Coach Handbag Serial Number Check

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  1. Coach Purse Serial Number Verification

How to Look Up the Style Number for a Coach Handbag. A serial number is a number that can be found inside your Coach purse. How to Check a Dooney & Bourke. Counterfeit Education What Is Counterfeiting? Counterfeiting is the passing off of imitation products as authentic brand-name goods. Counterfeit Coach products are typically of poor quality and lack the details that make each Coach bag high-quality. Counterfeiting has been linked to organized crime, child labor, and terrorism. Mar 22, 2013  KNOWN AND COMMON FAKE COACH SERIAL. And would never be used on ANY Coach. Any bag with this serial number is. Check Ebay for the.

I love Coach bags, period. I eat, sleep and breathe them. They are my kryptonite. I have a hard time resisting anything Coach! I have been selling Coach items on Ebay and have been doing so for over 10 years. Like I said, I am a Coachaholic! The quality of these bags are irresistible. They are fashionable, a little sassy, and at times just down right classy! And often times the best deals on authentic Coach bags are found on Ebay. Yet not all these 'authentic' bags are real. So how can you tell a real authentic Coach purse from a fake? Below I discuss five foolproof ways to determine whether a Coach purse is real.

The first way to tell if a Coach bag is real is to look for the Coach leather creed. Every Coach bag has a serial number; it's as simple as that. Inside most Coach purses is a leather patch, known as a Coach creed, which shows a serial number that corresponds to the name and type of Coach purse you are looking at.

Large to medium-sized to large size Coach bags will always have a Coach leather patch with a serial number inside the bag. Some of the smaller bags (such as top-handle bags or clutches) don't have the patch, but they will still have a serial number, and they can be verified. The serial number will be listed on the sales tag. If the sales tag for a small bag is not included in the auction or sale because the bag is pre-owned, then please take this into consideration before bidding or buying.

On a Coach creed, you should see a letter, then four numerals, then a dash, and then more numbers: five numbers for newer bags, three or four for older vintage bags (pre-1990). The last five numerals are the style of the purse. For example, a large white leather Coach Ergo bag has 12235 as its last five digits (see picture). You can take this number and type it into your search bar, either on Ebay or the Internet, with the word 'Coach' in front of it, and search it. If your search results come back with similar pictures or descriptions of Coach purses then you know the bag is real. Also, this number can be verified by any Coach store (some will, some won't). So if in doubt, pick up the phone and call, it's worth a try!

Coach hangtags are NOT sales tags, but small leather keyfobs adorning the outside of a Coach purse. They are ALWAYS leather and embossed with the word 'Coach'. The only way a real authentic Coach purse would come with a metal hangtag is if it was a limited edition. The metal hangtag would always be accompanied by one or two leather hangtags, or crystal studded. If you see a purse with a metal hangtag only (often gold-colored), it is fake, or at the very least its authenticity should be questioned!

Update 2018: Some Coach hang tags are being made as Duos with both a leather and metal hang tag set, these will always be embossed with 'Coach'.

Foolproof Way 3: The Inside Lining

The easiest way to tell whether a Coach purse is fake or real is by the inside lining of the purse. For real purses, it will be a solid-color satin material. There are exceptions to this rule in the Legacy line of purses or the tooth hound lining in certain bags, but since this is a basic guide I am not touching on that. Fake Coach purses may be lined with solid-colored silk (very rarely, only high-quality knock-offs will have this and even then the material will be noticeable different in quality), or much more often with the 'signature C' lining shown in the picture below.

Foolproof Way 4: Coach Sales Tag

Authentic Coach sales tags are always white. They will list the MSRP price of the purse and the style number that I discussed above under Foolproof Tip 1 (Coach creed), as well as an abbreviated description of the style of purse. For example 'Med Mad Met Hip' is Medium Madison Metallic Hippie. Fake sales tags are always red or brown with a white outside border, and these fake tags will be attached to the fake metal hangtag rather than to the hardware or to the inside of the Coach purse.

By the way, Coach bags do not come with Coach booklets, only a small business-card-like Coach care card.

Foolproof Way 5: 'Signature C' Material on the Outside

This tip obviously will not work on leather Coach purses; for them you need to use the earlier tips. But when it comes to Coach purses made from the 'signature C' jacquard material, it's pretty easy to tell whether they are fake or real. The C's in the material will always line up straight down the center of the purse, so if you were to cut the purse in half from top to bottom, through the middle of the bag, each side would have its own C. This pattern will continue throughout the purse and along the bottom of the bag. On fake Coach purses, the C's are usually not lined up and they are often off-center from the middle of the bag.

Also, if they are genuine, these bags with the 'signature C' material on the outside have solid inner satin linings. If the inside liner has the 'signature C' design, the purse is not genuine.

Questions or comments? Leave them below!

Feel free to contact me via Hubpages with any question, or with pictures, should you be thinking about purchasing a Coach bag from Ebay but are still unsure. I would be more than happy to help you verify its authenticity.

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  • I am trying to determine the authenticity of a coach bag I purchased online

    From coach outlet. The serial number inside the bag is L1822-F39043

    Any help would be greatly appreciated

  • Hello! I am looking at purchasing a coach bag from poshmark and the serial number from the inside matches with a Hamptons signature medium madeline tote bag from 2008, via coach customer service. I'm still wondering if it is a fake though. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  • The metal hangtag thing isn't foolproof, because the Coach company supplies replacement metallic tags for free. I have a navy Janice's Legacy bag that lost its original tag and I recently decided to look for a replacement. I saw a rather ratty looking navy leather tag for sale online for over $20 (no thx!) So I opted for the freebie option. I emailed Coach my bag's creed number, hardware color & mailing address. They got back to me in less than 24 hours and immediately generated an order for a free tag. They supply them in 3 tones: light gold, silver, and gunmetal. I went with gold to complement my bag's brass hardware. It may not be the original vintage tag my bag was issued with but at least I know it is authentic. Anyone opting for a metal tag do not waste your money with eBay etc. Just call or email coach!

  • Hi there just purchased a beautiful grey coach handbag. The model is a 1942, No-E1832-31698. The lining is silk with coach written in it. Just checking to make sure its real.

    Thank you,

    CEAS

  • I bought a nice 'Coach'? purse on Tophatter for $50.00. The serial number is F0873-13516. It has a nice plain thick silk lining. Does this mean it is a factory outlet piece; is this a good price?

  • I bought a leather zip wallet and the pinning is not silk, to be honest I’m not sure what this material is just like a coach wallet but back of the soft leather is not striped and the soft leather seems very thin and there is nothing marked coach on the inside! Could you please maybe make an assumption for me

  • I think this is great and informative but also hilarious as coach has watered down the value of its bags. They can be bought on sale for a song and dance. I'd care if a Louis Vuitton or something $2000 was real or fake. But for $100 I just dont give a crap.

  • If there is an F in front of the 5 numbers it's still a genuine bag! However this F indicates that it's a factory outlet piece. They're still made by coach, but they're often cheaper versions of the real thing. Don't be tricked into paying the full tag price on a bag with an F. Most outlet bags sell about 60% cheaper than the price listed on the tag!

  • the serial number on mine is G1276-F19708 doesn't matter I like it just curious

  • I have coach bag given to me & do not care if it is real of not, but would love to find more of this size & with all the pockets. how do I find all this out.

  • I sent a request. I'd like to send you photos

  • Thanks so much for this article! It was super informative. :)

  • Thanks for information how your information regarding serial numbers on the creed is no longer accurate. Coach stopped putting serial numbers on the patch over a year ago. Unfortunately newer bags do not have this information- dumb move on Coachs part IMO.

  • I see Coach at Goodwill all. The time but the body will look good but handles are always messed up.

  • Can you tell me if this Coach purse is real? I'm not sure but I think it's fake. I don't know how to provide pictures. The label doesn't say made in China & the isn't a serial number. It's a satchel with the C's on the outside. It has purple straps

  • hi! I enjoyed your article but did need to disagree with one point. I know for a fact some bags- pre -1990 did in fact come with C signature logo fabric. I own a couple that have been authenticated. You may want to change that piece of this article to help others in their authentication process:) thank you.

  • I would gladly help I have over 15 yrs selling experience. :)

  • I bought a few coach “vintage” bags and now questioning if they are real. If i send you the creed # can you help?

    Thanks!

  • Looking for serial no: LO969-13821 would like to buy at a reasonable price. Thank you.

  • Can you tell me if J0820-f13075 is real and what is it worth? How do I clean the suede on it?

  • Hi, i was given this coach purse years ago from my grandmother who has since past on.....im just wondering if its real or fake, since i cannot ask her. Inside is the serial numbers N°F04J-6824....i think its fake but my friend thinks it may b real...thank u for your time.

  • Hello there,

    I would like your opinion about this coach purse please.

    Thank you.

  • I have acquired a large Coach bag with creed patch and serial number that reads:#G1082-16742. Seems like a few rules are broken here? Any suggestions?

  • I'm getting ready to purchase one today from a seller not sure if it's a real Coach or not!

  • My purse has H1049-F15480 is my gift a real coach..

  • Hi I hope you can help me I just purchased a Coach Heritage signature flight back, I would like to know if its authentic can you help me with this?

    Please send me e-amil with kyratrishiacarlos@yahoo.com.ph

  • help me fine value of my purses

  • Have won the second bag and now really questioning whether it is real. Could you let me know what you think before Thursday when I have to pay for it. She seems to have a lot of luxury items for sale.

  • Can you tell me if these coach bags I'm interested in are authentic

    K1373 - F26033

    ebay item number 152552487912

    And

    G 1275 - F20428

    Ebay item number 361978142777

    This one didn't have a serial number on the bag and I couldn't read the tag in the picture.

    Its ebay item number 201903338012

    I would send links and pictures but don't know how to do it. Would really appreciate the help asap. Thanks.

  • Given a black satchel madison sabrina coach bag #F0821-12937. Is it real

  • Hi on a red coach city bag it has the #s

    No A7B-9790. It was hand crafted in the United States. Are the Cereal numbers real?

  • Thanks I bought a message bag unsure if it's real.

  • Please help me if my coach purse is authentic No E0878-12358

  • Will an authentic Coach purse have a small tag on the inside of the bag that says 'Made in Vietnam'? And the leather tag on inside has no number on it. Seller says she knows it's authentic because she bought it at a coach store in El Paso....

  • I bought a coach hologram bag. Theres no code and the tag name coach is not embossed... Can u show me original hologram bag? Thank you

  • Don't have my purse with me but would like someone to see if it's real when I get him I will send a picture

  • is a Coach purse with No. co4u-1202 authentic or fake?

  • Your number 4 is not completely true. Authentic Coach bags sometimes come with Coach booklets! My daughter worked for Coach and gave me several bags, some had a booklet inside!

  • Hi I wanted to know how to check the serial number

  • Why is my coach bag peeling ,I had it for 15 years

  • I bought a Coach handbag for my sister directly from Coach store in Virginia. My sister said it was Made in Vietnam and her older sister's Made in New York. Her bag was fake...

    Where/how can I find one Made in USA?

    Thanks.

  • It appears that your rules don't apply to saddlebags. Coach.com shows them with leather lining or no lining, only the natural suede back of the leather. Also the serial numbers are SD-XXXXX(numbers).

    I have a bag from the 1980's from ebay. I think it may be real because I've been using it continuously for 15 years the damn thing won't die!

  • I received a gift from a family member last year. A blue Coach tote. According to your article it seems authentic, however, the logo on the front is a silver oval similar to the turnlock style. It also does not have the serial number under the creed which I understand is not always used. There is no tag inside the bag with a serial number, just a clear tag that says MADE IN VIET NAM* VIETNAM.

  • I bought 3 Coach Dakotah rivets bags on eBay. They all have a perfume smell . They were labeled new with tags. Do genuine Coach bags smell like perfume?

  • I am male and no nothing about handbags but the coach bag I have seems to basically all match up to what is authentic but the model I have is F21883 made in China and on the zip mechanism it doesn't say ykk it says ideal so does this mean it fake?

  • I could you tell me is this one is real or fake.

    COACH NO K1380-F24603

    COACH NO D1059-F15669

  • I was given this purse. I'm not sure if it is real. How can I send pics

  • I have a bag I was wondering if you could tell me if it's authentic or not!?

  • Come on girls!!! This post is olddddd. Somebody notifies the writer to change or update plz? As of today, 30 October 2016, I know for a fact that most of Coach bags don't have ID numbers anymore. I checked in person at department stores like Macys, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom... and also Coach outlet stores in Illinois. Please DO NOT rely on a VERY OLD POST to verify your bag. Go to a store instead!!

  • Hi can you please tell me if Coach F36366 (Authentic Coach London Womens Designer Tan Brown Leather Carryall Bag [F36366]) is genuine? item: 331984632561 It looks like a business called and called sarah-hobbs-handbags (402 Feedback score: 402) I live in the UK and want to buy my mum a multi compartment zipped handbag and this one looks quite nice 3 separate zipped compartments, decent size, and can be hand held or put across her body (which is easier for her at the mo as she has to use a walking stick as she has had a problem with her leg for a couple of weeks. I have set myself a budget of £200 (so it is just within) as I have already spent over that on some of her other Christmas presents (already LOL! Better to start early and you only have one mum! Oooops I deviating off the subject sorry) So any help is confirming whether this is genuine would be much appreciated x

  • Where do you go an look up the serial number?

  • Is my coach purse real ? N2F0993-14235

  • Hello I purchased a Coach bag A2J-7801 and think its a fake. Any help? I could not find where to send a pic.

  • I would like to know if this bag is authentic. Attached is the link and pictures. I have not bought it yet. Waiting for yiur advice. Thanks! I cant attach the link, so I am putting in the description. Coach Carrie Crossbody in pebble red authentic leather F36666, sold on Amazon.com by Electro Deals NH and fulfilled by Amazon.

  • Thanks for the article. I actually just bought a Coach from Ebay and I was wondering if I could send you some pics to help with authentication?

  • I have three coach purses and would like to know if there real or fake please help me ty

  • Does Coach make any purses with a print other than the Cs? Do they make an animal print bag? Thank you.

  • Hi ijust brought a tablet holder and cant tell if it is fake or not, it has a solid lining inside and the C's line up but no serial number anywhere. not sure how to send pic to this site

  • I got this coach bag with leather smells like leather NO A2J -7800 is it a fake it has metal tags

  • Hey @Jasmin , there are coach factories in Vietnam, China & Phillipines. So it should be authentic.

  • Thanks for sharing the information as I was not aware that we can get fake coach purse also.

  • Hi, i bought coach purse in mainland and im suspecting it is fake. The serial number is F28502 and its made in philippines. Is it automatic fake if it's made in the philippines?

  • Not all hangtag are leather the poppy collection has a hard plastic hangtag.

  • I have one of the poppy bags and a magnet will not stick to the metal on it. Is it fake?

  • I am interested in a COACH cardholder. Not sure if it is real.

  • Hi i'm eyeing a coach bag online can i email it to you to authenticate? Pls. I need your email pls.

  • Hi. Great article. Thanks for helping those of us who are coach novices. I have an affinity for vintage coach bags. I know in your article you said that the lining will never have the sea pattern for handbags. However I have A brown leather wristlet with the coach insignia on the outside and leatherware est. 1941 the inside of it is the 'C' pattern lining. I wasn't sure if your rule of thumb applied to wristlets as well. I do not have a serial number for this wristlet . I appreciate any help you might offer. Take care

  • I have a sinking suspicion that I bought a fake Coach. The serial number is CO6Q-11495 . According to your blog, this number many not even be in the correct format? It also is lined with the C pattern. The bag is Red with a embroidered design that includes the stage coach, a skull and pink flowers. Do you have an opinion on this?

  • Is there any way I could email you some pictures of a Coach bag I just got for a gift? I haven't a clue whether it's real or fake. I've never seen one in this color... that you.

  • Hi I need help authenticating a coach gabby tartan bag. Creed is H1040-F1548. This bag is a pink and black plaid. Should an authentic Coach match the c pattern in the back also?

  • Is this a real bag?

  • Can you tell me if this is an authentic creed for the following coach purse

    FOR-9180

  • That is a lie , not all coach purses have the creed numbers , especially after models made in 2014 , or mini bags and a numerous of others , don't post false information

  • Just bought this Coach purse. Can you please tell me if its real. It has no patch How do I send you photos to you? Thanks Sue

  • Hi i have a ton of purses but don't know if fake or not

  • Just bought a coach bag and would like to see what you can tell me. F1049-F13732

  • Hi i have been wondering if the coach bag i got is real or not but after reading this blog its more on leaning to being fake but he said it was bought in coach online shop :( i need help

  • I just got 13 Coach vintage leather bags from my mom's church, they have asked me to sell them on Ebay to help them raise money for their charities. Anyways, I have been able to authenticate several of them. There are a few I can not find however. All have the Creed and serial no. in them. Here is a list of the ones I can not find

    L9D-4180

    981-8212

    183-0445

    059-1728

    027-3102

    0943-322

    005-7234

    I can send pictures also. All of these bags have the correct Creed with the serial number on it and they also all have an attached leather hang tag in the same color as the bag.

    Thank you for any help, Susan

  • Hello, I don't think this is a real coach, I bought it at a thrift store and the zipper was broken, itis a black Ashley with a black interior, and I have one just like it I bought new but the interior on mine is purple. can you let me know if this is authentic? It's Ashley coach bag No. G1476-Z33041

  • Hello. Can you help me determine if my bag is an authentic Coach? I can provide pics if needed. Thanks.

    H1169-18801M

    I did reach out to COACH and provide them with the numbers on the creed and their response was this...

    Since there are many determining factors to verify that your bag is a COACH product, we are unable to make that determination with the registration number only.

    Please refer to the link below for authorized distributors:

  • You can go online to Coach.com and get the phone number. Give them the serial number, and a sales rep can verify if it is authentic.

  • Just wondering if this is an authentic Coach bag number L1048-F16443?

    Thank you!!

  • I have a small clutch like coach bag.. it all black. There no numbers or letters inside.. how can I tell of it real...

  • I AM, LIKE YOURSELF, A HUGE HUGE COACH LADY, from my bags, briefcase, phone cases, sunglasses, key chains, raincoat, you get the point, lol. Oh yeah, forgot the business card holder! Lol

  • I'm wondering if a Coach backpack purse that I bought at a Goodwill store is real or a fake, can you help me?

  • I just purchased a leather COACH on Ebay for the first time ever and it's gorgoeus and in same style as the bags I have purchased in NYC. I am curouis if it is real because the Creed has states Made in Italy, L7E-4181, yet the exterior has a stamp that says Coach New York.

    However, the bag has a mildewly smell to it. Is there a way to get rid of it?

    I love the bag, but my gut says return it.

  • hello, i am very sure this COACH diaper bag i purchased on Mercari is fake as evidenced by the following, can you help me? the creed matches the type of bag however the year is 2014 and the word reflect doesnt have the s and apparently they started to use the word reflects as opposed to reflect in 2008? I cannot see any real coach online that say reflect after 2008, or in my own bags. the bag feels like plastic but claims to be leather (chelsea diaper bag) no cloth tag inside with country of where it was made, only a see through plastic tiny one sticking out of side saying made in Vietnam. The creed doesnt state where it was made, and also at the bottom, right before the letter and numbers begin, where the No is, the No has a period after it up next to the o and isnt underlined. there is one spot on the bottom back seam where the piping is it overlaps as though it is pieced together. the zippers do say YKK and the lining is fairly nice,

  • How can I send you a picture to tell if mine is real?

  • http://www.ebay.com/itm/COACH-Large-Brittish-Tan-L... what do you think?

  • I have a A3J-7579 coach purse with a leather creed

    It's plaid blue red and tan

    Can you tell me anything about this

KNOWN AND COMMON FAKE COACH SERIAL NUMBERS

By Carrie Ribeiro-Centeno on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 2:02 AM

KNOWN AND COMMON FAKE COACH SERIAL NUMBERS

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To help wade through the counterfeit Coaches for sale, here's a basic guide to some of the most commonly-used fake serial numbers. Many of these show up on older classic leather bags but have been found on new Signature bags and leather bags too. And more will show up every month, so don't think that if a number isn't listed here it must be ok.

Of course there's more to deciding whether or not a Coach bag or other accessory is counterfeit than just the serial number. You also have to look at the construction details like zipper pulls, hardware, stitching, the design and thickness of the straps, the design and font used on the creed stamp or creed patch inside the bag, and especially whether the style number (the numbers to the right of the dash) on the creed actually belongs to that style bag.(Before 1994, most serial numbers were seven numbers long and didn't give any clue to the style name of the bag. After 1994 the last half of the number was actually the style number, and the front half of the number showed where and when the item was made.Coaches made in 1994 or later should begin with a letter from A to M)

Read the creed carefully and look for mistakes in spacing, spelling and punctuation (these don't always prove something is fake but they will 99 times out of 100).

Beware of 'classic' leather bags with sewn-on cell phone holders on the side, another sure sign of a counterfeit.

Beware of any bag whose construction doesn't match the description on the creed patch. For instance, if a creed says that a bag is made of genuine leather and doesn't mention any other type of material but the bag is mostly fabric with leather trim, you're looking at a fake.

And beware of any older bag where the name Coach is stamped on the outside or the flap, especially if it isn't in the lower center of the flap. There are exceptions, but ask someone at the Ebay Purses Board to look at the auction to see if your bag is one of them.

Also beware of badly-researched or Copied-and-Pasted 'Guides' posted here and at other places on the Net that quote 'Rules' and claim that a certain feature like YKK zippers prove a Coach is real (or fake). Coach has used at least FIVE different brands of zippers and fakes makers can buy real OR fake YKKs so a zipper doesn't prove a thing). Almost all of them are filled with mistakes, outdated info or just plain nonsense. There is NO single detail that can ever prove a Coach is genuine. And those free downloadable 'guides' you sometimes find are worth exactly what you paid for them - zip, zero, zilch. The ones you have to pay for aren't any better, and the links you sometimes find in them to 'sites where you can buy genuine Coach bags' often lead to sites selling fakes. Don't waste a dime or your time on them.

Any question about authenticity should always be asked at Ebay's Shoes Purses and Accessories forum:http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum/Shoes-Purses-And/1000000009

Please remember, this list is an introduction, NOT a complete list. There are thousands of fakes that won't have any of those numbers, and many fakes, especially newer ones, can have accurate serial numbers. Also remember that no one can say if a bag is genuine just from the serial number! Clear close-up photos of the inside and outside are always needed. A correct serial or style number will never prove that a Coach is genuine, but an INCORRECT number will almost always prove that a bag is fake.

To clarify - the SERIAL number is the entire number shown underneath the stamped creed. All FULL-SIZE bags will have serial numbers, smaller bags might not. STYLE numbers are the 2nd half of the serial on items made after 1994 and are Coach's ID number for that style. Serial numbers containing ALL NUMBERS were made before 1994 and before Coach added the style number to the serial number and can't be used to find the style.

NT-4903 and Other Frequently-used Fake Coach Serial NumbersCOACHES WITH THESE NUMBERS ARE ALWAYS COUNTERFEIT:

NT-4903NT-4908NT-4115NT-4157NT-9992DK-8674TF-6823TN-4136TN-4186TN-9085TN-9096TN-9850TN-9927TN-99514C-86244C-991140-86247H-7456KE-6042JH-9080

ANY Coach bag with only two letters or one number and one letter to the left of the hyphen is fake.

501-20 + all similar numbers starting with 101-, 202-, 501-, 701-, or any other group of 3 numbers with a zero in the middle, followed by 2 or 3 numbers after the dash and usually with a patch that says 'made in Korea' - always counterfeit, no matter how real the leather feels.Coach NEVER made bags in Korea and never used serial numbers with only 5 or 6 digits like this:'xxx-xx' or 'xxx-xxx' and without the abbreviated 'No.' in front of the numbers. Except for a few items with 6-digit serial numbers made and marked for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, Coach never used serial numbers with 6 digits or less.

Coach never made 'classic' leather bags with matching sewn-on cell phone holders.

These numbers on PURSES are always fake, these numbers belong only to Travel or Business items (purses with style numbers beginning with 98xx or 99xx are usually genuine).

H4B-0516

H4B-0678

H4B-0517

H4B-0520

H4B-0532

HRB-0516

(The H4B-05xx sequence belonged to travel and business bags and briefcases, not handbags)

012-3445

A5B-3906 - fake Sonoma Double Zip Bags

A8M-4896 - ALWAYS fake and probably wouldn't have been used in a purse

Check

L4C-9941 or LAC-9941

N4H-9920 - always fake, one of the codes is invalid

UOJ-7785 and U0J-7785 - always fake. invalid prefix, found on many Signature bags. The -7785 style number belongs to an all-leather Demi which is also being frequently faked just like the similar Signature Demi style 6094. Both styles need to be looked at carefully.

Any serial number starting with UOJ- or U0J- or any other U0* or UO*- prefix is ALWAYS fake. No exceptions.

M4S-7414 is showing up on quite a few fakes. The entire number is invalid and that style code would never be on a bag with that prefix - ALWAYS fake.

Coach Purse Serial Number Verification

H6S-9135 - always fake, same reasons as M4S-7414

0444-317, 0444-316 AND 0444-315 and possibly others beginning with 0444 - some 'classic' fakes are showing up with these numbers and have a number of mistakes in the creed stamps and on the bags themselves. Assume they're all fake.Any 'classic' leather bags with the # 0444-31(X) and heavy horizontal lines both above and below the numbers is fake.0212-578 and 1212-578 with and without the same fake 'Overstamping' lines have also recently shown up

B5-834-64, YE-02-57-0589, or ANY serial number divided into 3 or 4 parts with spaces or dashes is fake. Coach serial numbers NEVER have more than 2 sections, not counting the 'No' in front of the actual serial number.

00138 - always fake, with or without any numbers or letters in front of it

308-9875 - another number popular with the crooks

308-9937 - probably always fake

233-5678 - probably always fake

DEJ-9816 and ECC-9816 - fake prefix and incorrect suffix, 9816 belongs only to a 'classic' Duffle Sac and DEJ- and EEC- will never appear in genuine Coaches

G7D-8188 - has shown up on several recent fakes, the second part is invalid

L4C-9956 or any style ending in -9956 - every one so far has been fake. The L4C- prefix usually appears in fake Signature fabric bags and so far -9956 has never been seen in a genuine bag.

Any recent (made later than 2004) or current model bag with a serial prefix of M3U- is fake. A genuine bag with this number would only have been made in 2003.

Style number -1202 and other numbers from 1000 to 1300 should NEVER be in a bag or accessory and always indicate a fake. Those low 1000s numbers were only used for stationary items like planner, address book and sketch pad refills

Fake numbers L4C-9941 and LAC-9941 and other combinations ending in 9941 have shown up on a variety of classic-looking leather bags, many with badly wrinkled 'stretch-marked' leather

GAC- and GAG- prefixes have also turned up lately. ANY bag with just three LETTERS to the left of the dash is fake. Be careful not to mistake a Zero in the center position for the letter O though, all bags made in 2000 will have a zero in the center.

NJG- is a commonly-used prefix in fakes and has TWO invalid codes, for the month AND the year.

P7B-4907 - we've seen several Coaches with this serial number. Not only are the bags NOT Sonoma Small Bucket Zips, but the first digit 'P' is completely wrong and would never be used on ANY Coach. Any bag with this serial number is counterfeit.

H6S-9135 - Any bag (especially any in the Hippie Flap style) with a serial number of H6S-9135 should be referred to the posters at Ebay for authentication. The style number belongs only to a Leather Hippie Flap bag but the ones we've seen with this number are either the wrong fabric or have invalid code digits and badly-stamped creeds.

P1L- prefixes have been showing up on mostly Patricia's Legacy bags style # 9951. Enough have been found to add this to the 'always fake' section since 'P' would never have been a valid Coach month code.

A lot of newer style Coaches are showing up with only a 5-digit number after the 'No', either on the same line as the last words of the creed or by itself at the bottom of the patch - number 00138 is the most common. All these are fake. Coach serial numbers will never have only five digits.

T6F-9980 - one of several fake numbers showing up in fake classic Taft Bags. The style number is right but there are invalid codes in the prefix and a serious mistake in the design of the bag - Tafts are frequently faked, have them authenticated

0974-534 - has shown up on at least 2 counterfeit Willis Bags and fakes of other classic leather styles. Any creed stamp with this number is probably fake and needs to be looked at very closely by an expert on older Coaches

04M-5661 or o4M-5661 - ALWAYS FAKE whether the first digit is the letter 'O' or a zero. The first half is invalid and is missing a valid month code, and the style number in the second half should belong ONLY to a multicolor Scribble Tote. (added April 2012)

L05Q-5688 - is another serial number that's been showing up on fakes for several years. For a while in 2009, there were various Bonnie canvas wannabes and leather Lilys that were showing up with this style number. In the last 6 months, copies of scarf print bags, signature demis and styles that never existed have been popping up with the same serial number.

Handbag

As far as I can tell, style 5688 doesn't exist

L6Z-9966 with creeds that say the bag was made in the United States - another non-existant number that has been showing up not only on fakes of style 9966, the classic leather Legacy Zip, but on other styles too where the style number -9966 doesn't match the bag. Usually the fakes will have small mistakes in the creed, sewing or hardware that an expert can spot, but the real problem is the plant code 'Z' was only used for the Dominican Republic plant and will always show the DR as the country of origin. The year code '6' for 1966 is also too early for that plant.

22096-08 and ALL OTHER serial numbers with only 2 digits at the end, to the right of the dash, are fake, no exceptions. Real Coaches will ALWAYS have at least 3 numbers at the end after the dash.

Serial numbers beginning with the letters ' i ' or with 'N' thru 'Z' are not valid Coach numbers and are almost certainly fake but there ARE a few very rare exceptions. Ask an expert

Recent Coaches with a thick paper tag (usually gray or silver) that says 'Made In Italy' or 'Made In USA' are fakes.

Any bag with a tag or patch that says 'Sports Coach' or 'SportsCoach' is NOT a genuine Coach

There are NO Coach bags that have ever been called 'Bean Bags'. Any Coach purse or small accessory other than a desk paperweight or a leather keyfob that's stamped 'This is a Coach BEAN BAG' is a complete fake. These things are starting to show up again, but NONE of them are genuine.Serial number 056-2040 has shown up in an exceptionally well-copied vintage fake with a 'Bean Bag' creed and may show up on others.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Coach items with these numbers are ALMOST ALWAYS COUNTERFEITand need to be looked at by an expert:

-4154, -9941, and -9956 are style numbers that have appeared in dozens if not hundreds of proven fakes, and Coaches with any of those numbers should always be assumed to be counterfeit. I've never seen any genuine bag with these style numbers.

M4N-4154 - Anything starting with M4N- is suspect and should be authenticated by an expert.

-4154 style numbers are showing up on a LOT of fakes, usually but not always starting with M4N-, M4H-, N4N-, J8H- or some similar combination. That style number should belong ONLY to an all-leather bag from the Soho line although the style number itself may be a 'blank' like -9956 and may never have been used in an actual purse.

N4H-9920 has started showing up on all-leather fakes. That style number belongs ONLY to a Becket Zip with rather unique strap fastenings - any bag with buckles or dog-leash clips at the strap ends is fake. The Month code is also invalid - watch out for other serial numbers starting with N4H-

K2G-1955, L2G-1955, or ANY bag ending with -1955 which doesn't even seem to be a purse style number.

-10125 has shown up in some fakes but only belongs to a reversible Signature Stripe Tote. This number also often shows up in fakes on its own with no prefix in front.

There are fake Signature Stripe Denim Totes and Signature Stripe Denim Satchels using serial numbers ending in 11192 and 11190. All these bags may be counterfeit.

Serial numbers beginning with the letters N thru Z are not valid Coach numbers and are almost always fake. There are a few very rare exceptions so ask an expert.

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The following numbers are OFTEN USED ON COUNTERFEITS but can also show up in genuine bags and need to be looked at very carefully:

A2G-6094 and A2J-6094 - or ANY bag ending in 6094 - Fake if it's not a Signature Demi Bag, and there are fakes of that style too. One of the most common fake numbers on 'Foaches'

Look very carefully at classic bags beginning with ' H6M- ' and with 'Made in the United States' at the bottom of the creed, quite a few fakes seem to use this prefix. Creeds stamped 'Made In U.S.A.' instead of 'Made in the United States' should also be looked at carefully.

J4D-4133 - Fake if it's not a classic all-leather Waverly Bag

J8Y- and J4D- prefixes have shown up on some well-copied fakes in both fabric and leather. Bags with this prefix need to be authenticated. Any item with any kind of Signature C fabric having one of these serial prefixes will ALWAYS be fake, no exceptions.

There are some ending in -9927 but aren't Willis Bags, and -5130 sometimes shows up on bags that aren't Station Bags. These styles are often faked and need to be examined carefully.

-10125 is starting to show up as of late 2010 on various Signature and Sig Stripe bags & accessories. That number was only used on a Sig Stripe Tote and most of those were fake too. Always have that style number authenticated.

Style number -40725 has been showing up in fake bags and Swingpacks

M1K-6047 is often used on fakes and any bag with that number needs to be authenticated. Any bag with a style number of -6047 that isn't a fabric Signature Satchel is fake.

The counterfeiters also use many legitimate-looking style numbers (the 2nd half of the serial number) in the serial numbers but on the wrong style bags or accessories - THESE HAVE BEEN USED IN THOUSANDS OF FAKES:-5659 which should only be on a Scribble Tote, about 11x7 with bright multicolor Cs-6094 which should only be on a small Signature Demi, and-1417 which should only be on an East-West Leather duffle. These three numbers are special favorites with counterfeiters and have appeared on thousands of fakes.

Accessories with style #-5077 are fake, that number belongs to an Optic Bee Tote.

J8H-, J8Y- and M4B- prefixes are used in genuine bags but can be possible counterfeits especially if the font of the digits of the serial number seems slightly different. Please have them looked at by an expert - NOT a Coach store employee, many of whom may be Coach lovers but who have no training in recognising fakes, especially older ones. Fakes with these prefixes are usually pretty accurate, and care must be used especially with the J8*- prefix which seems to be a favorite with counterfeiters.

J8Y-4161 is just one of the J8Y- prefix and style number combinations that has been found in several fakes that are NOT #4161 Soho Zip Hobos. EXTREME care must be used with any bags with that number, along with ALL J8Y-, J8H-, and M4B- serial number prefixes. Other prefixes often found in fake as well as real serial numbers: J4D-J6D-J8D-J9H-(modified 11-17-12)

J4N-4082 which belongs only to a Soho Bag from 1994.

D8J- Coaches with serial numbers starting with D8J- especially older bags need to be looked at carefully since fakes have been spotted with this combination.

The following numbers often show up on fakes:

J3J-6818 - belongs to a Soho mini sig flap bag but has shown up on fakes in other styles and on fake Flap Bags

B3K-7022 - should be a denim signature pouch with red stripes center front

MIK-6047 - seen on many fakes in different styles but belongs only to a specific style of Signature Satchel

A05U-1444 - should only be on a Mini Signature Pocket Flap

A05U-1482 - which should only belong to a Small Signature Flap bag with a leather or suede front buckle strap and retainer. Always have any bag with this number authenticated at Ebay's Shoes, Purses and Accessories forum or at thePurseForum, as with any other questionable numbers listed in this Guide.

-9363 style numbers have started to show up on fakes, usually some kind of Signature, Sig Optic or Sig Tie-Dye fabric. On some the creed patch looks a bit 'off' but on others it might look very accurate. The full serial number usually is F04U-9363 but the thing to remember is that any genuine bag with this style and/or serial number should only be a standard Signature C fabric in a Soft East-West Duffle style. Check Ebay for the genuine version, there are usually several listed for sale.

'EMB OP PAT LEAH' price tagsNot a fake number, but fakes are showing up with phony price tags showing a variety of different style numbers but with the abbreviated description 'EMB OP PAT LEAH' short for Embossed Op Art Patent Leah.This description should ONLY belong on a patent leather tote or satchel-style bag and most genuine ones would have style numbers of 13178 or 14729

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Again, this is NOT a complete list of all fake serial numbers. New examples turn up constantly, and many fakes have serials that actually belong the the style the fake bag is copying. And bags made before 1994 don't have the Coach style number as part of the serial number - DON'T try to use the last 3 or 4 digits for authentication if there are NO LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET in the serial number.

Please remember, just because a Coach item seems to have the right style number, or looks just like the picture from Coach's website, or the C's line up correctly, or you found it on Google, OR IT HAS YKK ZIPPERS, that doesn't mean it's genuine.

And just because you haven't seen a certain style before, or you don't like the way it looks, or can't find it on Google, or you don't like it, or think that 'Coach couldn't possibly have made something that ugly', that doesn't mean it's fake.

  • Created about 6 years ago