How to tell the model year?

[Iggy348]

I have an Automatic Electric Payphone I just acquired.  How do I tell the year it was made?  The model is LPC 82-55 (I think).

Iggy

[AE_Collector]

Hi Iggy.

AE was awful at dating their phones though recently we have found some codes on components that seem to translate to year of manufacture. Deciphering this is still a work in progress though.

Any chance you can post some pictures of the phone and inside as well. Can you remove the handset caps and show pictures of the back of the receiver and transmitter capsules? Sometimes handsets on pay phones are glued shut. And handsets are replaced frequently in most payphones so they are unlikely to narrow down the phones manufacture date very accurately.

I am not real good at identifying when AE began making the replacement for the 3 slot payphones, the single slot payphones. Likely early 1970's so they probably didn't make 3 slot phones too far into the 70's though they remained in use in the field for many more years.

Terry

[Iggy348]

Here are some shots of the inside stuff.  I could only unscrew the listening end of the handset.

There are coins inside the phone all piled up.  Is there a way to make them drop into the cup if anyone puts coins into the phone?  It is not important to me that the coin operation works like it used to.  I just don't want them piling up so I have to take the phone apart to clear them.  Some (I think) get a kick out of hearing the bell when the coins are dropped.

Thanks for your help
Iggy

[shortrackskater]

Anyone ever have any clues on what year Iggy's phone was made? I'd like to know too since I have one.

[Dan/Panther]

front view photo would help.

D/P

[AE_Collector]

I think Iggy gave up on us....last active here (logged in) October 2017.

The receiver capsule is 1969 but the chances of an original receiver capsule/ handset still being in a payphone are slim.

Terry

[rdelius]

It is imposible to know because it was rebuilt at least once with non AE aftermarket boards. LPC series are the latest and. Later data tags were GTE huntsville AL instead of AE Northlake.The square coin vault came after the move from Chicago in the late 50s.I dont think the date matters much. Not a Phoneco with mostly new  parts as an example.your coin relay was removed and a ringer put in its place