Hardware Detail

Item Reference:	HW0641
Machine Type:	Mag Stripe Reader	Serial Number:	44-01667
	Magnetic Stripe Reader part number 4783944
	IBM developed the first mag stripe technology, embedding the stripe into employee badges for the CIA. The story goes - The first person to affix magnetic media to a plastic card for data storage was IBM engineer Forrest Parry. This was back in the early 1960s. The story goes that he wanted to combine a strip of magnetized tape with a plastic identity card for officials of the CIA, and he couldn’t figure out how to do it. When he mentioned his problem to his wife, who happened to be ironing clothing at the time, she suggested that he use the iron to essentially melt the strip on. And that’s what he did. IBM became a pioneer in magnetic stripe technology. More information.
Date of Origin:		Donor:
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Location:	On Display - HLG46	Commissioned By: Museum	Until: