Does anyone know if this additional serial means anything?

dubleon · 05-26-2020, 06:58 PM

Poor camera has been through the wringer

dubleon · 05-26-2020, 06:59 PM

Opps! Pics:

**pepperberry farm** · 05-26-2020, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by dubleon

Poor camera has been through the wringer

what serial number?

where?

what camera?

have a photo?

**UncleVanya** · 05-26-2020, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by pepperberry farm

what serial number?

where?

what camera?

have a photo?

I see it on my phone. Ugly.

**UncleVanya** · 05-26-2020, 07:18 PM - **3 Likes**

That's not a serial number. That's a USA social security number that someone engraved on the bottom of the camera; likely to avoid theft (the thought being that it would be too easy to trace and reduced the value to a criminal for resale).

Racer X 69 · 05-26-2020, 07:18 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by dubleon

Poor camera has been through the wringer

I think it means you have the rodeo version of this camera.

**pepperberry farm** · 05-26-2020, 07:19 PM - **1 Like**

that isn't a serial number - that appears to be a social security number...

Racer X 69 · 05-26-2020, 07:20 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pepperberry farm

what serial number?

where?

what camera?

have a photo?

You beat me to approving his post.

**ramseybuckeye** · 05-26-2020, 07:47 PM - **1 Like**

Back in the sixties, you were encouraged to put you social security number on items to track in case of theft. Now the social security number is a target of identity theft. Times have really changed. I’ve seen that on a lot of old gear.

**monochrome** · 05-26-2020, 08:00 PM

I have a black S-3 with the owner’s name engraved on toe top plate.

Paul the Sunman · 05-26-2020, 08:35 PM

I am offended and distressed by those pictures.

E-man · 05-27-2020, 06:26 AM

When I first started college back in the early '80s, campus police made electric engravers available for us to etch our driver's license number on our valuables. And back then, one's social security number was an unofficial universal identifier. The college I attended removed the hyphens and used it as your student Id number and many states used it as one's driver's license number.

**cpk** · 05-27-2020, 07:03 AM - **3 Likes**

I had a landlord once who kept a small outboard motor on a boat outside his garage. It was stolen one night but returned the next day. He had bought it second-hand from the Ontario Provincial Police. They had etched on it in several spots "Property of the OPP".

Wasp · 05-27-2020, 07:48 AM

You could possibly trace the original owner. If it turns out be a famous person, the camera could be very valuable. The likelihood of that is very remote and tracing of social security numbers is frowned upon. Rather not.

**ChrisPlatt** · 05-27-2020, 09:13 AM

In the 1960's - 1970's in NYC they called it "Operation Identification".

Some folks bought small electric engravers - like simplified Dremel tools - and scratched their SSNs on all sorts of things - stuff we'd often throw away now.

When I Googled it I see NYPD still offered the program at least until 2013:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_prevention/iPhone3.pdf

Chris

05-26-2020, 06:58 PM	#1
dubleon New Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 2	Does anyone know if this additional serial means anything? Poor camera has been through the wringer

05-26-2020, 07:18 PM - 3 Likes	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,445	That's not a serial number. That's a USA social security number that someone engraved on the bottom of the camera; likely to avoid theft (the thought being that it would be too easy to trace and reduced the value to a criminal for resale). Last edited by UncleVanya; 05-27-2020 at 05:41 AM.

05-26-2020, 07:18 PM - 2 Likes	#6
Racer X 69 Moderator Man With A Camera Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The Great Pacific Northwet, in the Land Between Canada and Mexico Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,073	Does anyone know if this additional serial means anything? Originally posted by dubleon Poor camera has been through the wringer I think it means you have the rodeo version of this camera.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Does anyone know anything about this lens?	Craigbob	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	10	09-19-2018 08:53 PM
Anybody know anything about Pentax serial numbers?	Qwntm	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	9	10-10-2015 01:41 PM
Does Anyone Know Anything About This Light Meter?	photographyguy74	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	8	12-12-2013 01:38 PM
Does anyone know anything about these copies?	jjhenders	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	5	04-26-2011 04:38 AM
Does anyone know anything about these lenses?	Quaffle	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	3	12-27-2006 05:53 AM

05-26-2020, 07:05 PM	#3
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,764	Originally posted by dubleon Poor camera has been through the wringer what serial number? where? what camera? have a photo?

05-26-2020, 07:16 PM	#4
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,445	Originally posted by pepperberry farm what serial number? where? what camera? have a photo? I see it on my phone. Ugly.

05-26-2020, 07:19 PM - 1 Like	#7
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,764	that isn't a serial number - that appears to be a social security number...

05-26-2020, 07:20 PM - 1 Like	#8
Racer X 69 Moderator Man With A Camera Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: The Great Pacific Northwet, in the Land Between Canada and Mexico Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,073	Originally posted by pepperberry farm what serial number? where? what camera? have a photo? You beat me to approving his post.

05-26-2020, 07:47 PM - 1 Like	#9
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,294	Back in the sixties, you were encouraged to put you social security number on items to track in case of theft. Now the social security number is a target of identity theft. Times have really changed. I’ve seen that on a lot of old gear.

05-26-2020, 08:00 PM	#10
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I have a black S-3 with the owner’s name engraved on toe top plate.

05-26-2020, 08:35 PM	#11
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,846	I am offended and distressed by those pictures.

05-27-2020, 06:26 AM	#12
E-man Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 678	When I first started college back in the early '80s, campus police made electric engravers available for us to etch our driver's license number on our valuables. And back then, one's social security number was an unofficial universal identifier. The college I attended removed the hyphens and used it as your student Id number and many states used it as one's driver's license number.

05-27-2020, 07:03 AM - 3 Likes	#13
cpk Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Montreal Posts: 638	I had a landlord once who kept a small outboard motor on a boat outside his garage. It was stolen one night but returned the next day. He had bought it second-hand from the Ontario Provincial Police. They had etched on it in several spots "Property of the OPP".

05-27-2020, 07:48 AM	#14
Wasp Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Pretoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,661	You could possibly trace the original owner. If it turns out be a famous person, the camera could be very valuable. The likelihood of that is very remote and tracing of social security numbers is frowned upon. Rather not.

05-27-2020, 09:13 AM	#15
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,696	In the 1960's - 1970's in NYC they called it "Operation Identification". Some folks bought small electric engravers - like simplified Dremel tools - and scratched their SSNs on all sorts of things - stuff we'd often throw away now. When I Googled it I see NYPD still offered the program at least until 2013: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/crime_prevention/iPhone3.pdf Chris