ZX81 with a serial number...

[1024MAK]

This was posted on World of Spectrum, but I thought members here may be interested http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111235944876 (Not being sold by me).

All my Zeddies lack any form of serial number, and I have issue 1 and issue 3 boards, and one of my issue one boards has a ULA with a date code of 8111, so week 11 of 1981.

Does anyone know when Sinclair started using serial numbers on ZX81's?

Mark

[inaki]

Here a ZX81 with ULA 82-45. No serial number.

[gozzo]

I don't think any of my zx81's (I have 5 or 6 lurking around) have a serial number like that on them, but spectrums certainly do, maybe a very late model, but then mine original one probably was, bought new christmas 1983...(unless it was old stock?)

[XorA]

Out of 7 zx81s here, one has a serial number like that!

It is unfortunately packed for moving house so I can't photograph it!

[PokeMon]

Maybe they decided to introduce a serial number when reached the one millions sale.

[Lardo Boffin]

I have just ordered a zeddy off eBay (I don't seem to be able to help myself when they are cheap) and it has a serial number as below. I did a quick search to see how common these were and noticed this thread so thought I would add to it!

IMG_5482.PNG

(2.31 MiB) Downloaded 629 times

I can't help but notice that mine is a slightly lower serial number....

The PCB looks like it might be green? Does this make it an issue one?

I guess I will find out in a few days...

[Moggy]

I have just ordered a zeddy off eBay (I don't seem to be able to help myself when they are cheap) and it has a serial number as below. I did a quick search to see how common these were and noticed this thread so thought I would add to it!

IMG_5482.PNG

I can't help but notice that mine is a slightly lower serial number....

The PCB looks like it might be green? Does this make it an issue one?

I guess I will find out in a few days...

More than likely, but early UK issue threes where green also.

[Lardo Boffin]

It's an issue one. Photos on the different ZX81s thread viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2153&start=30

Lardo

[Lardo Boffin]

I have been havng a conversation with someone on eBay about serial numbers on a zeddy (on the case) and he suggested that they were introduced for WHSmiths.

I can certainly see the logic behind the suggestion - a large retailer would want traceability and easier tracking of warranty failures and returns which you don’t get without a serial number. I would expect ‘Smiths to have been a major seller of these once they were established in prebuilt form. I think I have refurbed and sold 5 or 6 with receipts so far - 1 was from Menzies all the others from ‘Smiths.

Anyone heard of this before and know whether it is true?

Edit - I have only had one zeddy with a serial number on the case and only seen a few on eBay so they must have been fairly late in the production life of them to be so rare. Maybe when they started selling Spectrums with serial numbers on they decided Sinclair must be capable of doing them and insisted?

[Lardo Boffin]

I have just ordered a zeddy off eBay (I don't seem to be able to help myself when they are cheap) and it has a serial number as below. I did a quick search to see how common these were and noticed this thread so thought I would add to it!

IMG_5482.PNG

I can't help but notice that mine is a slightly lower serial number....

The PCB looks like it might be green? Does this make it an issue one?

I guess I will find out in a few days...

More than likely, but early UK issue threes where green also.

Just spotted the significance of that board. A green issue three! Just when I thought I had most of the variants...