Punch Card Like Those Used in the 1890 U.S. Census of Population (Replica)

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Object Details

maker

IBM

Description

This is a replica of the punch cards used in the 1890 U.S. Census of population. Like them it is blank with the bottom left corner cut off. Those punching the cards used a pantograph punch which had room for twelve rows of twenty columns of holes. The significance of these holes is indicated on a flat sheet attached at the front of the card punch (see MA.312896). This is one of a batch of cards furnished by IBM.

References:

Leon E. Truesdall, The Development of Punch Card Tabulation in the Bureau of the Census 1890-1949, Washington: Bureau of the Census, 1965, pp. 43-47.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of International Business Machines

date made

1967 received

ID Number

1988.3099.01

nonaccession number

1988.3099

catalog number

1989.3099.01

Object Name

punch card

Physical Description

paper (overall material)

Measurements

overall: .1 cm x 16.1 cm x 8.1 cm; 1/32 in x 6 11/32 in x 3 3/16 in

See more items in

Medicine and Science: Mathematics

Science & Mathematics

Punch Cards

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Subject

Mathematics

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b3-8426-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record ID

nmah_1818039