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So you decided to collect old calculators. You will find this hobby very interesting and rewarding. This page provides with information about some important resources that you will find useful as a collector.
The first step is to become a member of the International Association of Calculator Collectors. The membership fee cost US$16 per year (US$20 outside the USA), which include a quarterly newsletter. For more information visit its Web site or send an email to Guy Ball.
It is also a good idea to buy the old issues of the newsletter, which cost US$3 per issue (US$4 outside the USA). Currently there are 12 old issues available.

The next step is to buy "The Complete Collector's Guide to Pocket Calculators." This book written by Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm is the absolute reference on vintage pocket calculators With more than 200 pages it contains, in addition to historical notes, photos and characteristics on about 1,500 calculators. Price: US$23.95. Get a $3.00 discount by mentioning you saw it on the X-Number site.
If the item you are looking for is not included in the book, look for it on the addendum maintained at the IACC site.
Another important book is the "Sinclair Archeology" written by Enrico Tedeschi. It contains a detailed information on Sinclair products. Price: US$25 (US$12 in Europe).

Now, if you collect HP calculators, "A Guide of HP Handheld Calculators and Computers" written by Wlodek Mier-Jedrzejowicz, Ph.D. is an indispensable tool. Price: US$22.95.
Also, you will find the HPDATAbase maintained by Craig A. Finseth, to be a valuable reference.
Now a CD-ROM based Encyclopedia of Computer History is available from Lexikon Services. It covers all the way from early calculating devices to current electronic computers. It is indeed a great reference resource.

To get in touch with other collectors subscribe yourself to the Automatic Calculator Email List located in http://www.egroups.com under the group name "oldcalcs"   Once subscribed, you can send messages to all subscribers by using this email address: oldcalcs@egroups.com.


The CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of Cyberspace of St. John's University is another interesting list where you may want to participate.

If you also collect mechanical calculators, subscribe to the Mailing List maintained by Erez Kaplan.

To send commands (not messages to the subscribers) use the following address: LISTSERV@TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL. Commands must be included in the message body, not in the subject field. The main commands are:

  • SUBSCRIBE CALCLIST-L (to subscribe to the list).
  • UNSUBSCRIBE CALCLIST-L (to unsubscribe from the list).
  • SET CALCLIST-L ACK NOREPRO (to send a short acknowledgement).
  • SET CALCLIST-L NOACK NOREPRO (to disable acknowledgments).
  • INDEX CALCLIST-L (to get an index of previous messages).
  • GET CALCLIST-L LOGxxxx (to get a copy of a previous message).
  • INFO REFCARD (to get additional info on available commands)

Once subscribed, send messages to all subscribers by using this email address: CALCLIST-L@TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL


Another option is to post your messages in the "Vintage Calculators & Slide Rules Forum" at this site.
If you want to sell, buy or trade a calculator, post your ad or review the ads in the sites listed on the "Classifieds" section of this site.
For chips and technical information - Mike Sebastian's site is the place!
Start your search in The Google Page of Calculators.
At some point you will need batteries for those old HP's or TI's. To get your batteries repaired or to buy new batteries, contact Joe Rigdon at: rigdonj@intellistar.net

Now, if you want to build a battery pack for the HP-35 by yourself, Professor Douglas Jones has a procedure.


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Revised: May 05, 2007.