Contrary to popular belief, Louis Vuitton handbags (excluding luggage and rare limited edition pieces) do not have serial numbers. Rather, Louis Vuitton handbags have “date codes” stamped either on interior tags or directly on the interior linings. These date codes simply serve to identify the manufacturing location and date for a Louis Vuitton handbag, not to verify it’s authenticity. With the exception of early handbags (early 1980s and older), date codes can be found on all Louis Vuitton handbags and other items made by the luxury brand (e.g. sunglasses).
Most date codes are a combination of letters and numbers. The letters indicated the country in which the item was made while the numbers indicate the month/year of the production date. The format of the date codes are as follows:
- . The “853” date code in the bag above indicates the piece was made in March, 1985. Mid to Late 1980s Date Codes: Three or Four Digits with Two Letters Louis Vuitton changed the date code system in the mid-Eighties to include letters that indicate the factory location of manufacturing.
- Louis Vuitton Toiletry Pouch 26: The date code is embossed into the leather lining of the bag, along one of the side seams near the top. Louis Vuitton Toiletry Pouch 26 Authentic Serial Date Code ( SA1109 = Made in France on the 10th week of 2019 ).
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- Prior to early 1980s. No date codes.
- Early 1980s. Three or four numbers with the first two numbers representing the year and last number(s) representing the month. E.g. “836” would indicate a manufacturing date of June, 1983.
- Early to late 1980s. Three or four numbers followed by two letters with the first two numbers representing the year, the next number(s) representing the month and the last two letters representing the country (see right sidebar for factory location codes). E.g. “874VX” would indicate a manufacturing date of May, 1987 and factory location in France. Late in the 1980s, the letters representing the factory location came before the three or four numbers representing the manufacturing date.
- 1990 to 2006. Two letters followed by four numbers with the first two letters representing the factory location, the first and third numbers representing the month and the second and forth numbers representing the year. For example, “VI1025” would indicate a factory location in France and a manufacturing date of December, 2005.
- 2007 and newer. Two letters followed by four numbers with the first two letters representing the factory location, the first and third numbers representing the week of the year, and the second and forth numbers representing the year. For example, “SD2057” would indicate a factory location of USA and a manufacturing date of the 25 week (or May) of 2007
Jan 16, 2014 The following is a guide to authenticate Louis Vuitton bags by reading and finding date codes and tags that appear on the interior of the bag. Location of codes can sometimes be a task in itself. Lektro ap8600 manual pdf. Codes will typically contain 6 digits: 2 digits for Country and 4 digits for date (note only in ’80s does this differ see below). Mar 23, 2017 Louis Vuitton Neverfull Date Code Like all Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories, the Neverfull has a date code, which indicates the month, year and location where the bag was made. Starting in 2007 (the year the Neverfull was released), the second and fourth digits of all codes correspond to the production year, while the first and third.
Keep in mind that the fact that an item has a date code does not guarantee that it’s authentic since many counterfeit items have date codes. A valid and properly stamped date code is just one of many parameters that are checked to guarantee the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton handbag.
Authentic Handbags with No Date Code?
Authentic Louis Vuitton handbags with alcantara linings may have date codes that are very hard to read or have disappeared altogether. This is sometimes the case for older bags or if the bags have had their linings cleaned.
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Louis Vuitton Factory Location CodesNote this is not a complete list. | |
France | A0, A1, A2, AA, AAS (Special Order), AH, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, BU, DR, DU, DR, DT, CO, CT, CX, ET, FL, LW, MB, MI, NO, RA, RI, SD, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TJ, TH, TR, TS, VI, VX |
Germany | LP, OL |
Italy | BC, BO, CE, FO, MA, OB, RC, RE, SA, TD |
Spain | CA, LO, LB, LM, LW, GI |
Switzerland | DI, FA |
USA | FC, FH, LA, OS, SD, FL |
Louis Vuitton starting using product codes in the early 1980's. Use this page to figure out where and when your bag was made!
Notice: When buying bags on the secondhand market, make sure the details provided by the seller match the details of the date code. Checking the date code is one way to determine if a bag is fake, however this is not the only method. While this is a good start, seek the opinion of a professional when in doubt. This site does not guarantee accuracy of results.
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*If you see Factory Code 'AAS', this is a special order and not included in the calculator.