most often ultimate calculators for your own collection. They can teach you all
used by members of the military. It wasn’t about calculator models, from the most nostalgic and common like the
until the 1960s that personal calculators TI82 to the rarest of the rare.
became commercially available, and it
“Anita’ – TheFirst Desk Types of Calculators to Collect
Calculator - really wasn’t until after 1970 that they
Pocket Predecessor became widely available and popular. Today, one of the most expensive calculators in the world is actually
a modern one. It is a gold calculator commissioned by an English
Enter Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) company called Deakin and Francis. But, if you are not looking to
In 1930, a company called Geophysical Service Inc. was founded. It break the bank on a one-of-a-kind modern calculator, there are certainly
produced products for military use, as well as products to help monitor plenty of early models from which to pick. The trick is to choose the
seismic activity. Texas Instruments (TI) is what that company later types that appeal to you the most using criteria like nostalgia factor,
became in 1951. Since the name change, Texas Instruments has been a uniqueness, or brand. You could also opt to collect only U.S. calculators
top name in technology and is particularly closely associated with or only calculators made in certain other countries, such as Japan.
calculators used commonly in the late 1900s and early 2000s. In fact, I
used a model TI82 myself when I attended high school. What to Look for When Collecting Calculators
Although founded in 1951, it was not until Generally speaking, calculators that were produced for longer
1965 that TI was tasked with creating the first periods are easier to find because more of them were produced. Often,
hand-held calculator to be marketed to the such models are also less expensive than those that are more difficult to
general public. It took a year and a half, but they find because they were only produced in small numbers. For example,
created a prototype that weighed three pounds in TI and Hewlett-Packard (HP) produced most of the calculators made
1967. Three years later, the first commercially in the United States in the 1970s.
marketed TI calculator was introduced. TI When seeking rarer calculator models, the Internet is one of the best
produced many different personal and pocket sources. There are also multiple printed reference guides available that
calculators over the following decades. In fact, are devoted to calculator collecting tips. As is the case with just about
the company still exists today and is a leader any collectible, condition is likely to have a direct impact on how much
in technological advancements. Although, its you have to pay for your calculator model of choice. Components, size,
primary focus has obviously shifted away from historical significance, and specific features of calculators are also
TI82 calculator production in recent years. among the factors that impact their values.

Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not
in the antiques industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances
maintaining the antiques shop’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.

28 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles