Latest find: WE 500 Signal Corp version

[McHeath]

Found a deal to hard to pass up today, a WE 500, black, dated 7/60 with US army signal corp markings.  On the bottom is:

ORDER NO.
19792-PC-60-C4-C4
GA-51859
7-60


All the parts are dated to summer of 1960, except the dial which is dated 10-70 and instead of being labeled a 9A or whatnot is labeled G-30.  What does that mean?  Their is a great sticker on the front that reads:

This telephone is for official business only and subject to monitoring.  Do not discuss classified information.

The phone number card has three numbers on it:

73601
72597
72710

It works, of course.  Anybody know much about the history of these phones?  I paid $12.50 for it, is that a good deal?

Also, the store had a 10/66 dated model 500 in aqua blue.  It was real clean with no noticeable fading, and it had a G6 handset and the original really long line cord.  They wanted $19.50 for it.  I may have to go back and get it.

[benhutcherson]

Don't have much info, on it, other than to post photos of my own





I asked on the ATCA Yahoo group a while back, and was just told the standard bit about it having been a special order item for the Army Signal Corp.

As you can see, mine is a couple of years newer than yours. The dial on mine is a standard 7D, and in every respect other than the markings on the shell and base, is a standard issue 500 C/D.

I'd say that you did well for $12.50. If you consider that you're getting an early 500, $12.50 is a good price any time. Throw in the fact that it has some unusual history and is certainly not your every day 500, and the price looks even better.

I don't know if these really bring a premium on the collector market, but I imagine they would. I bought mine not knowing that there was anything unusual about it-in fact, it wasn't until this past summer, when I was inventorying and recording the dates on all of my telephones that I noticed anything different. I've had it for about 3 1/2 years now(it was #4 in my then tiny collection).

[HobieSport]

Found a deal to hard to pass up today, a WE 500, black, dated 7/60 with US army signal corp markings.

All the parts are dated to summer of 1960, except the dial which is dated 10-70 and instead of being labeled a 9A or whatnot is labeled G-30.  What does that mean?  Their is a great sticker on the front that reads:

This telephone is for official business only and subject to monitoring.  Do not discuss classified information.

Also, the store had a 10/66 dated model 500 in aqua blue.  It was real clean with no noticeable fading, and it had a G6 handset and the original really long line cord.  They wanted $19.50 for it.  I may have to go back and get it.

I hope you go back and talk them down to $12.50.  An unfaded Aqua Blue '66 WE500 is not something to frown about.

[McHeath]

Here are some pics of the signal corp 500 I just got. 

[McHeath]

And here is the odd numbering on the dial.  I was off when I described what it said in my original post.