HAGELIN M-209-A TACTICAL MECHANICAL CIPHER MACHINE

Portable hand-operated pin & lug mechanical cipher machine with 6 coding wheels, in original green metal integral case (7 x 6  x 4 inches) with metal label to lid reading :"SIGNAL CORPS. U.S. ARMY. CONVERTER. M-209-A. SERIAL NO. 13898. ORDER NO. 1499-PHILA-42. SUPPLIED BY HAGELIN CRYPTOGRAPH COMPANY. NEW MILFORD CONN." With original military-grade canvas bag with short canvas strap. Inside of lid fitted with roll of paper tape, one tube for oil, and one tube for ink. With facsimile manual, and original decommission tag.

A lightweight and portable mechanical cipher machine, the Hagelin M-209-A was developed in Sweden for the US Army. Using 6 mechanically driven coding wheels, text was entered one letter at a time, and the encoded letters were printed on a paper tape using a built-in printer. Unlike the Enigma line of encoding machines, this required no electricity to operate, and this, coupled with it's light weight, made it a much more versatile machine.