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How to "Read" Your Zippo Lighter
Because Zippo founder George G. Blaisdell offered a lifetime guarantee on his lighters, he had the bottom of each Zippo lighter made since the mid-1950´s encoded with a series of dots and/or slashes so he could identify which run of lighters was being returned for repairs. What was a quality-control tool for Mr. Blaisdell has become a collector´s dream and a way to precisely date most Zippo lighters. Over the years, the date code format has been modified, most recently in 2001.

Most lighters fabricated between 1933 and 1957 can be identified by style and model and the patent or patent-pending marks.

The appearance of the word "Zippo" in the bottom stamp provides another clue to dating. There have been three major changes, as shown below.

World War II Zippo lighters with the black crackle finish, distributed only to the PX's for the men and women in the service, mistakenly were stamped with patent number 203695. The correct number should have been 2032695.

REGULAR LINE LIGHTERS From 1933 to the mid 50´s the Zippo was stamped in block letters.
1933	Patent Pending
1937 - c.1950	Patent 2032695
1942 - 1946	Black Crackle, Patent 203695. (This number was stamped in error, should have been Patent 2032695)
c.1950 - c.1957	Patent 2517191
c.1950 - 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 Zippo script logo was developed in the late 40´s and was phased-in on the lighter bottom stamp around 1955.
Year	Left	Right
1958	Patent Pending • • • •	• • • •
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 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 // /.

In the late 70´s the logo was redesigned. It was incorporated into the bottom stamp in 1980.
Year	Left	Right
1980	/	/
1981	/
1982	\\\\	\\\\
1983	\\\\	\\\
1984	\\\	\\\
1985	\\\	\\
1986	\\	\\

Effective July 1, 1986 the dot and slash system was replaced by year / month code. Year is noted with roman numeral; letter designates month (A=Jan., B=Feb., etc.)
Year	Left	Right
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

Beginning 2001, the Roman numerals indicating the year were replaced with numbers corresponding to the last digits of the year of manufacture as follows:
Year	Left	Right
2001	A to L	01
2002	A to L	02
2003	A to L	03
2004	A to L	04
2005	A to L	05
2006	A to L	06
2007	A to L	07
2008	A to L	08
2009	A to L	09
2010	A to L	10

SLIM LINE LIGHTERS Slim lighters were first introduced in 1956, with a flat bottom and no date code. The first markings were added in 1957 and overlapped into 1958. From 1957-1965 the code configuration on the slim lighters differed from the regular lighters. From 1966 on, the configuration has been the same.
Year	Left	Right
1957	• • • •	• • • •
1958	• • • • • • • •	• • • • • • •
1959	• • •	• • •
1960	• • •	• •
1961	• •	• •
1962	• •	•
1963	•	•
1964	•
1965
For more collecting information consult one of several books about Zippo lighters.

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