Macintosh Serial Numbers

[danda]

Hello everyone,

I have an old Macintosh Plus, which I bought off eBay. I wanted to use a mac serial decoder to find information on it, but the serial number on the bottom of the casing has worn off. I was wondering if the serial number was printed/engraved inside the case, and if so, where it would be.

Thanks in advance

 

[Charlieman]

The serial number is only displayed on the outside of a compact Mac. For a Mac Plus, the sticker is on the underside of the case. For earlier models, the sticker is next to the monitor brightness adjustment. Upgraded models retain the old serial number and the early front panel design.

 

[jsarchibald]

I think you're out of luck in that case. I don't believe there are any other serial numbers that match in. However, you might be able to date the machine looking at the parts inside, and their serial numbers may give clues.

 

[Scott Baret]

If the Plus is beige, it was made in 1986-very early 1987. All Pluses produced afterward were platinum. Later production Pluses (late 1988 or so onward) have simply "Macintosh Plus" on the rear bucket, not "Macintosh Plus 1MB".

Some floppy drives used similar date stamping, although this didn't seem to start until around 1988. If the keyboard and mouse are original, they may also cue you in a bit.

 

[danda]

Later production Pluses (late 1988 or so onward) have simply "Macintosh Plus" on the rear bucket, not "Macintosh Plus 1MB".

Strange,

My other Macintosh Plus (which thankfully has a serial number) was made in 1989, and has "Macintosh Plus 1MB" on the rear...

Although I should mention that it is a "European Macintosh Plus"

 

[Mac128]

Danda, that's not too strange. Apple was generally selling Macs in Europe at a lower price point and cheaper configuration in those days, so the common model was still probably 1MB. They had different labels for a countries regulatory purposes obviously, so it's possible there were both 1MB labels as well as just the "Plus" labels to distinguish between the higher end models. By 1988 in the US Apple was configuring the average Plus with 2MB RAM due to economy of scale and falling RAM prices, so they dropped the 1MB label. I doubt the same was true in Europe.

 

[Charlieman]

I just had a quick look at two Pluses (UK sourced) and both have the "Macintosh Plus 1MB" label. One of them is definitely Platinum and a very late model. I know the bloke who sold it although the company and sales records have long disappeared. My recollection is that it shipped with 1MB because I would remember if I had downgraded. Incidentally, the label actually says "Macintosh Plus 1Mb" (sic).

A study of back panel labels might be interesting, but without access to manufacturing records it will be meaningless. Apple branding of compact Macs in Europe, Australia and Japan was different from that in North America and there were an awful number of "specials".

In North America, Apple sold many different Performa models that were badged according to the seller/distribution channel and software bundle. Identifying every variation is futile because under the case it is just an LC or Classic or PowerMac.

 

[Scott Baret]

I would love to get a complete chronological list of European and other non-US market Mac variants listed, especially when the dates differ from what we had in the US. As an example, my European Mac ED was made in 1988. Apple apparently discontinued all 512Ke variants in the US in September 1987.

Nomenclature is another big issue. I have seen photos of European SEs marked with their configuration on the front bezel. Initial configurations should also be examined. Did Europe ever have a stock 2MB Plus?

American SEs used to have their configuration on the back sticker. This was changed in 1988 alongside the Plus's loss of the "1MB" label.

I know we have a "compact Mac variant" thread on here, but I think we should compile an easy-to-read list with a timeline, perhaps as a wiki page, to make this information easily accessible.