TRANSISTOR MUSEUM™ Historic Transistor Photo Gallery
Transistor Size (7/8” OD X 3/8”) Date Code 5-39 (1955 Week 39) on Back 1960s GE Hobbyist Packaging for 2N107 BubblePack Contains Transistor and Schematics 2N107 Transistor, Page 2	GE 2N107 TYPE Germanium PNP Alloy Junction Audio Frequency Amplifier USAGE Hobbyist/Experimenter  DATE INTRODUCED 1955 CASE STYLES Black Metal Pinched Top (Early) Black Metal Top Hat (Later) AVAILABILITY Common (High Volume Production)
HISTORIC NOTES General Electric introduced the 2N107 in August 1955.  According to the press release which announced the 2N107, “ A new transistor, designed to meet the demands of radio amateurs, hobbyists and experimenters for a stable, inexpensive transistor has been placed on the market by the General Electric Co…… the suggested distributor price of well below $2 for the new 2N107 transistor makes it the least expensive of any transistor currently available.”  This transistor became a favorite with hobbyists and experimenters, and many articles appeared in the electronics magazines of the time with projects using the 2N107.  The earliest units had the distinctive GE “pinched top” metal case style, while later units were made with the black metal “tophat” style.  Like many other hobbyist transistors, the 2N107 was originally developed in an effort to find a sales outlet for the large number of marginally performing “rejects” which were common in the early days of germanium transistor production.
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