Chanel Bag Tag Reference Guide - Spotted Fashion (2024)

FAQs

How do you read a Chanel bag tag? ›

For 8 digit serial numbers, the year is determined by the first two digits (i.e. 24XXXXXX corresponds to late 2017-early 2018). If your bag has a 7 digit serial number, the year of production is determined by the first digit (i.e. 6XXXXXX corresponds to 2000-2002.)

All Chanel bags after 1984 will comes with a sticker containing their unique serial number as well as a corresponding authenticity card, which usually can be found inside the bag. Gold speckles should be scattered over the number.

Inside every Chanel bag, a brand stamp is embossed directly onto the lining or an attached leather patch. The brand stamp should be the same color as the bag's hardware; a bag with gold hardware should have a gold brand stamp, and a bag with silver hardware should have a silver brand stamp.

For those who are wondering what the first 2 numbers and letter means in your Chanel bag tags, read on! The first two numbers identifies the year the bag was made. While the letter stands for the Collection that the bag came from. There are four different collection for every Chanel bag. A is the Autumn Collection.

Usually sewn beneath the logo label tag, you should be able to find another label that features the style number, size, and year it was created. For example, O4A indicates the jacket is from the 2004 Autumn collection. P stands for printemps, or spring, and C represents Cruise.

Date Your Chanel handbag:

The higher the first two digits on the serial number the newer your handbag is, for reference, serial numbers in 2020 begin with 26 (26XXXXXX). Scroll below for a chart to help date your handbag by year.

Chanel doesn't provide any services to check the codes and, as far as we know, there isn't any online Chanel serial number calculator either. However, you can still use the serial number to find out when your item was manufactured.

Chanel started using date codes in 1984. Since then, every bag comes with a sticker containing a serial number as well as a corresponding authenticity card. Date code stickers can usually be found on the inside lining and will vary depending on the year the bag was made.

The date codes, sometimes referred to as authenticity codes or serial codes, on Chanel handbags consist of serial numbers that correspond to time periods during which the bags were manufactured. For example, the most recently manufactured bags have 8-digit serial numbers beginning with “30”.

Serial numbers should not be repeated, so the same number should never be repeated for multiple bags. If you find 2 bags with the same serial number, chances are both bags will be fake. The serial sticker is only one of many checkpoints for authenticating a Chanel bag.

Does Chanel stamp their buttons? ›

Real authentic Chanel buttons

New Chanel buttons do not have stamping on the back. Vintage authentic Chanel buttons have stamping on the back. New Chanel buttons are often copied in China and very similar to the real (new) Chanel buttons. Real Chanel buttons (especially the Vintage) are looking like little jewels.

21B Burgundy - a rich Fall color that has a browner undertone than 21A Burgundy. Relatively popular online, everyone that wants a bag in this color wants it with Champagne Gold (Light Gold) Hardware.

19 perfume was first marketed in 1971. The number 19 was chosen to commemorate Coco Chanel's birthday, 19 August. The perfume was launched a year before she died. The scent was created by Henri Robert.

They also allow you to estimate the age of the bag. A serial number beginning with "19", indicating that the bag was produced in 2014. The serial number corresponds to certain time periods of manufacturing at Chanel.

Examining the stitching is one of the easier ways to spot if a vintage Chanel bag is authentic or fake. Chanel will typically use 11 stitches per quilted diamond side. This high level of craftmanship adds to the overall quality, look, and feel of the bag. In many fakes, they will use 9 or less per panel.

Shop pre-loved Chanel handbags:

Anything 20 years old or more is officially classed as vintage, so bags made from 2000 onwards tend be tagged as pre-loved instead.

Stitch Count

Count the stitches on each side. If it's less than 8, you've got a replica bag. The real deal has 8 to 12 stitches on each side of the diamond. The latest batches of Chanel bags have at least 9 stitches per side.

Seven digit serial number printed on white sticker covered with clear tape with two Chanel logos. "X" cut-lines prevent sticker from being removed without damage. "CHANEL" appears on rightright side of the sticker. Dark line appears on left side of sticker.

The “P” in 22P collection comes from the French Printemps which just means Spring. So Chanel's P collections are spring collections, Act I normally hits the boutiques in January or February.

Used as a benchmark of authenticity, these serial numbers are attached to the interiors of Chanel pieces and indicate when a piece was manufactured. Each of these numbers is unique to the bag in which it's found, and no number is repeated.

What do Chanel letters mean? ›

The letters correlate to the season: C = Cruise. P = Printemp (Spring Act 1) S = Summer (Spring Act 2) A = Autumn (Pre-Fall)

Defining the Chanel symbol

The romantic tail of the Chanel logo claims the C's actually sell for Chanel and Capel, symbolizing the love Coco and “Boy” (Chapel) shared through the years. Others say the C's were meant to represent two horse shoes to attract attention to the fashion house.

For bags, the metal plate is attached to the handbag's interior, whereas for Wallet on Chains, the metal plate can be found inside the zip pocket. The metal plate hardware matches the rest of the bag's hardware and features the classic CC logo engraved with an 8-digit serial code underneath.