HP-41CX ... with HP-42C Label

[rprosperi]

It's a frankencalc for sure, as this is a 41CX label, on a (very early) 41C plastic back.

It's unlikely that, even if owner sent his 41C in to HP for service, they would have upgraded his machine to a 41CX, and then replaced the original rear label with a new 41CX-style label.

Also, note in photo#2 that the "HP-42C" is in a totally different color/ink than the rest of the label markings.

So either some prior owner, or maybe even the current seller, added the HP-42C mark onto the label for fun. Or profit. Seems to have used small rub-on characters, similar to the type used to mark 41C mag cards. They were a real pain to apply perfectly straight, but if done carefully, were quite nice. Competing solutions were debated endlessly at PPC meetings about the best way to prevent the letters from streaking when fed through the card reader (nail polish, varnish, etc.) but in the case of a label like this, there is no wear as the feet prevent contact with the applied letters, so covering likely wasn't used. Still, nice job applying the HP-42C characters.