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Home » Corona » 3 » 1930 #X65169-
1930 Corona 3 Serial # X65169- 1930 Corona 3 typewriter, Serial # X65169- Brian Decker's 1930 Corona 3 typewriter. 2026-09-11 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Brian Decker: 1930 Corona 3 Serial # X65169- 2026-SEP-11, Gallery Creation.

This typewriter is from the Mike Meakin collection. Mike was the owner of Abacus Office Machines in Spokane, WA, which he started in 1961. Mike retired in 1992, leaving the operation of the business to his children. In addition to running a successful office machine business, Mike was an avid typewriter and adding machine collector, whose collection grew to over 450 machines over time. Mike passed away in 2025, and his children are now gradually selling off his collection. His daughter, Trudy, has graciously allowed me to create TWDB galleries for Mike's machines, to add to our knowledge base.

An attractive black / rose gold crinkle Corona 3, albeit in rusty and rough condition, as it was advertised on eBay. It sold on 5/27/2026. The serial number might be read as "X65169", but this makes no sense. One can almost make out the ghost of a missing "3" at the end, so my best speculation is that the last numeral of the serial number has rubbed off, and the actual one is "X651693", making it a 1930 machine. If there is a missing last digit, it is a 1930 machine regardless of what that missing digit is.

1930 Corona 3 #X65169-

Status: Sightings
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 09-11-2026 at 06:49PM
Last Edit: 09-11-2026 at 06:56PM


Description:

2026-SEP-11, Gallery Creation.

This typewriter is from the Mike Meakin collection. Mike was the owner of Abacus Office Machines in Spokane, WA, which he started in 1961. Mike retired in 1992, leaving the operation of the business to his children. In addition to running a successful office machine business, Mike was an avid typewriter and adding machine collector, whose collection grew to over 450 machines over time. Mike passed away in 2025, and his children are now gradually selling off his collection. His daughter, Trudy, has graciously allowed me to create TWDB galleries for Mike's machines, to add to our knowledge base.

An attractive black / rose gold crinkle Corona 3, albeit in rusty and rough condition, as it was advertised on eBay. It sold on 5/27/2026. The serial number might be read as "X65169", but this makes no sense. One can almost make out the ghost of a missing "3" at the end, so my best speculation is that the last numeral of the serial number has rubbed off, and the actual one is "X651693", making it a 1930 machine. If there is a missing last digit, it is a 1930 machine regardless of what that missing digit is.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

Photos:

Folded, showing escapement housing.
Folded, showing escapement housing.

Focus on type basket and carriage.
Focus on type basket and carriage.

Front edge decal.
Front edge decal.

Type basket.
Type basket.

Type basket from behind, angled view.
Type basket from behind, angled view.

Serial number.
Serial number.

Aft, folded.
Aft, folded.

Underside.
Underside.

eBay main listing page, showing sold status.
eBay main listing page, showing sold status.

eBay sold listing page.
eBay sold listing page.

Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)

Brian Decker's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 6240

My interest in typewriters started in 1997, when I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia. I purchased and read Darryl Rehr's book, joined ETC, and started reaching out to known collectors. I had several email interchanges with Richard Polt dating from that period. I also bought some of my first machines from Bob Aubert, and visited him at his home twice. After marriage and relocation to New England, I continued visiting antique shops and eBay, until other priorities put my typewriter hobby on hiatus around 2008.

In late 2024, I started up again, working on my machines and having some of them serviced professionally by New England Typewriter (NET) LLC (Merrimack, NH), until they closed their doors in December of 2025. Since mid-2025, I have been adding to my collection again, first with a Hermes 3000 purchase from NET, then with various auctions and purchases on eBay, when I find something that catches my eye.



RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Corona 3 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Corona Serial Number page and the Corona 3 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.