Casio Mini Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1972-1973
name: label: maker
content: Casio Computer Company
notes: label: Description
content: This was Casio’s first model of a handheld electronic calculator and one of the first to sell for under $100. It has a black plastic case with aluminum trim on the front. The array of round plastic keys includes ten digit keys, a cancel key, keys for four arithmetic functions (the addition key is also a total key), and an arrow key that is pressed to show more of larger results. To the left of the keyboard is a six-digit vacuum fluorescent display. Left of it is the on/off switch. A mark below the display reads: CASIO-MINI (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. No decimal point appears in entries or results. A small device to hold a carrying loop is on the left edge of the calculator, but this example has no carrying loop.
label: Description
content: Unscrewing screws on the two ends of the calculator releases the top. A sticker attached in front of the keyboard reads: 6006767. A mark on a chip above the display reads: 2H (/) HD32127P. According to Rick Bensene, this is an early large-scale integrated chip made by Hitachi.
label: Description
content: The back of the calculator has a compartment that would hold four batteries. A mark on the back reads: CASIO-MINI (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR (/) BATTERY SUPPLY 1.5 V x 4 (/) 850mW MADE IN JAPAN (/) CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. There is residue from a sticker on the back of the battery compartment, but no serial number there.
label: Description
content: A November1972 advertisement in the <I>New York Times</I> lists the Casio Mini as on sale for $59.95. A March 1973 advertisement in the <I>Los Angeles Times</I> lists the Casio Mini as on special for $69.99, noting that it costs $30.00 less than competitive models. An April 1973 advertisement in the <I>Los Angeles Times</I> gives a sale price of $59.99 on a regular price of $69.99.
label: Description
content: By June 1973 an illustration of the Casio Mini in the <I>Los Angeles Times</I> shows a different version of the device that has a power adapter on the left side, square keys, and a decimal point slide switch (the CM-602). It was on sale for $59.95.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.185.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Rick Bensene, Old Calculator Museum website, http://www.oldcalculatormuseum.com/casiomini.html.
label: Description
content: <I>New York Times</I>, November 30, 1972, p. 27.
label: Description
content: <I>Los Angeles Times</I>, March 23, 1973, p. 16.
label: Description
content: <I>Los Angeles Times</I>, April 20, 1973, p. 8.
label: Description
content: <I>Los Angeles Times</I>, June 30, 1973, p. D2.
label: Description
content: Website of Casio International.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Japan
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
content: Computers & Business Machines
label: See more items in
content: Handheld Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of John B. Priser
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0988.184
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.184
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; keys; circuit board material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (trim; circuitry material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (tubes material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (sticker material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 3/8 in x 5 3/4 in x 3 in; 3.4925 cm x 14.605 cm x 7.62 cm