IBM 4683 4783896 Programmable POS Keyboard 59G9063 4683-P21 No Cable

IBM 4683 4783896 Programmable POS Keyboard 59G9063 4683-P21 No Cable

The IBM 4683-P21 is a programmable point-of-sale keyboard designed for use with IBM's 4683 POS terminal system. It features a matrix of large, flat programmable keys arranged in three groups flanking a central numeric keypad, with clear plastic keycap covers that hold paper insert labels -- the labels are fully customizable, allowing retailers to configure the key layout to match their specific POS application. A physical key lock on the left side of the keyboard controls operator-level access. This example is being sold as-is with no cable or key included.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: IBM
• Model: 4683-P21
• Part Number: 4783896
• Secondary Part Number: 59G9063
• Type: Programmable POS keyboard
• Compatible terminal: IBM 4683 POS system
• Key layout: Three groups of large programmable flat keys with clear covers + central numeric keypad (0-9, * and /)
• Status display strip: Narrow LCD/indicator strip along top edge (Wait / Offline / Message Pending indicators visible)
• Key lock: Physical cylinder lock, upper-left -- key NOT included
• Keycap inserts: Blank programmable keycaps beneath clear covers; paper inserts are fully customizable
• Rear connectors: One RJ-style port and one proprietary IBM multi-pin connector (labeled positions 6 and 5)
• Form factor: Desktop / countertop
• Housing color: Beige (shows age yellowing)
• Keyboard only -- no cable, no key, no paper inserts supplied

Applications

The IBM 4683 was IBM's dedicated retail point-of-sale terminal introduced in the early 1980s, widely deployed in department stores, grocery chains, and large retail environments through the late 1980s and into the 1990s. The 4683-P21 programmable keyboard was a core input device for these terminals, allowing cashiers and managers to trigger transactions, department lookups, price overrides, and supervisor functions via labeled programmed keys rather than a standard alphanumeric keyboard. The paper-insert keycap system made it practical for different store departments to customize the same hardware to their own transaction workflows. Today these keyboards are sought by legacy system maintainers keeping older IBM POS installations running, as well as collectors of vintage IBM retail and commercial hardware.