Dating my Chanel bag: The simple and effective guide

To own a Chanel bag is to own a true piece of fashion history.

But how do you know if your precious bag comes from the 80s, 90s or if it is a more recent model? Whether you are a collector, a vintage lover or simply curious to know the age of your treasure, there are several ways to date a Chanel bag accurately .

Here are some tips to help you locate its manufacturing period!

The serial number

The serial number is the first step in dating a Chanel bag, it is found inside the bag on a small sticker label .

Chanel introduced serial numbers in the mid-80s, so you won't find serial numbers on bags produced before 1986 .

Every bag produced after the mid-80s has this unique number that allows you to place it in time.

Here are some key milestones:

• 1986 - 1991 : Serial numbers are 7 digits long, usually starting with 0.

Note that some of these early Chanel serial numbers sometimes only had 6 digits, often starting with 1 or 2 directly, without the initial zero.

• 1991 - 2005 : The series goes to 7 digits, but without this "0" at the beginning.
• 2005 - 2021 : The numbers are now 8 digits, which allows Chanel to keep up with growing production and combat counterfeiting.
• 2021 and beyond : Chanel introduced an RFID chip to replace the traditional sticker, making dating by number more difficult, but ensuring enhanced traceability.

In this example, the serial number 1215447 places the year of manufacture between 1989 – 1991.

In this example, the serial number 4232329 places the year of manufacture in 1996 – 1997.

If you have access to your bag's serial number, you can use the table below to determine its manufacturing date.

Serial number model	Year of manufacture
0XXXXXX – 1XXXXX – 2XXXXX	1986 – 1988
1XXXXXX	1989 – 1991
2XXXXXX	1991 – 1994
3XXXXXX	1994 – 1996
4XXXXXX	1996 – 1997
5XXXXXX	1997 – 1999
6XXXXXX	2000 – 2002
7XXXXXX	2002 – 2003
8XXXXXX	2003 – 2004
9XXXXXX	2004 – 2005
10XXXXXX	2005 – 2006
11XXXXXX	2006 – 2008
12XXXXXX	2008 – 2009
13XXXXXX	2009 – 2010
14XXXXXX	2010 – 2011
15XXXXXX	2011
16XXXXXX	2012
17XXXXXX	2012 – 2013
18XXXXXX	2013 – 2014
19XXXXXX	2014
20XXXXXX	2014 – 2015
21XXXXXX	2015 – 2016
22XXXXXX	2016 – 2017
23XXXXXX	2017
24XXXXXX	2017 – 2018
25XXXXXX	2018
26XXXXXX	2018 – 2019
27XXXXXX – 28XXXXXX – 29XXXXXX	2019
30XXXXXX	2020

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If your Chanel bag does not have a serial number, this could be for two reasons:

1- It was manufactured before 1986: the year in which Chanel introduced the use of serial numbers.

2- The self-adhesive label showing the serial number has peeled off over time.*

* Often, although the sticker label with the serial number has peeled off, you can guess where it was located due to a trace of glue residue; or the sticker has partially detached, preventing the serial number from being read.

In this second case where the self-adhesive label has come off completely or partially, you can follow the other tips below to determine its year or at least its period of manufacture:

 

The Chanel authenticity card

You may have the Chanel bag authenticity card , although the serial number sticker label is peeled off or illegible.

This Chanel authenticity card shows the serial number of the bag, so you can read the serial number of the bag directly on it and refer to the table above to find out its year.

In this example, the serial number 4919308 places the year of manufacture between 1996 – 1997.

In conclusion, several situations are possible:

• Your Chanel bag never had a sticker label showing the serial number, nor a card: its year of manufacture is before 1986.

• Your Chanel bag no longer has its serial number sticker because it is illegible or has completely peeled off over time, but you still have its Chanel authenticity card showing the serial number, allowing you to determine its year of manufacture.

• Conversely, you may have misplaced the Chanel authenticity card for your bag but there is still the serial number sticker label inside allowing you to determine its year of manufacture.

• Best case scenario: the bag has both its Chanel authenticity card and its serial number sticker (whose numbers match).

• Worst case scenario: You've misplaced the bag's Chanel authenticity card and its serial number sticker is illegible or peeled off.

So, in this last case where you have neither the Chanel authenticity card of the bag, nor its serial number sticker label, it is no longer possible for you alone to determine the exact date of manufacture of the bag without calling on an expert of this brand or directly the house of Chanel.

However, you can follow the other tips below to determine its manufacturing period instead.

24 carat gold plated

Using the 24 carat gold plated marker is a good indicator to date your Chanel bag.

If you own a Chanel bag from before 2009, then chances are its hardware is plated with 24k gold, a rare and luxurious feature that the brand no longer uses today.

In this example, we recognize 24k gold-plated jewelry by the presence of a hallmark on it.

Since late 2008, Chanel has opted for high-quality gold-plated metal finishes, but without pure gold, making vintage pieces plated in 24k gold particularly sought-after and valuable to collectors .

View our collection of vintage Chanel bags in 24k gold plate

The model of the bag and its characteristics

Some Chanel bag styles are emblematic of an era. The classic Timeless 2.55 model, launched in 1955, has of course stood the test of time, but its design has been reinterpreted several times over the decades.

Additionally, some limited editions or collaborations can give you clues about the year your bag was made.

For example, the Boy model, introduced in 2011, is a clear indicator that your bag comes from the last decade. Likewise, details like floral patterns or specific prints can be linked to certain seasonal collections.

Wear on leather and chains: a signature of time

The leather of a Chanel bag can also tell you a lot about its age. Older models, especially those made of lambskin or tweed, tend to show specific signs of wear . If the leather has a natural patina, it’s usually a good indicator that your bag has decades of history behind it. Likewise, the house’s signature intertwined leather and metal chains can also give away their age: Older gold-tone metal chains and CC logos were plated with 24-karat gold, giving them a unique sheen .

Call an expert or a certificate of authenticity

Finally, if you are still unsure about the age of your bag or would like to get an accurate assessment, don't hesitate to consult an expert. Auction houses, boutiques specializing in second-hand luxury goods, or even Chanel itself can help you date and authenticate your bag as accurately as possible.