"How old is my Louis Vuitton bag?"

This is a question we get asked a lot. A great question, since all of our items are vintage and some of them have a quite some history! Luckily we are most of the time able to tell you when and where a Louis Vuitton bag was made thanks to the so called “date code”.

Photo: collectorscage.com

What is a date code?

Instead of serial numbers to identify items, Louis Vuitton uses date codes. This code isn’t unique to an item, it’s rather used to recognize the manufacturing date and place of the item. Checking the date code in a Louis Vuitton item can help with the authentication. Unfortunately, the code is no guarantee that the bag is real since a lot of counterfeit items have a (fake) date code as well.

However, it is still an important factor and you should always check if the country code of the date code matches the :“made-in” stamp, inside of the bag (if this is not the case, the item is definitely fake.) Authentic Louis Vuitton items always have a date code set in a font specific to Louis Vuitton.

There are many lovely boutiques where you can find vintage Louis Vuitton treasures. Personally we love to see the amazing collection from Collectors Cage where they have the perfect mix between classic and unique items. The items can be seen online and instore in Copenhagen! AH! 

Do all Louis Vuitton items have date codes?

No, not every Louis Vuitton item has a data code. Louis Vuitton had started adding date codes to items from 1982, but recently they stopped doing so. Nowadays, Louis Vuitton adds data chips to its items to make it easier to check authenticity, for repairs and to check the date the item was manufactured. Sometimes items have neither a date code nor a chip, this can be due to various reasons: sometimes it happens with older items (mainly those with alcantara linings) that the date code is faded away, with them sometimes being completely gone. This happens when the bag is heavily used. And items made before 1982 will not have a date code either.  

Where to find the date code?

The date code is commonly stamped on interior linings or tags inside of each Louis Vuitton item. Finding the code might be hard sometimes, since they are in different places for different items. The most common places for the date code to be located are:

• On a leather tab that is stitched into the lining of the bag.
• On a leather tab stitched into a pocket.
• On the exterior leather strap, most likely close to a hinge.
• Engraved onto the fabric of the bag (often along a side seam)
• Wallets: On the inner edge of the notes compartment
• Agenda’s: Under the flap closest to the seam.
  
  

How to read the date code on your Louis Vuitton bag

Most Louis Vuitton date codes consist of two letters combined with four numbers. The letters show where the item was made, and the numbers show when the item was made. The combination of these letters and numbers have changed several times over the years.

Before 1982
There was no use of date codes before 1982.

1982 – mid 1980s
Louis Vuitton started using 3- or 4-digit codes to indicate the year and month in which the item was manufactured. The first two numbers show the year, and the last one or two numbers show the month.

Mid – Late 1980s
In the mid-80s, Louis Vuitton started using letters in the date codes. These letters corresponded with the factory where the specific item was made. The first to numbers show year, the last one or two numbers show the month. Followed with two letters representing the country of manufacturing.

Early 1990s – 2006
The date code system was changed again in the 90s. These codes still exist out of two letters and four numbers. However, the letters, representing the country, were moved to the front of the code. With the first and the third number indicating the month, and the second and fourth number indicating the year of manufacturing.

2007 – 2020 February
The format of the four-digit numbering system was changed again in 2007. Instead of the month in which an item is manufactured, the date code now represents the week. These codes start with two numbers representing the country, followed by four numbers. The first and third number indicate the week, and the second and fourth number indicate the year.

March 2021 – Present 
As of March 2021, the Louis Vuitton bags and leather goods have a microchip in the lining of the bag. The date code is in the past. The chip in the bag is invisible. The main reason of the microchip is to tackle the replica market. The chip indicates in which country the bag was produced and when. In addition, the chip provides more information such as when the bag was sold, where the bag was sold and other general information about the bag. Only Louis Vuitton employees can scan the microchip. We may be able to do this ourselves in the future.

In which country was your Louis Vuitton item made?

If your Louis Vuitton item was made in the mid-1980s or later, then the date code includes two letters. These letters correspond with a country in which your item was manufactured, and is named the “Country Code”.

You can use the chart below to check which letters correspond with which country:

*Please note that Louis Vuitton releases new country codes over time. It is possible that there are newer letter combinations released after this blog was posted.

Want to quickly check your date code without trying to decipher the code yourself? Check out this Louis Vuitton product code authenticator.

With love, Jessica