| Name | 55AC Payphone. Three-slot format: Separate slots for nickels, dimes, and quarters. |
| Date | Introduced: Late 1940s (post-WWII standardisation period) |
| Manufacturer | Western Electric |
Development of the 55AC Payphone
| Rare 55-Ac 50A upper cord frame threads into upper housing. No dial cup. The Western Electric 55AC is a pre-single-slot, three-slot coin payphone assembly used widely in the mid-20th century Bell System network. It is part of the 50-type housing family and incorporates a 55-type coin collector, from which its designation derives. Configuration and Operation Three-slot format: Separate slots for nickels, dimes, and quarters. Coin First (CF) operation: Users deposited coins before dialling (typical urban configuration). Electro-mechanical coin control: Coins were validated and temporarily held, then collected or returned by central-office signalling after call supervision. Typically paired with rotary dials (e.g., 5H/6-series) prior to DTMF conversion programs. Introduced: Late 1940s (post-WWII standardisation period) Primary deployment: 1950s Continued service: Into the early–mid 1960s, before large-scale conversion to single-slot (1-series “Fortress”) instruments |
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