1975 Olympia SM9 #4836957

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Fumitaka Hayashi (fhayashi)
Created: 08-30-2026 at 11:37AM
Last Edit: 08-30-2026 at 11:40AM

Description Hunter 8 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

An Olympia SM9

This is a 1975 model, the newest SM9 in my collection. It has the #12 Pica typeface, which overlaps with another SM9 I own, but that one has both #12 and #97 slugs. This one seems to be all #12 slugs, and has a '1' key, with a rather odd looking 1 that would almost be at place in a cubic typeface. I imagine by 1975 there was an expectation to have a 1 key, and not use the lowercase l. All this only matters to me in my quest to collect nine SM9s with different typefaces.

Rather more interesting is the recent journey this typewriter went on. It was yet another Goodwill auction acquisition. It was sent from Ohio, and got to within 50 miles of me in NJ within two days. Then for some reason it took a trip to Pennsylvania, then Indiana, Illinois, and then Texas. I spent some time talking to a very nice call center person somewhere on the other side of the world, got a 'case number', and then continued to track the package as it went to Amboy, California. Then it went to Stockton, California, then Tracy, California. Then it seems to have taken flight to Nebraska, and then back to Ohio. Then It rather quickly got to NJ again, and finally delivered to my home. So it took 2 days from Ohio to New Jersey, then spent a week getting out to California, then back to Ohio, and then it took 2 days to get to New Jersey again.

I was rather surprised that the package got to me in one piece. the cardboard was slightly damaged. The packing was rather minimal, with the minimal amount of large bubble wrap around the case. The case was partly ajar, probably because somehow the plastic insert that holds to typewriter firmly was put into the case sideways - so the typewriter was pointing sideways. By some miracle, there was no noticeable damage despite the round trip around the country.

This 1975 has a matte, textured white paint job, unlike my other SM9s that have smooth glossy paint jobs. It still has the two-tone knobs, which according to the serial number database, eventually changes to all black in 1977. It is in good condition, with no sticking keys requiring mineral spirits.

---

As stated above, another Goodwill acquisition, from Ohio.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

#12 Pica typeface

Hard to tell on the photo, but the paint is matte and noticeably more textured than my earlier, smooth gloss SM9s.

The only real wear to the finish is under the right platen knob. I assume it's years of fingernails scratching the paint as the right-handed typist goes to turn the knob.

Feet are in good shape.

Hunter: Fumitaka Hayashi (fhayashi)

Fumitaka Hayashi's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 1138

Trying very hard to be more judicious in my acquisitions...

I like interesting typefaces. I like tinkering with my acquisitions to make them work.