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Identification Codes

Over the years the tough, dependable Zippo lighter has become valued as a collectible. Age is one factor used to determine the value of a Zippo lighter. But how can the age be determined? Simple. A code stamped on the bottom of every lighter reveals the month and year of manufacture. The date code stamp, originally intended to track lighters returned for repair, actually contributed to the Zippo lighter becoming a collectible. With an easy way to determine the date a lighter was produced, collectors could examine not only the style and condition of a lighter but the exact date of production. Below is a complete chart of the Zippo date codes.

Identification Codes
Year 1933 1937 1942 - 1946 Regular Lighter Left Side Right Side Slim Lighter Left Side Right Side

Patent Pending Slim lighters were first introduced Patent 2032695 in 1956, with a flat bottom Black Crackle, Patent 203695 and no date code. (This number was stamped in error, The first markings it should have been Patent 2032695) were added in 1957. c.1949 - c.1957 Patent 2517191 with patent pending Zippo records indicate an overlap of bottom stamp configurations from 1949-1957. Also, some lighters produced between 1955-57 were date coded, however, specifics remain unclear. The date coding was fully in effect by 1959. c.1951 - c.1957 Patent 2517191 1957 1958 Patent 2517191 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 |||| |||| 1967 |||| ||| 1968 ||| ||| 1969 ||| || 1970 || || 1971 || | From 1966 the code configuration 1972 | | on the slim lighters has been the same 1973 | as on the regular lighters. 1974 //// //// 1975 //// /// 1976 /// /// 1977 /// // 1978 // // 1979 // / An error was made in the date code. One of the slash marks was removed from the left of the Zippo trademark instead of being removed from the right; thus the code read: / //. This date code error was corrected within the same year to read: // /.

Identification Codes
Year 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 Regular and Slim Lighters Left Side Right Side / / \\\\ \\\\ \\\ \\\ \\ Effective 7/1/86 the above system was replaced by year/lot code. Year is noted with Roman Numeral, the letter on the left designates lot month (A=Jan., B=Feb., etc.) 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Starting early in the year 2000, lighters produced feature the Zippo logo on the left, the month code in the center, and 2000 stamped above the Roman numeral XVI. G ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI / \\\\ \\\ \\\ \\ \\

Identification Codes
For 2001 and beyond, Zippo has introduced a new, easier to interpret date code. The letters A through L on the left of the Zippo logo still represent the month of manufacture. The year of manufacture, however, is now identified by the last two numbers of that year, stamped to the right of the Zippo logo. Regular and Slim Lighters Left Side Right Side Zippo Multi-Purpose Lighter

Year

Left Side

Right Side

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L A ... L

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

The Zippo MPL was first produced in February of 2002. The MPL's manufactured in late February and March 2002 had a blank adjustment knob. The first MPL's to have a date code were those produced in April 2002 and thereafter. D ... L 02 A ... L 03 A ... L 04 A ... L 05 A ... L 06 A ... L 07 A ... L 08 A ... L 09 A ... L 10