Date for a 99K?
 

Hi everyone,
I just bought a Singer 99 hand-crank machine (thanks to a member of our Colorado vintage machine group) and I can't figure out how old it is. The serial number seems to be F716xxx, which according to the ISMACS site should be a 15K.
This is definitely a 99. I thought it might be an E rather than F but there aren't any E machines without a second letter.
Ideas?
Ila

I know I've misread more than one serial number. If you're certain of the number you can also check with Singerco.com.
Rodney

F716XXXX is a 99K, check to make sure you have the correct number of digits. That one would be from 1916.

This throws a lot of people off, they look for F716. . . and stop when they get there, not realizing that it goes from
F 000,000 to F 9,999,999. Which means you'll find F 716,XXX and F 7,16X, XXX. It's even worse with the G series.

Sometimes the numbers are difficult to read. I have taken a closeup picture with my phone and then zoomed in to see it more clearly.

I've certainly done that.

If you're sure you have the serial# right, it could be a mistake in the records. There have been a few documented mistakes.

Cari

My money is on Macybaby's thought that the number was in the millions, not hundred thousands.

Me too. Certainly more probable, but I just wanted to throw out an alternate theory, as it is possible.

Cari

My alternate theory was that his eyes were terrible, and he needed the assistance of a camera. lol

This is an easy mistake to make. I try to tell people it will happen too and how to avoid it but I had a part person - who reads numbers for a living - get it wrong then "discuss" why I'm wrong with me. ;) Luckily, I could say "Why is it a 15 then and not a 221?"