Soft Plastic Yellow 554

[AET]

Hi All -

I just returned from Florida and did a little antique shopping on the way back (we drove). I did not find any phones that weren't, in my opinion, overpriced. Ironically, while I was out there, a friend about 20 minutes from me sold me this for 10 dollars. All I could see was that it was a yellow 554. For the price, I figured even if it wasn't anything spectacular, I could clean it up and sell it.

When we went to pick it up today, I noticed the soft center dial. Upon further inspection, I believe this is a soft plastic phone. Everything appears to be 1958, aside from the mic, which is 1966. The dial looks like it may be dated 1960, as well.

What do you guys think?

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[RDPipes]

I've always kept an eye out for a cheap yellow phone of my liking for the kitchen but, to no avail.
I'm led to believe any color other then black or beige are in the category of hard to find judging by the prices that are always asked for them. Now ten dollars is cheap and I be hard pressed to say otherwise. You got a great deal I believe.

[MMikeJBenN27]

I sure looks like soft plastic.  It should smell like stale cheese.

Mike

[HarrySmith]

Definitely a good deal! Congrats Tom
It should be soft plastic, you will know by the smell.

[loblolly986]

Can't go wrong at $10. It'd cost that much or more just to (properly) ship it, never mind what anyone wanted to price it for on top of that. Certainly not the level of deal you're likely to get from an antique-mall vendor.

I think ink-stamped dates on the housing are also a tell-tale sign of soft plastic, the later method of molding a date circle into the housing beginning around 1960 according to Paul F.'s site. But it'll probably pass the smell test regardless.

[FABphones]

The lack of centre hole in the end caps is usually a pretty good indicator of soft plastic too. But as mentioned above, the cheesy smell is indicative - and as you have it in hand you have probably noticed that by now...

Looking forward to seeing it cleaned up.

[Kellogg Kitt]

That is a beauty, and a great deal at only $10!  Yellow always has been one of my favorite telephone colors.

[LarryInMichigan]

There were early ABS shells with the ink date stamp inside.  I have at least one phone like that.

Larry

[markosjal]

I bought a soft Plastic Yellow 1958 554 . It was covered with black (mold?) but cleaned up nicely and only recently sold it on ebay  at $190. People seem to want the yellow ones! It was surely a beauty!

[Stormcrash]

There were early ABS shells with the ink date stamp inside.  I have at least one phone like that.

Larry

True but IIRC 1958 is a year before the transition to ABS hard plastic started, so those parts are almost certainly soft plastic. I'd be curious to see the stamps inside the handset.

The dial though is stamped for June 1960 which does mean it could be hard plastic unless they re used an older dial bezel on it. Odd to see a later dial given the lack of refurbishment stamp on the back

[AET]

I have a (I believe) 1966 Yellow 554 on the wall in the kitchen. I'm thinking of replacing it with this one, but we'll see. I really like the super long cord on this and since it's a little tougher to find phone, I would like to use it!

I've always kept an eye out for a cheap yellow phone of my liking for the kitchen but, to no avail.
I'm led to believe any color other then black or beige are in the category of hard to find judging by the prices that are always asked for them. Now ten dollars is cheap and I be hard pressed to say otherwise. You got a great deal I believe.

[AET]

I don't have a sense of smell, so I had my wife smell it. Her reply was "oh yeah, it has an odor!"