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MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4 Serial Numbers.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:23 pm    Post subject: MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4 Serial Numbers. Reply with quote
Hi everyone, I've been trying to figure out the serial numbers for the MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4. From what I've seen, the MC I version (1966-68, same height all around) runs through the 50XXXXX and 51XXXXX ranges, and then for some mysterious reason skips the numbers 52, 53, and 54 and jumps straight to 55XXXXX. I don't understand why this happens.

The change from MC I to MC II (1969-72, with hills and valleys) happens somewhere around 556XXXX (I have not agreed with the usual statement of the number 5064519, that is not what I have seen). The MC II version goes up to approximately 595XXXX.

On the MC I version the lowest SN I have seen is 5025216, which suggests that the numbering starts at 5000001, but then I wonder why I haven't found any SN lower than 5025216.

What is the lowest serial number on this lens? Is it possible that the numbering started at some point in 502XXXX? Why are there so many serial numbers that seem to have been avoided?

These doubts are probably trivial and the information is available, but I have not been able to find it.

Thanks for any information on this!


PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
How many samples in your list ?

I have 1928 MC-I serial numbers and 3315 MC-II lenses serial numbers. Almost all have very small gaps between serial numbers. I am now over 76000 SR serial numbers. I will stop around 77777 and then try to find a way to publish something about that. If i were to print my database ( 1 line per serial number with notes on many of them), as of today, i would need 766 pages in letter size, landscape format.

Lowest MC-I SN i have seen to date: 5000140

MC-I appears to have continuous number up to about 519XXXX and then a jump to 525XXXX for a few thousands but intermixed with quite a few MC-II lenses. Then jump to 550XXXX continuing to 556XXXX and a few (probably repaired lenses above that

Highest MC-I seen to date: 5860420 but there is a large overlap with MC-II

Highest MC-II seen to date: 596XXXX but there is a large overlap with MC-I like mentioned above.

Lowest MC-II SN i have seen to date: 5146386 but it is likely a repaired lens using an MC-I number ring. I have actually seen quite a few of those.

These large gaps represent one of the mysteries of the Minolta legend. Remember these were hand built by a single employee and there was no computers to assist engineers or production workers back then so if an employee quit with a list of where they were at with serial numbers, they would need to do something about it or they had other plans for the serial numbers left vacant.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
michelb wrote:
How many samples in your list ?

I have 1928 MC-I serial numbers and 3315 MC-II lenses serial numbers. Almost all have very small gaps between serial numbers. I am now over 76000 SR serial numbers. I will stop around 77777 and then try to find a way to publish something about that. If i were to print my database ( 1 line per serial number with notes on many of them), as of today, i would need 766 pages in letter size, landscape format.

Lowest MC-I SN i have seen to date: 5000140

MC-I appears to have continuous number up to about 519XXXX and then a jump to 525XXXX for a few thousands but intermixed with quite a few MC-II lenses. Then jump to 550XXXX continuing to 556XXXX and a few (probably repaired lenses above that

Highest MC-I seen to date: 5860420 but there is a large overlap with MC-II

Highest MC-II seen to date: 596XXXX but there is a large overlap with MC-I like mentioned above.

Lowest MC-II SN i have seen to date: 5146386 but it is likely a repaired lens using an MC-I number ring. I have actually seen quite a few of those.

These large gaps represent one of the mysteries of the Minolta legend. Remember these were hand built by a single employee and there was no computers to assist engineers or production workers back then so if an employee quit with a list of where they were at with serial numbers, they would need to do something about it or they had other plans for the serial numbers left vacant.

Thank you for your extensive information. That clarifies some of my doubts. Clearly I have jumped to conclusions from too small a sample (a couple of hundred). Mine has been an amateur and hasty analysis, but obviously you have done an in-depth study, the database you have managed to gather is impressive.

I love the SR line cameras and Rokkor lenses from the '60s, I don't own rare or expensive examples but I take great care of the ones I have.

Taking into account the important knowledge that you have in this regard, I hope not to abuse your patience if I tell you about a serial number of an MC Rokkor 58/1.2 that I own and that has caught my attention, because it is the all-metal MC II version, and its serial number, which is 2580246, seems to be very close to the dividing line that separates all-metal examples from those with a rubber ring. Beyond the overlaps that there will surely be, the truth is that all the completely metal examples that I have seen have a lower serial number than this, while all the rubber ring ones that I have seen have a higher serial number. Curious about it.

I look forward to reading your future publication, it will surely be very interesting. Greetings.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
2580246 fits in the overlap of serial numbers between MC-II and MC-X but there were only about 3 lenses with serial numbers lower than yours that were MC-X and these were usually shown in brochures (one of them was with a German XM brochure) so yours is definitely a very late production model. I have seen 31 serial numbers over your 2580246 lens of the MC-II type.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 08, 2024 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
michelb wrote:
2580246 fits in the overlap of serial numbers between MC-II and MC-X but there were only about 3 lenses with serial numbers lower than yours that were MC-X and these were usually shown in brochures (one of them was with a German XM brochure) so yours is definitely a very late production model. I have seen 31 serial numbers over your 2580246 lens of the MC-II type.

Superb information! Thanks!
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