HP-21S - Is it a rarity?

[jebem]

About three weeks ago I saw a 21S in a local store, in fair condition, with case and owner guide.
The asking price is 43 Euro.
Since then I'm looking into the usual Internet auction sites and to my surprise I can't find a single one anywhere.
So my question, is this model a rarity?

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(09-13-2014 09:35 AM)jebem Wrote:  So my question, is this model a rarity?

Quite so, especially with manual. ;)

[robert rozee]

the HP-21S and HP20S were almost identical, differing only in a very few of the functions offered. while the 20S was leaning slightly towards science, the 21S leaned slightly towards statistics. having said this, the lean either was was pretty minor.

the 20S (i have three) was a good 'workhorse' calculator, non-RPN, with 100 steps of program memory. these calculators (20S and 21S) competed well as a standard scientific against the likes of the casio FX-82, with the bonus of an absolutely excellent keyboard and display, rugged (welded) construction, and battery life (with 3x silver oxide SR44) approaching that of the HP-15C.

i suspect the value of a 20S and 21S are about the same, and the likely buyer is someone who wants to use the calculator, as opposed to a collector. i swapped my first 20S for a red-dot 35, and the next two i bought cheap on trademe for around nz$20. i'd say that if someone wanted one to use as a calculator, the one you've seen for 43 euros is about the 'right price'.

rob :-)

[Maximilian Hohmann]

(09-13-2014 09:35 AM)jebem Wrote:  The asking price is 43 Euro.

A rare opportunity, go for it!

Many years ago when they were in the shops, I bought one for my wife. She has been using it since. I should have taken two, because I haven't been able to find one for my own collection...

[Raymond Del Tondo]

(09-13-2014 10:23 AM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  Quite so, especially with manual.

Even rarer with retail box:-)

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Go for it.






Juan

[jebem]

Thank You for your input and advice, guys!

I have just called the shop to reserve the 21S.
I have to travel to Brussels this weekend to work there for the week, but I will manage to collect afterwords.

From these series, I already have a 20S, a 32SII, a 27S and a 42S.
It was easy to acquire them, as they keep appearing for sale everywhere.
The downside is the highish prices that some sellers are asking these days, specially on the 32SII and 42S models.

Even in small villages in Portugal, people now realize the value of "old" machines thanks to Google, so they are not ashamed to ask sky high prices for what now they know it is "vintage" and collectible pieces wanted by guys like myself!

But I tell you that sometimes I get even. Two short stories:

About three years ago, I saw a HP-35S for sale for 10 Euro. I called the seller and agree to collect it on hand.
Then I asked the guy if the calc was working, and he was not sure about the state of the calculator.
I had a quick look and understood what is going on - RPN fooling the seller into thinking that the machine was defective!
So I ask the price again, and the guy sold it for 5 Euro, with the cell batteries, of course!
The machine is in pristine condition, despite not having the printed guide.

More recently I saw a collectible CASIO FX-3 for sell at a local Internet auction site.
So I called the seller, and the asking price was 15 Euro (they usually align the price with the other non scientific desktop calculators, ignoring the real value of this treasure...).
The calculator was working fine, but I played the dumb guy and I managed to bargain the price down to 10 Euros.
This one was sold to a real collector in Europe for a little bit more money than what I have paid for it.

[Gerald H]

(09-13-2014 02:06 PM)jebem Wrote:  Thank You for your input and advice, guys!

I have just called the shop to reserve the 21S.
I have to travel to Brussels this weekend to work there for the week, but I will manage to collect afterwords.

From these series, I already have a 20S, a 32SII, a 27S and a 42S.
It was easy to acquire them, as they keep appearing for sale everywhere.
The downside is the highish prices that some sellers are asking these days, specially on the 32SII and 42S models.

Even in small villages in Portugal, people now realize the value of "old" machines thanks to Google, so they are not ashamed to ask sky high prices for what now they know it is "vintage" and collectible pieces wanted by guys like myself!

But I tell you that sometimes I get even. Two short stories:

About three years ago, I saw a HP-35S for sale for 10 Euro. I called the seller and agree to collect it on hand.
Then I asked the guy if the calc was working, and he was not sure about the state of the calculator.
I had a quick look and understood what is going on - RPN fooling the seller into thinking that the machine was defective!
So I ask the price again, and the guy sold it for 5 Euro, with the cell batteries, of course!
The machine is in pristine condition, despite not having the printed guide.

More recently I saw a collectible CASIO FX-3 for sell at a local Internet auction site.
So I called the seller, and the asking price was 15 Euro (they usually align the price with the other non scientific desktop calculators, ignoring the real value of this treasure...).
The calculator was working fine, but I played the dumb guy and I managed to bargain the price down to 10 Euros.
This one was sold to a real collector in Europe for a little bit more money than what I have paid for it.

Shabby treatment of the HP 35S owner.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(09-13-2014 01:00 PM)Raymond Del Tondo Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 10:23 AM)Massimo Gnerucci Wrote:  Quite so, especially with manual. ;)

Even rarer with retail box:-)

Got both. :)

[Thomas Radtke]

(09-13-2014 02:28 PM)Gerald H Wrote:  Shabby treatment of the HP 35S owner.

Yep .

[jebem]

(09-13-2014 03:00 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 02:28 PM)Gerald H Wrote:  Shabby treatment of the HP 35S owner.

Yep .

Yap, I felt a little bit guilty after returning home, but hey, I didn't ask for a discount, I just ask for the price confirmation!
I only realized the pristine state of the machine at home, by doing the full testing.

In fact I was thinking all the way back home that probably the machine could have a intermittent fault or something, and that I was fooled by the seller!
But what the heck, it was just 5 bucks, so I took the chance.

[Dave Frederickson]

I found a 21S on eBay last February with case and manual.

[Maximilian Hohmann]

(09-13-2014 06:54 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  I found a 21S on eBay last February with case and manual.

Yes. From one of those sellers who don't ship abroad :-(

[Dave Frederickson]

(09-13-2014 06:58 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 06:54 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  I found a 21S on eBay last February with case and manual.

Yes. From one of those sellers who don't ship abroad :-(

The seller was vintagecalculatorsinc. I checked a couple of items he currently has and he ships worldwide.

Dave

[jebem]

(09-13-2014 07:20 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 06:58 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Yes. From one of those sellers who don't ship abroad :-(

The seller was vintagecalculatorsinc. I checked a couple of items he currently has and he ships worldwide.

Dave

Good to know about that seller.
But currently that seller do not have HP-21S for sale, or at least I'm not able to find it.

[Marcus von Cube]

(09-13-2014 02:06 PM)jebem Wrote:  This one was sold to a real collector in Europe for a little bit more money than what I have paid for it.

ledudu?

[Dave Frederickson]

(09-13-2014 07:30 PM)jebem Wrote:  But currently that seller do not have HP-21S for sale, or at least I'm not able to find it.

Perhaps I should have said that I made an acceptable offer.

The 21S you found, on the other hand, is less than what I offered. Does it include the manual? If it's missing the case, Pioneer cases are not very expensive and easy to find.

Have you considered a financial calc from the Pioneer series? I just picked up a 14B 50th Anniversary NOS at a good price.

Dave

[jebem]

(09-13-2014 07:43 PM)Marcus von Cube Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 02:06 PM)jebem Wrote:  This one was sold to a real collector in Europe for a little bit more money than what I have paid for it.

ledudu?

Yes... I sold it on eBay and he won the auction!
Great collection he has on CASIO!
I'm a fan of CASIO as well, but at the time I needed the money, so I sold it.

[jebem]

(09-13-2014 07:45 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  Perhaps I should have said that I made an acceptable offer.

Good for you!

(09-13-2014 07:45 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  The 21S you found, on the other hand, is less than what I offered. Does it include the manual? If it's missing the case, Pioneer cases are not very expensive and easy to find.

Well, I will only find out after having it on my side, because sometimes people here are not very rigorous on the information they give
I only saw the calculator so far, but the guy told me about having the case and manual somewhere in the warehouse.

(09-13-2014 07:45 PM)Dave Frederickson Wrote:  Have you considered a financial calc from the Pioneer series? I just picked up a 14B 50th Anniversary NOS at a good price.

Damn it, my wife will kill me this time!
I have no more no less than 4 calculators coming in my direction next week, while I'm away in Brussels (I was notified to go just two days ago), so I have no way to hide my crimes this time.

HP-14B? Sure, why not, one more one less will not make such a big difference, I think

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(09-13-2014 08:25 PM)jebem Wrote:  HP-14B? Sure, why not, one more one less will not make such a big difference, I think :)

And that is the beginning of the end... ;)