IBM cards: Dual Purpose
YEAR: 1966
ITEM: Storage
COMPANY: IBM
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes
IBM cards were originally designed to store information...just letters and numbers (see Hollerith Cards). These IBM cards had the ability to store images...basically, a photographic negative was glued to an open window cut into the card.
The cards were often used to store diagrams, charts, design plans, drawings of machine parts, architectural rendering, etc. The standard hole punch part of the card stored information about the image.
These particular cards were from the US Department of Defense and were called Dual Purpose Engineering Document Card. This set had a total of 30 cards and each card was dated June 1, 1966. (We haven't checked them closely, but they are probably not plans for a nuclear missile!)
Sorry, no images have yet been entered. As we get more volunteers/interns we will be adding these images.
If you know the location of another IBM cards: Dual Purpose, please let us know by contacting us at Director@TheComputerChurch.com .
OUR DEFINITIONS OF RARITY
One of a Kind: Only known existing item.
Exceedingly Rare: Only 2 to 10 known to exist.
Very Rare: Only 11 to 25 are known to exist.
Rare: Only 26 to 50 are known to exist.
Difficult: Difficult to find.
Available:Can be commonly be purchased.
Unknown: We cannot make a determination.
(For perspective, the Apple-1 is widely regarded as a rare and highly collectible computer, yet as of 2025 the Apple-1 registry lists 92 confirmed and probable Apple-1 computers.)
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