Hot water tank age?

What do you think the age of this RHEEM hot water tank is? 1978?

PICT0775 (Small).JPG

Rheem/RUUD is typically MMYY, so I guess 1978 is plausible if the first digit was dropped…

Correct. July 1978. The last five digits represent the consecutive manufacture number for that model.

Why is it still there? Its as old as me

Have we tossed you out?
Besides it isn’t as wet behind the ears as you lol