Louis Vuitton and Chanel: Date Codes, Serials and Microchips

Louis Vuitton and Chanel both mark their leather goods so that the house can trace them. For decades those marks were visible: a date code stamped inside a Louis Vuitton bag, a serial sticker and matching card for Chanel. Since 2021 both houses have moved to embedded microchips that the owner cannot read. Anyone buying pre-owned pieces needs to understand both systems, because the market now holds bags from every era.

This guide explains how each house's markings work, what they can and cannot tell you, and how to use them when buying in Japan, where a great many fine examples of both houses survive.

Louis Vuitton date codes

Louis Vuitton's date code is a short combination of letters and numbers, usually stamped on a small leather tab or on the lining inside a pocket. It is not a serial number: many bags share the same code. It records where and when the piece was made.

Before the early 1980s

Older pieces often carry no date code at all. Their age is read from construction, materials, hardware and the style of the heat stamp.

Early to late 1980s

Codes of three or four digits appear, combining the year and the month. A code such as 832, for example, indicates February 1983. Towards the end of the decade letters identifying the factory were added.

1990 to 2006

The code takes the form of two letters followed by four numbers. The letters identify the country and workshop of manufacture. The numbers interleave the month and the year: the first and third digits give the month, the second and fourth the year. VI1025, for example, means a bag made in France in December 2005.

2007 to early 2021

The format stays the same, but the interleaved digits now record the week of the year instead of the month: the first and third digits give the week, the second and fourth the year.

From 2021: microchips

From around March 2021 Louis Vuitton began replacing visible date codes with microchips embedded in the piece. The chips can be read by the house but not by an owner's phone in any way that confirms authenticity, so for recent pieces a buyer relies on the object itself and its documentation.

Chanel serial stickers and cards

Chanel took a different approach. From 1984, every bag carried its own serial number on a sticker inside the bag, matched by a separate authenticity card with the same number. Over the years the sticker went through several designs, later incorporating holographic features, and the serial numbers grew longer. Collectors use the number's length and first digits to estimate the period of manufacture.

In 2021 Chanel replaced the sticker and card with an embedded microchip. Bags from the 21A collection onwards are chipped, and the last sticker serials are generally associated with eight-digit numbers beginning with 31 or 32.

What the marks can and cannot tell you

• They help to date a piece. Date codes and serial ranges place a bag in a period, which can then be checked against its materials, hardware and design.
• They help to check consistency. A code that does not fit the model's years of production, or a Chanel serial that does not match its card, is a reason to look harder.
• They cannot prove authenticity. Codes and stickers can be copied. A genuine piece can also have a worn code or a missing sticker. Authenticity depends on the whole object.
• Missing items affect value. For Chanel especially, a bag with its sticker and matching card is worth more than one without.

Buying in Japan

Japan's resale trade records these details carefully. A good Japanese description will state the date code or serial, list the accessories present, such as the box, dust bag, card and receipt, and grade the condition on the familiar scale explained in our guide to Japanese condition ranks. Look for photographs of the code or sticker alongside the heat stamp, hardware and interior.

Every Louis Vuitton and Chanel piece we offer is examined in Japan, with its code or serial recorded where present, and covered by our authenticity guarantee. Browse Louis Vuitton and CHANEL.

Questions collectors ask

Does every Louis Vuitton bag have a date code?

Most made between the early 1980s and 2021 do, though some small items and very old pieces do not, and codes can wear away. Pieces from 2021 onwards usually carry a microchip instead.

Can I read a Louis Vuitton or Chanel microchip with my phone?

Not in any way that confirms authenticity. The chips are designed for the houses' own systems.

My Chanel bag has a sticker but no card. Is that a problem?

Not necessarily for authenticity, as cards are often lost, but it can reduce value. The sticker, the bag and its details should all be consistent.

Is a bag without a code or sticker fake?

No. Codes wear and stickers peel. The decision rests on an examination of the whole piece by someone with experience.

Can you find a specific model and year?

Yes. Our Hunting Salon™ searches Japan for particular models, materials and periods.

Continue reading

• Hermès Date Stamps Explained: the letter inside the bag.
• Japanese Condition Ranks Explained.
• Antique Louis Vuitton Trunks: a collector's guide.
• Why Japan Is the World's Finest Market for Pre-owned Luxury.
• The Japan Luxury Archive.