Retsy Series 1 · Card 0245 · 80-TEC

Spy Mission Recorder

Agent's log, recess, day one.

A pocket-size microcassette recorder with a red record button, used by kids for spy missions and fake radio shows.

Card no.: 0245 of 1,280
Set: 80s Tech & Gadgets · 80-TEC
Year: 1986
Type: Microcassette voice recorder
Found at: Dad's briefcase, borrowed
Cost back then: $39.95

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Nostalgia8/10

Hype6/10

Weirdness6/10

Trade value6/10

The story · 1986

The story of Spy Mission Recorder

Dads bought the Spy Mission Recorder for business memos, and kids stole it within a week. The tapes were the size of a saltine, so whole spy archives fit in a sock drawer. Kids recorded secret agent reports, sibling confessions and radio shows with commercials for homemade lemonade, all played back at squeaky high speed for laughs.

Fun fact

Every family had one tiny tape somewhere labeled TOP SECRET that contained a kid burping the alphabet.

Six finishes

187 copies of Spy Mission Recorder exist

Spy Mission Recorder comes in six finishes: 100 Base, 50 Holo, 25 Laser and 10 Gold copies, plus one Super Laser and one Misprint that exist exactly once. Every copy is minted to the wallet that rips it, with its own serial number.

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Base finish — **Base**100 copies · Common

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Holo finish — **Holo**50 copies · Uncommon

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Laser finish — **Laser**25 copies · Rare

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Gold finish — **Gold**10 copies · Very rare

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Super Laser finish — **Super Laser**1 copy · 1 of 1

Spy Mission Recorder, Retsy card 0245 in the Misprint finish — **Misprint**1 copy · 1 of 1

80-TEC

More from 80s Tech & Gadgets

Spy Mission Recorder is one of 32 cards in the 80s Tech & Gadgets set. Here are the other 31.