Typewriter Talk / Smith-Corona Date Codes - Please Help!

**Posted by Uwe** 15-6-2016 11:04:08

There is a concerted effort in place at the moment to unravel the mystery surrounding the Smith-Corona date codes used on portable models that were manufactured from the 1960s into the 1980s.

Anyone owning such a Smith-Corona portable typewriter can help by submitting the following information to this thread:
1. Your typewriter's model name (example: Classic 12)
2. Its serial number (example: 6LTV-439343H)
3. Its date code (example: HD31547)

The date codes are either printed on a paper label (see example below) or stamped on the machine's frame under its case. Some are as easy to find as turning the machine upside down. Others will require some poking around. Not all machines may have one, but it would be appreciated if you could check your Smith-Corona portables to find out.

The date code is seven characters in length and should consist of a two letter prefix followed by five numbers (see example below).

Example serial number:

Example date code:

**Posted by Fleetwing** 15-6-2016 19:42:59

Well, I cannot find any date sticker on my Classic 12, so I don't know how helpful this will be: serial number is 6LT2 - 208711, stamped on the frame inside the ribbon cover (not on the bottom). However, there is printed on the same frame piece, in large letters, 1 78. Don't know if that is of any significance at all.

(I was also a little surprised to not find anything saying the machine was made in the USA -- on another SCM I used to own, a Galaxie Deluxe, this information was present on the sticker under the carriage listing the various patents.)

**Posted by colrehogan** 15-6-2016 20:05:35

On my Coronet Super 12, the label has worn away the first part. I can barely make out the last three digits as being 641. the remainder of the label has worn off because it is right where the power cord comes out from the machine.

**Posted by SquireDante** 26-6-2017 14:03:40

I couldn't find the date code on my Classic 12, but the serial number is 6LT-118656. According to Typewriter Database, that places it in 1963.

**Posted by Keeper** 28-6-2017 15:09:03

The serial number of my Classic 12 is 6LTV-829896, made in Canada. I didn't found any date code yet.

**Posted by sys700** 21-5-2019 05:08:58

1. Model: Classic 12
2. Serial number: 6LTV-347538
3. Date code (can't find a sticker)

**Posted by M. Höhne** 21-5-2019 07:43:22

Not all Smith-Coronas of this era have a Date Code on them, either because they never got one at that particular factory or because it fell off over the years. And on some of them, the numbers have worn off the sticker so it's not recognizable as a Date Code sticker any more.
Uwe, do we know what purpose the Date Code served within the SCM organization?

**Posted by Uwe** 21-5-2019 18:39:40

M. Höhne wrote:
Uwe, do we know what purpose the Date Code served within the SCM organization?

The Date Code thing became an investigative project to figure that out. Ted is compiling as much of this information as he can find to see if there's a pattern and how they relate to the serial numbers. As you pointed out, most machines don't have one, so collecting data has been difficult. I haven't talked to Ted in a while about it, so I'm not sure how far he's progressed - or if he's still pursuing it at all.

**Posted by MartinD** 18-6-2021 08:29:29

Galaxie 12 Serial #6MLC530278H Date Code: HN31416 Data Base says 1976

Classic 12 Serial # 6LTVA25620H Date Code faded and suspect HO8789( O could be a D or something else. Data Base says 1968

Sterling Serial # 6MSE165248 No date code but repair tag was dated 01/02/71 which does not correspond with SCM data base which says 1973, approximate

Classic 10 Serial # 5X146978 No Date code Data Base says 1964

Coronet Automatic 12 Serial # 6ELN363017G No Date Code Not in the Data Base

lassic 10

**Posted by MartinD** 06-1-2022 09:19:17

Smith Corona Galaxie 12 (my 2nd one) #6MLC471280H....Data Base says 1975

Date sticker: HF3105