Zippo Lighter Identification Codes

As with many collectibles, the date a Zippo Lighter was manufactured frequently affects its value. Date coding information found on the bottom of every Zippo lighter can help you determine its date of manufacture, and it authenticity. Most lighters fabricated between 1933 and 1957 can be identified by style and model and the patent marks.

Beginning in the mid 1950s, date codes, for all Zippo lighter were stamped on the bottom. The original purpose was for quality control, however, the date codes have since become a useful tool for Zippo collectors. The appearance of the word“Zippo” as part of the bottom stamp provides one clue to dating. There have been three major changes. From 1933 to the mid 1950s the word Zippo was stamped in block letters. The Zippo script logo was developed in the late 1940s and was phased-in on the lighter bottom stamp around 1955. In the late 1970s the logo was redesigned. It was incorporated into the bottom stamp in 1980.

Below is a chart illustrating the Zippo date codes.

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 printed in error, it should have been Patent 2032695.) c.1949-c.1957 Patent 2517191 with patent pending According to Zippo, There is an overlap of bottom stamp configurations from 1949-1957. Some Zippo lighters produced from 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 An error was made in the date coding. 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: // /. 1980 / / 1981 / 1982 \\\\ \\\\ 1983 \\\\ \\\ 1984 \\\ \\\ 1985 \\\ \\ 1986 \\ \\

Effective 7/1/1986 the above system was replaced by year/lot code. Year is noted with Roman Numeral designation, the letter on the left designates lot month (A=Jan.,B=Feb., etc.)

Year Regular & Slim Lighters Left Side Regular & Slim Lighters Right Side 1986 Gto L II 1987 Ato L III 1988 Ato L IV 1989 Ato L V 1990 Ato L VI 1991 Ato L VII 1992 Ato L VIII 1993 Ato L IX 1994 Ato L X 1995 Ato L XI 1996 Ato L XII 1997 Ato L XIII 1998 Ato L XIV 1999 Ato L XV 2000 Ato L XVI

Year	Regular and Slim Lighters Left Side	Regular and Slim Lighters Right Side	Zippo Multi-Purpose Lighter
			Left Side	Right Side
2001	A to L	01
2002	A to L	02	D to L	02
2003	A to L	03	A to L	03
2004	A to L	04	A to L	04
2005	A to L	05	A to L	05
2006	A to L	06	A to L	06
2007	A to L	07	A to L	07
2008	A to L	08	A to L	08
2009	A to L	09	A to L	09
2010	A to L	10	A to L	10