Chris Dee Wrote:Could you please clarify with an example?
The r usage I'm talking about, or an example of a changed/reused number?
I'll presume the latter...
70052 is a number that should have been used in 1980, and would be an assembly, from the 7xxxx numbering.
It is now a 2012-introduced part, part 47753 in Sand Yellow, with a decoration. Back in the day, its design ID would have been 8xxxx (though those were exhausted awhile ago as well) because it's decorated.
The closest numbers I have from 1980 are
70048 BUILDING INSTRUCTION, 6000
and
70067 REMOTE CONTROL FOR DECOUPLING UNIT
Have we lost anything? Well, we don't have a whole range of values before and after the '52', and of course if it had been used in LDRAW, chances are it would have been a c (combo) part because it was likely an assembly (like the remote control).
My guess is that 70052 was never a released part. The next one in line that I know of is 70147 (nearest known design IDs to that that I know of are 70098 and 70158). 70147 is ALSO a decorated 47753.
Now if parts were tracked officially in LDRAW, then item 70052 would be the part from 1980 (design ID 70052), and item 4653511 would be the part from 2012 (design ID 70052). No conflict.
I'm simplifying, but you should be able to get the gist.
-- joshua