The Era for Pocket Radio Build Quality

[compucat]

I have a 1961 Silvertone Medalist seven transistor that has good thick plastic on the case. When I got it, it had been neglected for a while but was obviously a quality radio as it restored beautifully and the cabinet is still in great shape. Thick plastic seems to be the key. I have a new Eton E10 shortwave portable that is very solid partly because of the thickness of the plastic.

The weak point on the early pocket sets seems to be the corners and the little tabs that hold the back on. But I have only seen this kind of damage on sets that look like they were dropped or pried open with a crowbar. Incidentally, I never open a radio with a coin or anything else for that matter. I hate chewed up "coin slots".