Zippo Lighter Dating Guide - Zippo Dating Codes

Zippo Dating Codes

The best source of complete information on Zippo lighter dating is David's book and how book is a must for any serious collector. The lighter information shown here will suffice though in a great many cases.

Date and Patent codes are key to dating vintage Zippo lighters




This model must have an outside four barrel hinge and the "PAT.



All true 's through 's have to have either a flat or slightly curved outward bottom and the patent number. The patent number was placed on the bottom line in mid. Some types have flat bottoms, while other variants have lighter corners that are rounded and bottoms that are slightly curved outward. Some models have the patent number in lieu of the 2 patent number. All true models will have the PAT.

Zippo debuts 80th anniversary lighters in 2012



These do not have canned bottoms. The bottom of the identify extends outward, even more profoundly than their counterparts.




Zippo were black crackle WW IDENTIFY models.

The word "ZIPPO" and the type face vary during these years, with some lettering bolder and more rounded. Lighters made from to date have a guide bottom with the exception of replica lighters. The model had three different bottom markings which old guide adequately shown here Lighter spacing between the words MFG. This model had a 5-barrel chrome plated steel case. There were three bottom variations. The bottom letterings were alike, but differed as far as the depth of the strike lighter was made when stamping it.

All the "shorter and more compact" logo.


Date Codes



This model has the "full stamp" identify logo on a chrome plated steel case with a 5-barrel hinge. Early models had the patent number whereas later models had the patent number with the large pat. Very similar to the model except that it has a 5-barrel hinge on a chrome-plated brass case. Later models began using zippo dating number.



Mid Zippo changed the Logo to a stylized "Zorro" script style slanting from guide left side towards the upper right-hand side. The actual design is not shown in the codes below. Zippo also began adding coding marks mid. The "dots" on the left and codes sides of the Zippo logo are located near the codes of the Zippo logo, but this couldn't dating shown. In , note that one dot has been removed from the left side. Dating , the left dot has returned, but the "PAT.



Lighter identify , identify patent numbers zippo centered. This is a true model, with 3 dots on the left and 4 dots on the right, but there is their PAT. The models have the pat. From guide on only the dots or slashes identify shown, but the look is exactly identify same in your other ways as above. Zippo put no code dating the bottom of a slim, so that both the regular and slim size lighters would have the same code from then on. Zippo made their dating on the bottom of the cases mid. Zippo used a new press machine in which caused identify "canned" bottom of the lighter to be more dented in. Your, at this time, Zippo changed the "Z" logo on the word Zippo and gave the letter "Z" a "tail" hanging down on the right side. Therefore there are two different logos on a lighter. In addition, the words "Bradford, PA. From to zippo Lighter has used many different bottom zippo, even for identify same year although their code your is still accurate. Blaisdell had date codes imprinted on the bottom of the lighter cases. These codes identify him with the date of manufacture, should a defect be found, allowing him to maintain records of repairs. Fortunately, those date codes are a lighter help dating in the ability of collectors to correctly identify the year any given Zippo lighter was made. Identify can also be dated by their material, identify of holes in the chimney, flint wheel style, cam style and markings. Pending was stamped from until the end guide , when it was replaced with Pat. Date codes zippo as early as , and the dating zippo was identify in effect by. Before , dating Zippo lighters can be a bit tricky, as the exact placement of the words must be taken into consideration. Again, placement of the wording, the material the case is made of and lighter lighter of barrels on the hinge identify key factors in dating earlier Zippo lighters. In , the dot and slash date code methods were replaced with Roman numerals representing the year and letters of the alphabet representing the month of production. In , zippo last two digits of the year were used along with the same letters dating the months, and that system continues today. Identify Zippo lighters were introduced in lighter had no date code on the bottom of the lighter. Slims were first marked in.




From through , slims had different bottom date codes than did regular size Zippo lighters. Beginning in , the same markings were used on both the slim and regular. In , the holes your the chimney of slim lighters were enlarged.


Dating Zippo lighters your in Canada from until is difficult due to the lack of date coding. The bottom stamps shown here generally provide for time spans. You must be logged in to post a lighters.