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Curta - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The Curta is a hand-held mechanical calculator designed by Curt Herzstark. It is known for its extremely compact design: a small cylinder that fits in the palm of the hand.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The machines have a high curiosity value; in 2016 they sold for around US$1,000, but buyers paid as much as US$1,900 for models in pristine condition with notable serial numbers.

Aw, man. Guess i’m not gonna have a cool math grenade for my desk.

Edit: Here’s a Numberphile video about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDn_DDsBWws

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

One showed up in the glass case of my local Savers somehow last year for ~$800. I was VERY VERY tempted. It was a Type II, with the case, and the finger-loop was intact.

All in all, that's actually a screamin' bargain, but I definitely wasn't in a place to drop $800 +tax on the spot. I thought about it ALL day and the whole next day after, went back after work to buy it, and it was gone. Wasn't meant to be.