A client of mine has asked me to sell their original IBM 77-key F77 Model F Keyboard for $10,000 (or best offer). If interested please email me directly with your offer.
I believe this is the first and only time an original F77 has been offered for sale in the collector community in nearly 10 years.
While the client wants $10,000 I feel the item is worth between $5,000 and $10,000, which is why the client will consider all reasonable offers in that range and consider accepting the highest offer received. The rationale for pricing is that the far more common F107 original Model F keyboard regularly sells for $3,000 and there are probably 100 known examples of surviving keyboards in the hands of collectors, while the original F77 is probably 10 times as rare as the F107 based on documentation of surviving examples. I believe that there are fewer than 10 surviving F77 keyboards in the hands of collectors, which makes this far rarer than the original F62 Kishsaver and F107 keyboards. I have 3 (none of mine are for sale!) and two or three other forum members are known to have shown off their original F77 boards since they were “rediscovered” by forum member Kishy more than 10 years ago.
I am listing on behalf of an international collector. To keep buyer and seller privacy I will receive the keyboard and then mail it to you. Please allow extra time for delivery.
You can adjust it to better match ANSI or the standard Model M layout – not a perfect match but close. This is a fully reversible process that involves opening up the inner frame assembly, moving one spring and pivot plate to another barrel, and replacing the Enter, Backspace, | , F, J, and left shift keys with those from a standard-style IBM Model M keyboard, while also including the three needed stabilizers. The F and J Model M keys were added because the original F and J keys do not have the “nubs.”
The keyboard is in its original condition and has not been converted to USB. I can include the pandrew USB controller and cable upon request but I will not be doing any soldering due to the rarity of the item. You will need to do the soldering or leave it be. Shows signs of shelf wear including scuffs and some small areas of missing paint, and has significant rust on the metal plates which is characteristic of virtually every Model F I own. Statements about the rarity of these keyboards are based on my own understanding of the market and may not be accurate (who knows who else may have one of these boards out there!). As this computer component is around 30 years old, no warranty is offered. Sold as is.