Piano roll collector Mike Montgomery once shared an interesting theory
on date codes with me.  I believe it's safe to assume that date codes
on roll labels indicate when the roll was first issued.  However, QRS
and others didn't do this just for the convenience of collectors &
researchers years later!

Mike believes that the date codes were put on the label so that the
dealers who stocked some quantity of each month's new titles would be able
to return unsold copies,  within a certain time period of this original
issue date.  Mike has spent a good deal of time reading vintage trade
journals.  I don't know if this theory was actually confirmed in print,
or if Mike was just using his (keen) deductive logic.  Anyway, it makes
sense to me.

Rob DeLand  (deland_robert@macmail1.csg.mot.com)

PS: It's nice to see Frank Himpsl on the list.  Welcome aboard, Frank!