CHANEL: Guide to Understanding the Chanel Serial Numbers

A Little Chanel History

Chanel is a luxury French fashion house that was founded by Gabrielle Chanel in 1910, but it wasn’t until the mid 1980’s when their date code system was established and began appearing inside their bags. The location of these date codes may vary but the majority of them appear right on the lining of the bags. 

Importance

The date codes or serial numbers, as some may call them are important to understand for two main reasons. First, among other aspects, the serial code is an important feature of the bags when one is trying to confirm the authenticity of a Chanel purse. Second, and this is more important if you are in the market for a pre-loved bag, the serial number tells you the year in which the bag was manufactured. This crucial bit of information helps you manage your expectations in regard to the condition of a second-hand Chanel bag relative to its age.   

Details of Serial Codes

• The serial code is a unique identifier for each handbag and also corresponds to the actual authentication card that comes with it. 
• Although the date codes can be between 7 to 8 digits long, authenticators and resellers usually refer to the bags’ age by the first 2 digits of the serial code. For example: a “23 series” bag was manufactured in 2017.
• The number can be referred to as: authentication code, serial code, or date code
• The placement of these serial numbers vary by style of bag or small leather goods, but they are typically tucked someplace where it isn’t easily seen unless you intend to look for it.
• Among other aspects of each bag, authenticators look at the font of the serial code, whether a line crosses the sticker, and the composition of the CC logo and other visual elements of the stickers. 
• After 31 series, Chanel introduced the NFC chip in their bags in place of the serial code stickers, although Chanel continued to use 32 series sticker, mostly on small leather goods.
• At this time it is not known for certain if the serial numbers on stickers will be discontinued and be completely replaced by NFC chips or if we will see more serial stickers in the future. 

To give you an idea of what some of the differences have been between the stickers over the years, please keep  reading.

Quick Reference Chanel Serial Codes Chart:

Series 32XXXXXX and the NFC Chip - (Year 2021 until present)

• The 32 series sticker can mostly be found on SLGs (small leather goods) and a select number of bags
• However, the majority of handbags from Chanel now feature an NFC Chip in place of a serial sticker
• Small Leather Goods (SLG) has a sticker with the serial code instead of the NFC chip, possibly due to lack of space

Series 23XXXXXX to 31XXXXXX - (Years 2017 until 2021)

• 8 digits long
• The 0’s have strikes through them
• 1’s  have serifs/feet
• Two Chanel logos above the serial code
• Code is printed on white sticker covered with a transparent tape which has light iridescent spots in blue and gold, and a dark vertical line running down the left side
• An X is cut into the sticker

Series 10XXXXXX to 22XXXXXX (Year 2005-2017)

• 8 digits long
• The 0’s have strikes through them
• 1’s have serifs/feet
• Two Chanel logos above the serial code
• Code is printed on white sticker covered with a transparent tape with light iridescent spots which has “CHANEL” printed vertically on the right side and a dark vertical line running down the left side
• An X is cut into the sticker

Series 6XXXXXX to 9XXXXXX (Years 2000 until 2005)

• 7 digits long
• The 0’s have strikes through them
• 1’s have serifs/feet
• Two Chanel logos above the serial code
• Code is printed on white sticker covered with a transparent tape with light iridescent spots which has “CHANEL” printed vertically on the right side and a dark vertical line running down the left side
• An X is cut into the sticker

Series 5XXXXXX (Years 1997 until 1999)

• 7 digits long
• Code is printed on a white sticker with numerous Chanel logos
• Codes beginning with 57, 58, and 59 there may be 2 Chanel logos above the serial code. 
• The 0’s have strikes through them for serial numbers beginning with 50, 51, 57, and 59.
• The 0’s have no strike through them for serial numbers beginning with 52, 53, 54, 55, and 56. 
• The 1’s have small serifs/feet for serial numbers beginning with 57, 58, and 59

Series 3XXXXXX to 4XXXXXX (Years 1994 until 1997)

• 7 digits long 
• Code is printed on a white sticker with numerous Chanel logos, covered with an opaque layer
• The 0’s have strikes through them
• The 1’s are sans-serif/no feet

Series 2XXXXXX (Years 1991until 1994)

• 7 digits long
• Code is printed on a white sticker with numerous Chanel logos, covered with an opaque layer
• The 0’s have strikes through them for serial codes starting with 28 and 29
• The 1’s have serifs/feet

Series 0XXXXXX to 1XXXXXX (Years 1989 until 1991)

• 7 digits long
• Code is printed on a white sticker with numerous Chanel logos, covered with an opaque layer
• Left side of the sticker is cut out
• The 0’s have no strikes through them
• The 1’s have serifs/feet

Series XXXXXX (Years 1986 until 1988)

• 6 digits long, beginning with 1 or 2
• The stickers were slightly larger than their later counterparts