Do Louis Vuitton Bags Have Serial Numbers? - Located Checker Guide

Source: DHgate, Tag: Fashion & Beauty

Do Louis Vuitton bags have serial numbers? Find out if you can track the popular high-brand luxury bag with serial number tracking.

• People have always considered Serial numbers to be of great help when it comes to verifying the authenticity of items, including luxury bags. Interestingly Louis Vuitton, one of the world’s most dominant fashion brands, does not necessarily use any serial numbers on its handbags.
  Instead, Louis Vuitton uses date codes. When looking at a date code, one can easily confuse it with a serial number. This is because a date code and a serial number both often look similar. No wonder the question like do Louis Vuitton bags have serial numbers is a common one. The major difference is that a serial number is usually unique to a particular item whereas there is no date code that is unique to a piece of item.

• 1. This also explains why multiple LV products can sometimes have a similar date code. It shows that the items were all manufactured in the same firm. So, essentially, date codes on any item indicate when and where it was manufactured.
     Louis Vuitton has historically included date codes with their bags and most of their other items. The company started including date codes in the early 1980s. Over the years, their date code system has greatly changed or evolved so to speak. On their older bags, the date codes feature numbers only. This is not the case with their new items where the date code system comprises both numbers and letters. The numbers refer to the year and months of the bag’s manufacturing while the letter corresponds to the country and location in which the bag was manufactured.
     Learning about the history of a Louis Vuitton bag is possible by just looking at its date code. The date code is usually the key to discovering where and when a handbag was made. Serial numbers are also an important aspect that one looks at when trying to tell if the bag is real or otherwise. Verifying a bag’s date code is a helpful way to find out if a piece is authentic. Compared to other popular brands, LV bags do not have authenticity cards. Instead, they have the date codes.
     This write-up is a great guide for anyone who wants to know more about the date codes of Louis Vuitton.
     Louis Vuitton Date and Country Code Explained
     Just like we have already mentioned, Louis Vuitton handbags have no serial numbers. What they have is known as date codes. It is the date codes that some people confuse for lv serial numbers. Before we go into details, it is important to remind you that all modern LV items, including hags, come with date codes. The date code stamp can be hidden somewhere on the bag’s exterior. The stamp can also be directly on the interior linings of the bag, or on interior tags.
     The date codes on the bags serve to pinpoint the date and the manufacturing location. It does not necessarily verify the authenticity of the item.
     The date codes on the items are usually a combination of numbers and letters. The numbers point to the year/month of the manufacturing date while the letters point to the country where the piece was produced.
     Louis Vuitton started including date codes on its items in the 1980s. Therefore, all the pre-1980 items of the brand don’t have the codes. In some instances, you might not find the date codes on an old material because they have already faded out.
     Another important point to note about date codes is that they are not usually unique serial numbers. This means that you will find the same codes on multiple bags that were produced in the same manufacturing firm at the same time. This is why using date codes to authenticate if the item is real is not a reliable way. The date or country code doesn’t guarantee an item’s authenticity because it can also be faked easily. However, they are usually the best way to accurately tell when and where your handbag was originally made.
     For example, 20 Pochette Metis handbags may have been created in the LV workshop in Paris during the 34th week of August 2017. All those 20 Pochette Metis handbags would be given the same date code – FL3147. The code would be found on some small leather tag, which is likely to be on the bag’s back zip pocket. Dissected, this date code indicates that the item has been made in France by the letters FL. The 1st and 3rd numbers – 34 – indicate the week of the month, while 17, which is the 2nd and last number on the code indicate the year of production, which is 2017.
     If the code printed on a handbag is ‘AR1108’, it can be dissected this way: AR shows that the bag was manufactured at a Louis Vuitton factory in France. The numbers indicate that the item was manufactured in 2018 during the 10th week.
     Louis Vuitton Factories and Serial Codes
     To track where an LV bag is originating from, you will need to track two letters. There are usually many exceptions to the country codes that can sometimes confuse a beginner leading to a mistake when trying to identify a fake LV date code. This is not the case with the date that indicates the bag’s origin. The list given below includes countries and the codes that represent them. If applicable, each code will always match the stamp – “manufactured in XYZ country” – that appears anywhere in LV bags.
     Germany: OL, LP
     France: A0, AH, AAS, ET, AA, A2, A1, AR, VX, AS, AN, SR, BU, BA, SL, BJ, DR, DT, CX, DU, CT, FL, LW, TS, MI, MB, RA, NO, RI, SA, CO, SD, SF, SP, SN, TJ, TA, TH, TR, TN, VI
     USA: FH, FC, OS, LA, SD, TX, EL
     Spain: BC, UB, GI, LW, LM, LB, LO, CA
     Italy: MA, BO, NZ, BC, CE, RC, FO, TD, SA, RE, PL, OB, MA
     Switzerland: FA, DI
     As expected, there are some exceptions to the serial codes listed above. For example, SD is a code used to represent a factory in Franc or USA. The code SD would either represent San Dimas, (a city in California), or France depending on what year the product was made. Handbags made after 1995 have the SD code with a stamp for the USA. Some people may confuse CA for representing San Dimas or California but this is not the case. It represents Spain.
     So, do Louis Vuitton bags have serial numbers? Well, up to now, you must be aware that there is nothing like lv bag serial numbers, but date codes.

• Where to Find the Serial / Date Code on an LV Bag?
  Date codes should not be easy to find in a Louis Vuitton handbag. With the knowledge of where the codes are located on different types of styles, you will easily find them. The date codes on the bags will usually be found on one of the locations listed below:

  • Underneath the bag’s hanging pocket (for Neverfull and Speedy bag styles)

  • On an exterior leather strap near the brass hinge

  • Directly stamped on the bag’s fabric, usually along with a side layer

  • On the leather tab that has been sewed into the bag’s lining. The code will be stamped into that leather tab

  • Sometimes, the leather tab on which the code is stamped may be located in the pocket. Just open the pockets and try to feel if the leather tab is there.

  • For the wallets, the date code is embossed on the notes compartment’s inner edge.

• Finding Date Code on the Most Popular LV Handbags
  Neverfull BagFor these handbags, the date codes are printed inside. The code is embossed on the leather tab on the internal zipped pocket that is located on the right side.

  • Speedy Bag

• The date code on the Speedy bag is usually located inside, particularly in the internal pocket. The code is embossed on the leather tab.

  • Palm Springs Mini Backpack

• For this backpack, you will have the serial code inside it. Touch the inside of the interior pocket, which is located on the back, and find a leather tab on the bag’s right-hand side. You will find the code stamped there.

  • Toiletry Pouch 26

• This Louis Vuitton bag has its serial code stamped into its leather lining. Check the side seams close to the top where the leather lining containing the code is located.

  • Pochette Metis Handbag

• The serial code for this style is found inside the zipped pocket, which is located on the right at the back.
  No More Date Codes and Serial Numbers on Louis Vuitton Bags
  Do Louis Vuitton bags have serial numbers? If you are asking this question and you are referring to a Louis Vuitton bag made after March 2021, then we have a duty to inform you that the company no longer uses date codes and serial numbers on its products.
  Louis Vuitton is replacing the date codes with microchips. The company stopped including date codes on its items in March 2021. Instead of a date code, the bags now have a microchip. The microchip is usually featured in the SLG (small leather good) / lining of the handbag.
  So, if you are purchasing an LV handbag that was made after March 2021, then you should not expect to have a serial number or date code.
  Some LV Bags Have No Codes
  Dates codes, or what other people confuse to be Louis Vuitton serial numbers may not be found in other bags. There are many reasons why this could be the case. For example, we have already mentioned that the company stopped including date codes on its bags of March 2021. This means that a bag may not have the codes because it was manufactured after this date.
  There are many other reasons why an item might not feature a date code or serial number:

  • The date code has rubbed off

• The code might have been there but it has now faded or rubbed off. This happens due to wear and tear. I stamped in gold foils, date codes can easily rub away due to wear and tear. It happens when the item has been in use for a long time or when the item is older. When stamped into the leather, especially if they are not very deep because of the heat press, the codes may not be easy to read, especially as the handbag becomes older. For example, the code on the Alcantra lining can become illegible and very hard to read or find because the material is prone to wear when heavily used.

  • Bags made prior to 1980

You will never find date codes or Louis Vuitton serial numbers on bags that were made before 1980. The company had not started including the codes on its items.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
How can I Check an LV Bag Date Code?
The date codes on Louis Vuitton bags are usually stamped on different parts depending on the bag style. Pockets near the sewing are the most typical places to find the date codes. The code may be embossed to the vachetta or the lining. It can also be embossed on the leather tag found inside.
Do Louis Vuitton Bags Have Serial Numbers?
Louis Vuitton bags do not have serial numbers printed on them. The bags made after 1980 to prior to March 2021 have date codes, but no serial numbers.
Are Bags Sold on DHgate.com Fake?
DHgate.com is a legit e-commerce site with verified suppliers of luxury bags. The site does not allow the sale of any fake items. The site is also the best place to find the cheapest luxury bags. Through DHgate, consumers and traders alike can import luxury bags from China at the lowest prices possible.
What Does It Mean When an LV Bag Has No Date Code?
It could mean that the bag was made before 1987 when the company had not started stamping date codes on their products. It could also mean that the bag was manufactured after March 2021.
Conclusion
Now, you can expertly check and find date codes on any LV bag. Also, you can now provide an informed response if someone asked a question like; do Louis Vuitton bags have serial numbers? If you would want to purchase any style of Louis Vuitton bag, DHgate.com is the best destination.