What is the correct the dial overlay on the AE21?

[dlclarkii]

I'm trying to understand what exactly should be correct.  I picked up this phone and is the dial overlay correct with just numbers?   

If I wanted to change the overlay so it's numbers and alphabet?     Which is the correct one?

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/dial-overlays/

Also, is the dial set suppose to be black or chrome?   How do you replace the dial center? 

Thank you. 

[TelePlay]

Take your pick,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Original-Automatic-Electric-Alphanumeric-Dial-Plate-refurbished-/191721628787

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Original-Automatic-Electric-Dial-Plate-refurbished-SKU-20596-/191721628255

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-AUTOMATIC-ELECTRIC-PORCELAIN-DIAL-NUMBER-PLATE-WITH-0-FOR-OPERATOR-/370625776889

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-AE-Automatic-Electric-Telephone-Porcelain-Dial-Plate-Operator-A-Z-/192003517923

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-AE-Automatic-Electric-Telephone-Porcelain-Dial-Plate-0-Operator-/201699585319

These are from eBay, there are other direct sources, OldPhoneWworks, Phonecoinc, Oldphoneguy, etc.

Don't know if any or all of these are in the correct date range for your phone (date and style matching), just posted to get you going on answering your question. Definitely need a different number card.

[poplar1]

Finger wheels on these were normally painted black.
Both the all numbers and the numbers + letters were available during the same years. Letters were needed only in metropolitan areas where you dialed the first 2 letters of a central office name (CYpress, for example) + 4 or 5 digits. Before the standardization of phone numbers, some areas required as few as 2 digits.
Office PAXs (private automatic exchanges) also frequently had numbers only.

[poplar1]

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_details&gid=1921&Itemid=11


A.E.Co. Metal Fingerwheels
To remove an A.E.Co  escutcheon assembly from a metal dial.

[dlclarkii]

Thank you!

[poplar1]

"Overlay" usually refers to the stickers sold by oldphoneworks.com. These are attached to the original porcelainmetal number plates when the numbers are worn or the porcelain is chipped.