Dating Zippo Lighters is not very complicated, both pocket and table lighters that use the typical Zippo lighter insert. Just check the markings on your Zippo and try to find it in the table below.
| Year | Regular | Slim | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left | Right | Left | Right | |
| 1932 | ZIPPO MFG.
CO. BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. PENDING MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| The case is 2-7/16" tall, 1/4" taller than 1934-1936 outside hinge plate models. | ||||
| 1933 | ZIPPO MFG.
CO. BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. PENDING MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| Case is still 2-7/16" tall during the 1st quarter of
1933. Mid-1933, Zippo reduced the case to 2-3/16 inches in height. True 1933's are 2-7/16" tall. |
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| 1934 | ZIPPO MFG.
CO. BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. PENDING MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| 1935 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. PENDING MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| 1936 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| This 1936 model must have an outside four barrel hinge and
the "PAT. PENDING" logo. All true 1936's through 1941's have to have either a flat or slightly curved outward bottom and the 2032695 patent number. The 2032695 patent number was placed on the bottom line in mid-1936. |
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| 1937-41 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| Some 1936-40 types have flat bottoms, while other 1938-41
variants have both corners that are rounded and bottoms that are slightly curved outward. |
||||
| 1942 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 203695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| Some 1942 models have the 203695 patent number in lieu of the 2032695 patent number. | ||||
| 1942-45 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| All true 1943-45 models will have the 2032695 PAT. NUMBER
on a steel case. These do not have canned bottoms. The bottom of the case extends outward, even more profoundly than their 1938-1942 counterparts. These were black crackle WW II models. The word "ZIPPO" and the type face vary during these years, with some lettering bolder and more rounded. |
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| 1946-49 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| Lighters made from 1946 to date have a canned bottom with
the exception of replica lighters. 1946-49 models have a 3-barrel hinge. Spacing of the words, letters and the height of "ZIPPO" vary during this period. |
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| 1949-50 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| The 1949-50 model has the exact the same bottom markings as
the 1948-49 model, but it has a 5-barrel hinge on a chrome plated nickel/silver case. |
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| 1951 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| The 1951 model had three different bottom markings (which
cannot be adequately shown here) The spacing between the words MFG. CO. and BRADFORD vary in relation to the word ZIPPO, and at times ZIPPO is shorter in height and words are closer together. |
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| 1952-53 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| This model had a 5-barrel chrome plated steel case. There
were three bottom variations. The bottom letterings were alike, but differed as far as the depth of the strike that was made when stamping it. All the "shorter and more compact" logo. |
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| 1953 | ZIPPO MFG.
CO. BRADFORD.PA. MADE IN ZIPPO U.S.A. PAT. 2517191 Ž PAT. PEND. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| This model has the "full stamp" bottom logo on a
chrome plated steel case with a 5-barrel hinge. Early 1953 models had the 2032695 patent number whereas later models had the 2517191 patent number with the large pat. pending logo that covered most of the bottom of the lighter. In 1953 Zippo started using the registered trademark subscript, Ž, as part of the bottom logo. |
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| 1954-55 | ZIPPO MFG. CO.
BRADFORD.PA. ZIPPO PAT. 2032695 MADE IN U.S.A. |
Not Made Yet | ||
| Very similar to the 1953 model except that it has a
5-barrel hinge on a chrome-plated brass case. Later 1955 models began using the 2517191 patent number. |
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| Mid-1955 Zippo changed the Logo to a stylized
"Zorro" script style slanting from lower left side towards the upper right-hand side. The actual design is not shown in the codes below. Zippo also began adding coding marks mid-1955. The "dots" on the left and right sides of the Zippo logo are located near the top of the Zippo logo, but this couldn't be shown. |
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| 1955 | BRADFORD,
PA. .... ZIPPO Ž .... PAT. 2517191 PAT. PEND. |
.... .... | ||
| 1956 | BRADFORD,
PA. ... ZIPPO Ž .... PAT. 2517191 PAT. PEND. |
.... .... | ||
| In 1956, note that one dot has been removed from the left side. | ||||
| 1957 | BRADFORD,
PA. .... ZIPPO Ž .... PAT. 2517191 |
.... .... | ||
| For 1957, the left dot has returned, but the "PAT. PEND." logo has been removed. | ||||
| 1958 | BRADFORD,
PA. .... ZIPPO Ž .... PAT. 2517191 |
.... ... | ||
| From 1958 to 1967, the patent numbers are centered. | ||||
| 1959 | BRADFORD,
PA ... ZIPPO Ž .... PAT. 2517191 |
... ... | ||
| This is a true 1959 model, with 3 dots on the left and 4
dots on the right, but there is no PAT. PEND. on a 1959 model. The 1960-67 models have the 2517191 pat. # centered as well as having the dots or slashes depending on the year. From now on only the dots or slashes are shown, but the look is exactly the the same in all other ways as above. |
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| 1960 | ... ... | .. ... | ||
| 1961 | ... .. | .. .. | ||
| 1962 | .. .. | .. . | ||
| 1963 | .. . | . . | ||
| 1964 | . . | . | ||
| 1965 | . | |||
| Zippo put no code on the bottom of a 1965 slim, so that
both the regular and slim size lighters would have the the same code from then on. |
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| 1966 | | | | | | | | | | the same | ||
| 1967 | | | | | | | | | the same | ||
| 1968 | | | | | | | | the same | ||
| 1969 | | | | | | | the same | ||
| Zippo made two changes on the bottom of the cases
mid-1969. Zippo used a new press machine in 1969 which caused the "canned" bottom of the lighter to be more dented in. Also, at this time, Zippo changed the "Z" logo on the word Zippo and gave the letter "Z" a "tail" hanging down on the right side. Therefore there are two different logos on a 1969 lighter. |
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| 1970 | | | | | | the same | ||
| 1971 | | | | | the same | ||
| 1972 | | | | the same | ||
| 1973 | | | the same | ||
| 1974 | //// //// | the same | ||
| 1975 | //// /// | the same | ||
| 1976 | /// /// | the same | ||
| 1977 | /// // | the same | ||
| 1978 | // // | the same | ||
| 1979 | / // | the same | ||
| 1979 marked the last year Zippo used the "Zorro"
style "Z" on the word Zippo. 1980 marked the first year of the stylized "Zippo" logo were the letters "Z" and "i" are connected and a flame takes the place of the "dot" in the letter "i". In addition, the words "Bradford, PA." were moved below the word Zippo. From 1980 to date Zippo has used many different bottom logos, even for the the same year (although their code system is still accurate). |
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| 1980 | / / | the same | ||
| 1981 | / | the same | ||
| 1982 | \\\\ \\\\ | the same | ||
| 1983 | \\\\ \\\ | the same | ||
| 1984 | \\\ \\\ | the same | ||
| 1985 | \\\ \\ | the same | ||
| 1986 | \\ \\ | the same | ||
| Effective 7-1-86 the above system was replaced by a
YEAR/LOT code. Year is noted in Roman Numerals whereas Letters designate LOT month (A=Jan., B=Feb., etc.) The LOT letter designation is to the left of the word Zippo, and the Roman Numeral is to the right. |
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| 1986 | A to L II | the same | ||
| 1987 | A to L III | the same | ||
| 1988 | A to L IV | the same | ||
| 1989 | A to L V | the same | ||
| 1990 | A to L VI | the same | ||
| 1991 | A to L VII | the same | ||
| 1992 | A to L VIII | the same | ||
| 1993 | A to L IX | the same | ||
| 1994 | A to L X | the same | ||
| 1995 | A to L XI | the same | ||
| 1996 | A to L XII | the same | ||
| 1997 | A to L XIII | the same | ||
| 1998 | A to L XIV | the same | ||
| 1999 | A to L XV | the same | ||
| 2000 | A to L XVI | the same | ||
| 2001 | A to L 01 | the same | ||
| 2002 | A to L 02 | the same | ||
| 2003 | A to L 03 | the same | ||
| 2004 | A to L 04 | the same | ||
| 2005 | A to L 05 | the same | ||
| 2006 | A to L 06 | the same | ||
| 2007 | A to L 07 | the same | ||
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