Vintage Nixie Tube Sockets

Frequently Asked Questions About Vintage Nixie Tubes

There is a revived interest among collectors of vintage electronics for Nixie tubes. These neon-colored light displays were made in the 1950s by Haydu Brothers Laboratories. For collectors, eBay features an array of new and preowned Nixie tubes, kits, and other related products.

From the outside, the Nixie tube looks like a glass capsule with a glowing digit. Inside the capsule, The digit actually consists of multiple cathodes that are bent to resemble a number, letter, or basic character. These cathodes are enclosed by an anode mesh and then enclosed by the clear glass capsule. To power up their light, certain types of gases, such as neon and argon, are circulated into the tubes. When powered up with the ideal voltage, the tubes produce a distinct orange or reddish-orange glow. Later models had mixtures of different gases that resulted in variations to the colors.

When the Nixie tube was introduced during the mid-20th century, it was incorporated into devices as a digital counter. Other applications for the Nixie tubes included the following:

• Measuring Instruments: The retro technology was designed for voltmeters, frequency meters, and other technical devices that require a numerical display. Early electronic calculators also used these tubes.
• Telephone Systems: The first switchboards also used Nixie tubes to display phone numbers.
• Stock Market Ticker: Before the use of digital LED systems, this technology was used to display information in the stock market ticker.
• Other Applications: It is also used to show airport departures and arrivals and to light up elevator floor signs. Contemporary products have adopted the retro look of the Nixie tubes into clocks and glow lamps.

With the revival of interest in these items, demand for the following products also increased.

• Rodan CD47: These are considered rare tubes. At a height of nearly 9 inches, these Nixie tubes are said to have the largest digit display so far, which makes them a most sought-after item by collectors.
• IN-14: While currently circulated and sold in the market, these tubes were produced during the Soviet era. The use of the number 2 as a reversible digit makes these tubes distinctive.