Computers & Business Machines

Apple II Personal Computer

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

Search term: *:* Topic: Computers & Business Machines Topic: Punch Cards Clear All

IBM 827213 Punch Cards for the Electronic Computer Project at Princeton University

Two IBM 80-column punch cards, tan. One card has nothing written on the front but the back has a drawing of a circuit, the date FEB 13 1958, and the words Bias Supplies; Wm Pulser; Arithmetic.
Description
Two IBM 80-column punch cards, tan. One card has nothing written on the front but the back has a drawing of a circuit, the date FEB 13 1958, and the words Bias Supplies; Wm Pulser; Arithmetic. The second card has a 5 column, 2 row table drawn in pencil on the front and circuit drawings in pencil on the back.
These two cards were made by IBM for the Electronic Computer Project at Princeton, NJ. This project made the IAS computer, considered by some to be the first American computer (it had stored programs, which the ENIAC did not). These cards may represent the first punch cards used with an American electronic computer.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1955
ca 1955
maker
IBM
ID Number
CI.320250.05
accession number
1958.220575
catalog number
320250.05

UNIVAC Punch Cards for the AFL-CIO

Punched cards were used not only in government, business, and universities, but by labor unions. These ninety-column paper punch cards are pink, green and white, and white with a green stripe. The first pink card is marked: FIELD ENGINEERING SERVICE REPORT.
Description
Punched cards were used not only in government, business, and universities, but by labor unions. These ninety-column paper punch cards are pink, green and white, and white with a green stripe. The first pink card is marked: FIELD ENGINEERING SERVICE REPORT. The green and white cards are marked: CUSTOMER ENGINEERING SERVICE REPORT. The white card with one green stripe is marked: AFL-CIO PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS, indicating the user. The last pink card is marked: UNIVAC P-11782
The cards were received in a Remington Rand interpreter with catalog number 336300 (305981.03).
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1955
ID Number
MA.305981.09
accession number
305981
catalog number
305981.09

Punch Card Used at the Southern Railway Company

Herman Hollerith began manufacturing tabulating machines to compile statistics to the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
Description
Herman Hollerith began manufacturing tabulating machines to compile statistics to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The nation only compiles a census every ten years, so Hollerith sought business from foreign governments and from commercial customers.
As early as 1895, the New York Central began using tabulating equipment to track goods moved by the railroad. Hollerith radically redesigned the punch card, putting information in columns with the numbers from 0 to 9. Several columns of numbers comprised a field, which contained information on a single matter. By 1907, the Central was an established customer and other railroads adopted machine accounting. The Southern Railway Company used this 45-column card. It has fields for the date, the receiving station, the waybill number, the code, the forwarding station, the junction point, "Com.", "C.L.", freight, charges, and prepaid amounts.
Reference:
G. D. Austrian, Herman Hollerith: Forgotten Pioneer of Information Processing, New York: Columbia University Press, 1982, pp. 111–141, 250–251.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1910
1910, roughly
1910 roughly
maker
Tabulating Machine Company
ID Number
MA.317982.01
accession number
317982
catalog number
317982.01

BP-16309 BSC Punch Cards for AFL-CIO Publications

Punched cards were used not only in government, business, and universities, but by labor unions. These white, eighty-column punch cards are printed in gray. They have spaces for the name, address, local number and ledger id number of member of the AFL-CIO.
Description
Punched cards were used not only in government, business, and universities, but by labor unions. These white, eighty-column punch cards are printed in gray. They have spaces for the name, address, local number and ledger id number of member of the AFL-CIO. A mark along the left edge reads: AFL-CIO PUBLICATIONS. A mark on the right edge reads: BP-16309 BSC. The cards were received in a tabulating machine (reproducer) with catalog number 336301.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1955
ID Number
MA.305981.08
accession number
305981
catalog number
305981.08

Punch Cards, WANG 700-1224

These two thirty-seven column punch cards are printed in red on white. The first four columns are for the statement number. The next three are for operations such as 'PRINT" and "GO TO". Columns 8 through 36 are labeled "FORMULA" and have various symbols, digits and letters.
Description
These two thirty-seven column punch cards are printed in red on white. The first four columns are for the statement number. The next three are for operations such as 'PRINT" and "GO TO". Columns 8 through 36 are labeled "FORMULA" and have various symbols, digits and letters. The rightmost column is to be punched if the statement continues on the next card.
A mark on the left side of the card reads: WANG 700-1224. A mark on the left side reads: IBM Z22550 Z225551.
These cards were received with a much earlier IBM tabulating machine.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1970
maker
Wang Laboratories
ID Number
1987.0528.02
accession number
1987.0528
catalog number
1987.0528.02

CDC 88157 Punch Card

This eighty-column paper punch card is cream-colored. It has square corners and the top left corner is truncated. A mark at the top of the card reads: FORTRAN STATEMENT. A mark on the bottom toward the left reads: CDC 88157.
Description
This eighty-column paper punch card is cream-colored. It has square corners and the top left corner is truncated. A mark at the top of the card reads: FORTRAN STATEMENT. A mark on the bottom toward the left reads: CDC 88157. Both Control Data Corporation and IBM issued cards with the number 88157 specifically for entering programs in the language FORTRAN. The first five columns on the card were a label field, the sixth a continuation field (e.g. if the column was not blank or a zero, the problem statement was assumed to be continued on the next card) , and columns 7 through 72 gave that problem statement).
The programming language FORTRAN was introduced by IBM in 1956 and 1957, and proved popular in the 1960s. Hence the rough date assigned to the card.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s
maker
Control Data
ID Number
1996.0142.02
catalog number
1996.0142.02
accession number
1996.0142

IBM J89620 Deposit Punch Card

This punch card has no columns or rows of numbers. Instead, it is a form to be sent in with bill payments. It is cream-colored with blue print on the front and blue and white stripes overall on the back.A mark at the bottom left reads: CNB.
Description
This punch card has no columns or rows of numbers. Instead, it is a form to be sent in with bill payments. It is cream-colored with blue print on the front and blue and white stripes overall on the back.
A mark at the bottom left reads: CNB. A mark on the right side reads: IBM J89620. A mark on the center reads: TO INSURE PROMPT CREDIT TO YOUR ACCOUNT (/) PLEASE RETURN THIS CARD WITH YOUR PAYMENT.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.30
catalog number
1996.0142.30
accession number
1996.0142

Punch Cards used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map.
These punch cards have the data for one of the FORTRAN programs with non-accession number 1990.3046.10. The cards are white with a green, pink, red, blue, or yellow border on the top. A mark on the first card reads: $ JOB 8258, BICAD,D7300, 03M,1600CD,150P, C. A gold-colored EDP Procedure card also is part of the group.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.08
catalog number
1990.3046.08
nonaccession number
1990.3046

IBM UK 866 Rutherford Laboratory Central Computer System

These two blue eighty-column punch cards have four square corners (none truncated). They are job statement cards for the Rutherford Central Computer System 195.
Description
These two blue eighty-column punch cards have four square corners (none truncated). They are job statement cards for the Rutherford Central Computer System 195. The cards have space for information about a job name, job number, user's identity code, programmer's name, and job parameters.
Established in 1958, the Rutherford HIgh Energy Laboratory of Britain's National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science was a center for computing in Britain. It installed one IBM 360/195 mainframe computer in 1971, and a second in 1976. These computers ran until 1982.
A mark on the cards at the top right reads: SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL. A mark on the bottom edge reads: IBM UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED. Another mark there reads: 866-23042.
Reference:
See www.chilton-computing.org.uk/ca/technology/s360_195/p007.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1971-1982
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.31
catalog number
1996.0142.31
accession number
1996.0142

OEI M73926 Punch Card for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Computer Services Division

This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has square corners and a truncated corner on the upper left side. A mark at the center reads: THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE (/) COMPUTING SERVICES DIVISION. A mark near the left edge reads: OEI M73926.Currently not on view
Description
This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has square corners and a truncated corner on the upper left side. A mark at the center reads: THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE (/) COMPUTING SERVICES DIVISION. A mark near the left edge reads: OEI M73926.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
ID Number
1996.0142.34
catalog number
1996.0142.34
accession number
1996.0142

IBM Australia 760068 Punch Cards for the New South Wales Institute of Technology Computer Centre

These two cream-colored eighty-column punch cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. A mark in the center of each cards reads: THE NEW SOUTH WALES (/) INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (/) COMPUTER CENTRE. A mark on the right edge reads: IBM - 760068.
Description
These two cream-colored eighty-column punch cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. A mark in the center of each cards reads: THE NEW SOUTH WALES (/) INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (/) COMPUTER CENTRE. A mark on the right edge reads: IBM - 760068. Another mark on that edge reads: PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.28
catalog number
1996.0142.28
accession number
1996.0142

ICT 4-434 Punch Cards Associated with International Computers and Tabulators Limited

These two blue eighty-column punch cards have square corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. Marks along the bottom edge read: I [...] C [...] T 4-354; INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS AND TABULATORS LIMITED; and PRINTED IN ENGLAND.Currently not on view
Description
These two blue eighty-column punch cards have square corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. Marks along the bottom edge read: I [...] C [...] T 4-354; INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS AND TABULATORS LIMITED; and PRINTED IN ENGLAND.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
International Computers Ltd
ID Number
1996.0142.20
catalog number
1996.0142.20
accession number
1996.0142

Punch Card Probe

This cylindrical metal stainless steel rod is about 8" long and resembles a crochet hook. The metal is serrated along the middle part of the rod. One end is hooked, the other is flattened and U-shaped.
Description
This cylindrical metal stainless steel rod is about 8" long and resembles a crochet hook. The metal is serrated along the middle part of the rod. One end is hooked, the other is flattened and U-shaped. The donor worked with tabulating machines and then computer equipment from the 1940s into at least the 1960s.
Reportedly the hook was used to line up punched cards and the flattened end to complete holes that had not punched properly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
1950, roughly
ID Number
2006.3088.01
nonaccession number
2006.3088
catalog number
2006.3088.01

IBM 749809 Punch Card, Employee's Statement of Earnings and Deductions, U.S. Naval Gun Factory

This punch card gives a statement of earnings and deductions for an employee of the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. in March of 1947. The card itself is not punched, although it lists a tag number, gross earnings, deductions, net pay, and the pay date.
Description
This punch card gives a statement of earnings and deductions for an employee of the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. in March of 1947. The card itself is not punched, although it lists a tag number, gross earnings, deductions, net pay, and the pay date. A mark on the card reads: EMPLOYEE' S STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND DEDUCTIONS (/) U.S. NAVAL GUN FACTORY (/) WASHINGTON, D.C.
The object was collected from the files of departing curator David K. Allison. It's origin is unknown.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1947
1947
ca 1947
maker
IBM
ID Number
2015.3169.07
nonaccession number
2015.3169
catalog number
2015.3169.07

Remington Rand P-11782 Punch Card

This 90-column punch card has columns in two rows.
Description
This 90-column punch card has columns in two rows. Round punches indicate the letters from A through Z and the digits from 0 to 9 in the top row, and the digits 0 to 9 and letters A to Z in the bottom row.
Reference:
Sperry Rand Corporation, Glossary Systems Design and Programming Terminology, 1960, p. 5. This is 2015.3097.03. The card was received in this glossary.
date made
ca 1960
maker
Remington Rand Univac
ID Number
2015.3097.02
nonaccession number
2015.3097
catalog number
2015.3097.02

Graduate Record Examination Punch Cards

The Carnegie Foundation, and later the Educational Testing Service, used several forms of punched card in compiling and reporting information on the tests it administered. Three types are included here. All relate to Graduate Record Examination Individual Report Cards.
Description
The Carnegie Foundation, and later the Educational Testing Service, used several forms of punched card in compiling and reporting information on the tests it administered. Three types are included here. All relate to Graduate Record Examination Individual Report Cards. One has the number IBM 138707 (four examples), one IBM 140086 (eleven examples), and another IBM 140088 (three examples). One card is punched.
The cards were produced under U.S. Patent 1,772.492, taken out by Clair D. Lake in 1930 and assigned to IBM. The Graduate Record Examination was first administered in 1937 and kept the New York City address shown on the cards through at least 1951.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
maker
IBM
ID Number
1995.3080.03
nonaccession number
1995.3080
catalog number
1995.3080.03

Punch Cards used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map.
Groups of the punch cards are not numbered but some are grouped by black marks on the edge. The cards have the data for a FORTRAN program with non-accession number 1990.3046.10. The cards are white with a pink, green or no border on the top. A mark on the first card reads: 8258, CLAF6, D7300, 04M, 100CD, 150P, C.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.06
catalog number
1990.3046.06
nonaccession number
1990.3046

CDC 5081 Punch Cards

These paper eighty-column punch cards are yellow, green, blue, pink and orange (two of each color). The corners of the cards are rounded, with the right top corner truncated.
Description
These paper eighty-column punch cards are yellow, green, blue, pink and orange (two of each color). The corners of the cards are rounded, with the right top corner truncated. A mark on the lower left of the front reads: CDC 5081.
Compare 1996.0142.18, a similar eighty-column card made by IBM.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
Control Data
ID Number
1996.0142.01
catalog number
1996.0142.01
accession number
1996.0142

Hummel B53 ALGOL/FORTRAN Punch Card

This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has a yellow stripe across the top. It has rounded corners and a truncated upper left corner. A mark along the left edge reads: HUMMEL KG. B53. A mark at the center reads: ALGOL/FORTRAN.Currently not on view
Description
This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has a yellow stripe across the top. It has rounded corners and a truncated upper left corner. A mark along the left edge reads: HUMMEL KG. B53. A mark at the center reads: ALGOL/FORTRAN.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
Hummel KG
ID Number
1996.0142.15
catalog number
1996.0142.15
accession number
1996.0142

Punch Cards Used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map. These cards have some of the data for one of these programs. The cards are white with a pink border on the top.
Groups of cards are numbered from 31 through 45. The program has non-accession number 1990.3046.10. A mark on the top card reads: DATE GENERATED 4-11-68.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.02
catalog number
1990.3046.02
nonaccession number
1990.3046

IBM 5076 Bicentennial Punch Card

This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has round corners and a truncated upper left corner. It has an image of the Liberty Bell at the center. A mark there reads: 1776 1976 (/) BICENTENNIAL. A mark along the bottom edge at the left reads: IBM 5076.Currently not on view
Description
This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has round corners and a truncated upper left corner. It has an image of the Liberty Bell at the center. A mark there reads: 1776 1976 (/) BICENTENNIAL. A mark along the bottom edge at the left reads: IBM 5076.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1976
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.17
catalog number
1996.0142.17
accession number
1996.0142

JTC E-8450 6698 Punch Cards Marked with Bell System Logo

These two eighty-column paper punch cards were made for Bell Telephone Laboratories. One is cream-colored with a blue stripe, the other cream-colored with an orange stripe. The cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the uppler right corner.
Description
These two eighty-column paper punch cards were made for Bell Telephone Laboratories. One is cream-colored with a blue stripe, the other cream-colored with an orange stripe. The cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the uppler right corner. Columns 1 to 50 and 73 to 80 have the digits 0 to 9 in each column. The intervening columns have a variety of letters and punctuation marks. A Bell System logo is in the center of the card. A mark on the right side reads: GE 600 SELF INTERPRETING CARD. A mark along the bottom toward the left reads: BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED. A mark along the bottom toward the right reads: GE 600 CHARACTER SET. A mark along the left side reads: E-8450 (10-65) JTC 6698.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1965
maker
Jersey Tab Card Corporation
ID Number
1996.0142.06
catalog number
1996.0142.06
accession number
1996.0142

Punch Cards used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map. These cards haveone of the FORTRAN programs with non-accession number 1990.3046.10.
The cards are white with a green, gray or no border on the top. A mark on the first card reads: $1BFTC DPLT. Text in ink on this card reads: Used to plot Fig2.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.09
catalog number
1990.3046.09
nonaccession number
1990.3046

Punch Cards Used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map. These cards have some of the data for one of these programs. The cards are white with a pink border on the top.
Groups of cards are numbered from 16 through 30. A mark on the top card reads: DATE GENERATED 4-11-68.The program has non-accession number 1990.3046.10.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.03
catalog number
1990.3046.03
nonaccession number
1990.3046

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