Olympia · 1964–c. 1979

Olympia SM9

Name: Olympia SM9
Brand: Olympia
Availability: InStock

Typical used$250–$430

Portable1960sWest Germany

The Olympia SM9 was introduced in 1964 and made into the late 1970s, which makes it the easiest SM-series Olympia to find. It is slightly larger than its predecessors and keeps the segment shift and keyset tabulator; the near-identical SM8 sets tabs at the rear instead. The SM9 changed through its run: early machines (1964–68) have turquoise keys and a cream top; from 1968 the keyboard went charcoal grey; in 1969 a new body shell arrived and the tab keys moved to the left of the keyboard; and the last machines, from around 1977, have all-black knobs and are generally thought to be a step down in finish. Typeface drives much of the premium, with Congress, Senatorial and script faces asking more than pica or elite. In late 2026 about 34 were listed, unserviced machines mostly $250–430 delivered and serviced ones $745–985.

Specifications

Brand: Olympia
Type: Portable
Era: 1960s
Years produced: 1964–c. 1979
Country of manufacture: West Germany
Carriage width: Standard portable carriage (takes letter/A4 paper)
Pitch options: Pica, Elite
Ribbon spool: Group 1 universal
Typical asking price (eBay, Oct 1, 2026): $250 – $430

Buying guide

Which one to buy

From Oct 1, 2026 listings

34 SM9s are listed, the easiest SM-series Olympia to find. Unserviced machines mostly ask $250–430 delivered; one specialist seller's serviced SM9s run $744–985, and a script-typeface one is about $1,865. Typeface drives much of the premium: Congress, Senatorial and script faces ask more than standard pica and elite. Late SM9s have plastic case feet that crack, so check the photos. Red flag: a 'working' 1967 machine from a zero-feedback seller. Budget buyers should look at the $290 tested one with free shipping; the $744 serviced machine suits a buyer who wants no work.

Listed now: 34
For parts: 0
Typical ask: $250–$430
Full range: $153–$1,840

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 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

8 of 34 listed

Snapshot captured Oct 1, 2026 — listings may have ended

Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.

Used
- ★ Cheapest
Vintage Olympia SM9 Typewriter
$196.60est. delivered
$179.99 + $16.61 shipping
Buy It Now$179.99
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Bare listing, about $197 delivered. Ask for a typed sample and whether a case comes with it.
Seller: adamz1978
99.9% positive from 12.2K ratings
View on eBay →
Used
- ★ Best value
Vintage Olympia SM9 Deluxe Portable Typewriter With Case. Tested
$289.99delivered
$289.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$289.99
Good buy
Tested with the case per the seller, $290 with free shipping.
Seller: dan690000
99.7% positive from 20.4K ratings
View on eBay →
Serviced
- ★ Best for beginners
- ★ Easiest to get working
Excellent! Serviced 1974 Olympia SM9 Vintage Portable Typewriter Pica
$744.34est. delivered
$719.20 + $25.14 shipping
Buy It Now$719.20
Good buy
Serviced 1974, pica, about $744 delivered.
Seller: brooksawantiques
100% positive from 2K ratings
View on eBay →
Used
- ★ Collector's pick
1964 Olympia SM9 Typewriter Modern Congress Pica #91 Typeface w/ Case
$499.99delivered
$499.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$499.99
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Modern Congress Pica No. 91 typeface, with the case.
Seller: tommygunz341_0
100% positive from 491 ratings
View on eBay →
Used
VTG 1970 Olympia SM9-13 Portable Typewriter & Case W Germany Not Servi
$318.15est. delivered
$229.00 + $89.15 shipping
Buy It Now$229.00
Our take
SM9 with the 13-inch carriage. Not serviced, per the seller.
Seller: kandik-2008
100% positive from 4.1K ratings
View on eBay →
Used
Vintage Olympia SM9 De Luxe Typewriter w/ Case Tested Working 1970s
$378.97est. delivered
$349.99 + $28.98 shipping
Buy It Now$349.99
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Tested working, 1970s, with the case, about $379 delivered.
Seller: littlemacshop
100% positive from 482 ratings
View on eBay →
Used
- ⚠ Check the seller
Vintage 1967 Olympia SM9 De Luxe Portable Typewriter • Working • With
$234.72est. delivered
$185.00 + $49.72 shipping
Buy It Now$185.00
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Heads-up: check the seller
Seller has zero feedback. Pay only through eBay checkout.
Seller: pedwill
no feedback yet
View on eBay →
Serviced
- ⚠ Priced high
Near Mint! Serviced 1978 Olympia SM9 Vintage Portable Typewriter Pica
$985.14est. delivered
$960.00 + $25.14 shipping
Buy It Now$960.00
Heads-up: priced high
About $985 delivered — $240 more than the same seller's serviced 1974 SM9.
Seller: brooksawantiques
100% positive from 2K ratings
View on eBay →

Prices and availability change daily. The full, current search on eBay shows every matching listing, including new ones since Oct 1, 2026.

See all current listings on eBay →

What eBay condition grades actually mean

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)
Search on Amazon
Type slug cleaner brush
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Platen rejuvenation fluid
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Light machine oil (segment + rails)
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Replacement rubber feet
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Common issues to check before buying

Late SM9s have plastic case feet that crack; check them in the photos. Hardened lubricant in the segment and escapement is the usual problem on a stored machine, about $100 to clean. Check the platen and feed rollers, the drawband and carriage travel, and the tab set and clear keys. If a particular era matters to you, use the keyboard colour and tab-key position to tell early from late machines.

Notes on sources

The late-1970s quality drop is a collector consensus rather than a documented specification change. 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.