The Hermes Media 3 is the simplified sibling of the Hermes 3000, made by Paillard in Yverdon, Switzerland. It shares the 3000's styling and basic mechanism but drops the tabulator, the touch regulator and the paper rests, which is why it sold for less new and sells for less now. The Typewriter Database records Media 3s from the 1960s through the late 1970s, and like the 3000 the body followed the move from rounded 1960s styling to a squarer 1970s shell. For someone who wants the Hermes typing feel and does not need a tab, it is the cheaper way in. It is scarce on US eBay: in late 2026 only one was listed, at about $320 delivered, so expect to wait or buy from Europe, where Media 3s are more common.
Only one Hermes Media 3 is listed today, a mint green machine with a case at about $320 delivered with Best Offer. The Media 3 is scarce on eBay, so there is nothing to compare it against directly; it is essentially a Hermes 3000 without the tabulator, touch regulator or paper rests, and usually sells below one. The title doesn't say tested, so ask for the serial number to date it and for a typed sample before you offer. The seller has 100% feedback. If this one doesn't suit, save the search and wait.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Sep 25, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Snapshot
Live on eBay right now
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Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Sep 25, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Used
★ Cheapest
Vintage 1960s Hermes Media 3 Portable Typewriter, Mint Green Ex Work C
$320.00est. delivered
$295.00 + $25.00 shipping
Buy It Now$295.00
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Good buy
Mint green, with a case, about $320 delivered. Ask for the serial number to date it and a typed sample.
Manual typewriters here are 50–80 years old; the same condition badge means different things at that age than on a 2-year-old electronic. Use this as a translation key when you read listings.
New
New / new-old-stock
Vanishingly rare on a manual typewriter — most surviving units are 50+ years old. A "new" listing here usually means a late-production unit (e.g. a 1990s Olivetti Lettera 32 still sealed in factory packaging) or a seller misusing the badge. Verify the listing photos show the original packaging and factory ribbon spool; treat the price premium with skepticism unless those check out.
Refurbished
Refurbished / serviced
The body has been through a CLA (clean / lubricate / adjust) by a typewriter specialist — segment re-lubed, platen tested or re-covered, draw band re-tensioned, type slugs cleaned, key linkages freed. Expect a $100–250 premium over an unserviced "used" equivalent; the listing should name the shop (Gramercy, Cambridge, WordsAreWinged, etc.) or include a service receipt. Highest-confidence buy for a writer who wants to type the day it arrives.
Used
Used — tested / working
The realistic ceiling for most listings. Body types, carriage returns, escapement advances, shift works, ribbon advances. Cosmetic wear is normal. Look for "tested with fresh ribbon" (best), "tested — types all letters" (fine), plus a stated return window — anything short of that drifts toward "for parts." Platen rubber often still hardened on a "used — tested" body; budget $150–250 for a re-cover if you plan to type long-form on it.
For parts
For parts / not working
Sold as-is with no functional guarantee. Common project-typewriter failure modes: hardened platen, gummed segment (sticky keys), broken draw band, missing case, broken bell, dirty type slugs. Buy only to harvest components for another body, donate to a tech for spares, or accept the gamble of a $100–300 specialist CLA on top. The cheapest path to a typing body is almost always a "used — tested" listing, not "for parts" plus a service bill.
Accessories on Amazon
The ribbon, brush, platen fluid, and oil a body off eBay almost never ships with. The ribbon link is matched to Group 1 universal — the wrong spool is the easiest way to lose a typewriter purchase on the consumable.
Ribbon — Group 1 universal (most postwar portables)
Confirm it really is a Media 3 and not a 3000 with a missing tab key: look for the model name on the paper table and the absence of tab set/clear keys. Sellers often misdate these, so check the serial number. As with the 3000, a gummed segment and escapement are the usual faults on a stored machine, and the platen is often hard. Check the carriage moves freely across its full travel and the case latches work.
Notes on sources
Feature differences from the 3000 (no tabulator, touch regulator or paper rests) per collector descriptions. Production years are approximate spans compiled from collector references (the Typewriter Database, oz.Typewriter, Ted Munk's and Richard Polt's typewriter pages). Individual machines are dated by serial number: look the serial up on the Typewriter Database's serial-number page for this brand rather than trusting a seller's stated year.
Used