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Bottoms Up!
Zippo Lighter Identification Codes
As the style of Zippo lighters has changed over the years, so has the design of the Zippo logo that is engraved on the bottom of each lighter.
Since the late 50's, the bottom of every Zippo lighter has featured a series symbols which serve as code marks. When matched to the manufacturer's coding chart below, you can determine what year the lighters were produced. Here are some representative samples:
Year |
Regular Lighter
Left Side |
Regular Lighter
Right Side |
Slim Lighter
Left Side |
Slim Lighter
Right Side |
| 1933 |
Patent Pending |
|
|
| 1937 |
Patent 2032695 |
|
|
| 1942-1946 |
Black Crackle, Patent 203695
(This number was stamped in error, it should have been
Patent 2032695.)
|
|
|
| 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 |
| | |
| |
| | |
| |
| 1972 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| 1973 |
| |
|
| |
|
| 1974 |
//// |
//// |
//// |
//// |
| 1975 |
//// |
/// |
//// |
/// |
| 1976 |
/// |
/// |
/// |
/// |
| 1977 |
/// |
// |
/// |
// |
| 1978 |
// |
// |
// |
// |
| 1979 |
/ |
// |
// |
/ |
| 1980 |
/ |
/ |
/ |
/ |
| 1981 |
/ |
|
/ |
|
| 1982 |
\\\\ |
\\\\ |
\\\\ |
\\\\ |
| 1983 |
\\\\ |
\\\ |
\\\\ |
\\\ |
| 1984 |
\\\ |
\\\ |
\\\ |
\\\ |
| 1985 |
\\\ |
\\ |
\\\ |
\\ |
| 1986 |
\\ |
\\ |
\\ |
\\ |
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.)
Year |
Regular
and Slim
Lighters
Left Side |
Regular
and Slim
Lighters
Right Side |
|
| 1986 |
G to L |
II |
|
| 1987 |
A to L |
III |
|
| 1988 |
A to L |
IV |
|
| 1989 |
A to L |
V |
|
| 1990 |
A to L |
VI |
|
| 1991 |
A to L |
VII |
|
| 1992 |
A to L |
VIII |
|
| 1993 |
A to L |
IX |
|
| 1994 |
A to L |
X |
|
| 1995 |
A to L |
XI |
|
| 1996 |
A to L |
XII |
|
| 1997 |
A to L |
XIII |
|
| 1998 |
A to L |
XIV |
|
| 1999 |
A to L |
XV |
|
| 2000 |
A to L |
XVI |
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