Catalogs Archive
Date Code Decoder
Find the exact year and month your Zippo was made. Look at the bottom of the case for a letter + Roman numeral (modern, 1986+) or slashes/dots (vintage).
Type the bottom stamp exactly as you see it. Example: B XV, H XXIV, L XXXVI
Modern System (mid-1986 — present)
Since the second half of 1986, every Zippo windproof lighter carries a two-part date code on the bottom of the case:
- Letter (A–L) — month of manufacture: A = January, B = February, … L = December
- Roman numeral — year, counted from 1984: II = 1986, III = 1987, IV = 1988, … XLII = 2026
Example: B XV → B = February, XV = 15 → 1984 + 15 = February 1999.
Year → Roman numeral reference
II= 1986
III= 1987
IV= 1988
V= 1989
VI= 1990
VII= 1991
VIII= 1992
IX= 1993
X= 1994
XI= 1995
XII= 1996
XIII= 1997
XIV= 1998
XV= 1999
XVI= 2000
XVII= 2001
XVIII= 2002
XIX= 2003
XX= 2004
XXI= 2005
XXII= 2006
XXIII= 2007
XXIV= 2008
XXV= 2009
XXVI= 2010
XXVII= 2011
XXVIII= 2012
XXIX= 2013
XXX= 2014
XXXI= 2015
XXXII= 2016
XXXIII= 2017
XXXIV= 2018
XXXV= 2019
XXXVI= 2020
XXXVII= 2021
XXXVIII= 2022
XXXIX= 2023
XL= 2024
XLI= 2025
XLII= 2026
Month letter → month
| Letter | Month | Letter | Month |
|---|
| A | January | G | July |
| B | February | H | August |
| C | March | I | September |
| D | April | J | October |
| E | May | K | November |
| F | June | L | December |
Vintage Date Codes (1933–1985)
Before mid-1986, Zippo used several different marking conventions over the decades. These are less precise than the modern system — you usually get the year, sometimes the half-year.
- 1933–1949
- No date code. Identifiable only by case style, patent number on bottom (
Pat. 2032695), and patent-pending markings. Early square-cornered cases and the original 16-hole chimney are diagnostic.
- 1950–1957
- Patent
2517191 stamped on the bottom. Sub-eras distinguished by stamp font (block vs. script) and minor case-shape changes.
- 1958–1965
- Patent
2517191 + a pattern of dots on either side of the ZIPPO bottom stamp. The number of dots decreases each year (right-side first, then left-side).
- 1966–1973
- Forward slashes replace the dots. Starting with 4 slashes on each side in 1966 and decreasing by one each year. 1973 has just one slash per side.
- 1974–1980
- Mix of slashes and dots, decreasing year over year. Identification gets complex — cross-reference case style and any patent markings.
- 1981–mid-1986
- Roman numeral only (no month letter). The number after I corresponds to the year: I = 1980 sub-era, II = 1985/86 transition, etc. Many references treat this as a less-precise predecessor of the modern system.
- mid-1986+
- The modern letter + Roman system above takes over.
Tip: Vintage Zippo identification is non-trivial — case shape, chimney style, insert markings, and bottom stamp all matter. For pre-1986 lighters, consult specialist references (Avi Baron's The Legend of the Lighter, the Zippo Click forum) or have it examined by a collector before buying.
Where to look on your Zippo
The date code is stamped on the bottom of the outer case, not on the insert. Open the lighter, lift the insert out, and turn the case upside down. You'll see (modern era):
- Line 1:
ZIPPO word mark
- Line 2:
BRADFORD, PA. (the Pennsylvania town where every Zippo is made)
- Line 3:
MADE IN U.S.A.
- Flanking the text or below it: the date code — a letter on one side, the Roman numeral on the other (or together on one side, depending on the era).
On vintage Zippos the layout varies, but the stamp is always on the case bottom — never on the insert or the lid.
About this tool
This decoder implements Zippo's official date code system as documented by Zippo Manufacturing Company. The modern formula (year = 1984 + Roman numeral) is exact for everything from mid-1986 onward. Pre-1986 codes are approximate — for serious provenance work, verify against authoritative references.
Part of Ezippo.com — the complete Zippo catalog archive.