<ARTICLE>                           5
<LEGEND>

This schedule  contains  summary  financial  information  extracted from Century
Pension  Income Fund XXIII Estate  Associates III 2000 Second Quarter 10-QSB and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to such 10-QSB filing.



<CIK>                               0000764543
<NAME>                              Century Pension Income Fund XXIII
<MULTIPLIER>                                           1,000


                                   
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                      APR-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                        JUN-30-2000
<CASH>                                                 3,294
<SECURITIES>                                               0
<RECEIVABLES>                                          1,417
<ALLOWANCES>                                               0
<INVENTORY>                                                0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           0 
<PP&E>                                                12,933
<DEPRECIATION>                                             0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                        38,658
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                      0 
<BONDS>                                               58,794
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<COMMON>                                                   0
<OTHER-SE>                                                 0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                          61,265
<SALES>                                                    0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                           0
<CGS>                                                      0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                              0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                           0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                           0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                         0
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                            0
<INCOME-TAX>                                               0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                        0
<DISCONTINUED>                                             0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                            0
<CHANGES>                                                  0
<NET-INCOME>                                               0
<EPS-BASIC>                                             0.00 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                              0


<F1> Registrant has an unclassified balance sheet. <F2> Multiplier is 1.