Auction for C4004/gray traces with extra chips

[gshv]

It's this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2729249299&category=1247&rd=1

I guess the price was high because of the companion chips. I think that the gold chips are logic chips (similar to CD4001 and CD4009) in nice package, and not real 4004 support chips. Am I wrong? One more thing - both 4001 and 4009 chips on the picture have less pins than Intel 4001 and 4009.

Gennadiy

[kozzy]

Hello all,

According to this auction result, it is almost US$1,200!!
I think it is very extraordinary price...

According to the picture of this auction, I also think that
these companion chips the seller said are some of logic
chips. These chips have less pins than Intel 4001 and 4009.

Naoto Kojima

[gmphillips]

The "support" chips are indeed CMOS logic chips made by SSS (Solid State Scientific). They are of no real collector value.

I was the next highest bidder on this auction. I bid $1160.00 US which I "thought" would have been enough to win the auction.

Unfortunately, it was not. I already have a like new C4004 w/gray traces but mine is dated. The one on EBAY is an early undated example. It was the best undated example I've seen and may be "the" best one known.

I have since offered the high bidder $1500.00 US for the chip but he has not responded. I also offered the high bidder $1000.00 + my like new dated C4004 w/gray traces.

But given the fact that the high bidder wanted the chip this bad, I doubt he will sell it.

While the price may seem "high", as I have said before, in 20 years, every museum (and I'm not talking about "computer" museums) in the world is going to want an example of the worlds first microprocessor under glass in their science exhibit. Unfortunately, there's not enough of these chips left (in any condition) for that to be possible. If you want to see "high" prices, just wait until museums figure this out:)

On the other hand, we are now in what will come to be know as the "golden age" of chip collecting. It's still possible to put togather
a world class collection for "peanuts" compared to rare collectibles like coins or stamps.

My advice is get the rare stuff now. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to find and the more you will have to pay to get it.

[gshv]

Thank you for explanation of rarity of this chip! Unfortunately, the auction description didn't mention "no date code", so it seemed to me the price was high because of the gold companion chips.

Gennadiy

[kozzy]

Hello all,

This is my opinion, if this chip is "no date code" version of
w/gray traces, It is enough to pay for. But, I think it is very
extraordinary price... (It is very hard to buy...)

If so, I may think, and you have already known that, this is
the one of the most earliest chip we have ever seen on the
eBay auction. (The batch code begins with "B".)
Most visible gray trace version begin with F, or N, made in Malaysia.

For reference, the C4004 chip w/gray traces on the PCB of
Busicom 141-PF at the National Science Museum in Tokyo, Japan,
begin with a numeral. (Sorry, I forgot which number...)
This 141-PF, and the PCB are not exhibited, I saw them
at special event.

[gshv]

[kozzy]

Hello all,

I found that this buyer put these chips to his website
for exibition.

http://osaki.cool.ne.jp/other/other/intel4004/intel4004.html
(Japanese only page)

According to these description, he may know that this
C4004 is very early lot, and may not know others are
SSS's logic chips.

And also found that Mr. Yoshio Kojima (president of
Busicom) donated his 141-PF to the museum in Germany,
recently.

Does someone know what this museum name is ?

Regards,

Naoto Kojima