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Enter the serial number of a Chanel handbag or small leather good to check whether it matches a known format. Other Chanel products (ready-to-wear, shoes, jewellery, watches, eyewear) carry other markings, which this tool does not cover.
The tool returns Consistent code or Inconclusive result. In some cases, it can also indicate the estimated production period.
info A consistent code does not prove the item’s authenticity. An inconclusive result does not establish that the item is counterfeit.
Guide and series table arrow_downwardSerial number checker
From the mid-1980s to 2021 (2022 for small leather goods), Chanel placed a serial number in every handbag and every small leather item: a hologram, that is a security sticker applied inside the item, together with an authenticity card bearing the same number.
A genuine number can nonetheless be reproduced on a counterfeit: its presence alone proves nothing.
The hologram is always inside the item, in a position that varies by model: applied directly to the lining, sometimes on a leather tab, or inside a flat pocket on small leather goods.
A missing hologram is common on genuine pieces. Holograms peel, deteriorate and fade over time; cleaning or professional restoration sometimes removes them; some owners have removed them deliberately; and bags made before the mid-1980s never had one. A missing number calls for a closer examination of the item, not a conclusion. The reverse also holds: a pristine hologram on a heavily worn vintage bag deserves attention in itself.
During 2021, handbags began receiving metal plates engraved with an eight-character code mixing letters and digits, replacing holograms and cards, paired with an electronic chip; this tool does not read it. Small leather goods kept digit-only holograms until 2022.
The number of digits places the era first. The very first holograms, around 1984–1986, carry 6 digits. From 1986 to about 2005, numbers have 7 digits: the first digit gives the series, 0 to 9. From 2005 to 2021–2022, they have 8 digits: the first two give the series, 10 to 32.
Each series corresponds to a production period, listed in the table on this page. These periods remain approximate: series changed during production, at an irregular pace. Series 11 alone covers 2006 to 2008, while the year 2019 spans series 27, 28 and 29. This is why the checker gives you a production period, not an exact date. Depending on the reference, the periods for series 25, 27, 28, 30 and 31 vary by about a year.
The hologram itself has evolved. The earliest, until the mid-1990s, are white, with a pattern of repeated logos under an opaque film. From the end of series 5 — 1997 to 2000 depending on the reference — the familiar design appears: a clear glittered film, two CC logos above the number, CHANEL lettered vertically on the right, and X-shaped cuts that destroy the sticker if anyone tries to peel it off. A film with rainbow reflections calls for close examination, without being enough to conclude; glitter and light reflecting on the film are normal.
The authenticity card must repeat the hologram’s number digit for digit. Cards issued from around 2005 carry a small light-grey circle in the top right corner: a 7-digit number paired with a circle card is inconsistent, except for the year 2005, which series 9 still covers. A matching card nonetheless proves little on its own: it is the most counterfeited and most easily swapped element, and a counterfeiter reproduces the same number on both the hologram and the card. In the second-hand market, the original card is often missing.
The checker recognises the format of the number entered and, for numbers made of digits only, estimates a production period. It also flags a small number of serial numbers that experts do not consider valid.
On the other hand, the checker compares no number against a database of genuine or counterfeit items: no official public database exists. A number in the right format does not guarantee authenticity: counterfeits commonly carry one. What you get here is a useful indication, not a verdict.
When a code reading is not enough, the next step is a full examination of the item itself. That is the purpose of our Chanel assessment service.
Chanel has never published its numbering system, and states on its anti-counterfeiting page that it cannot provide the public with detailed information for identifying its products. Everything known about the system comes from authentication practice and from what can be observed on the second-hand market.
The table below gives the estimates used by the checker. Depending on the reference, a series may extend into adjacent years, especially for recent series. Examining the item and its documented history remains necessary to assess its production period.
For a seven-digit number, look up the first digit in the table. For an eight-digit number, look up the first two. Series run from 0 to 32.
| Series | Estimated period |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1986–1988 |
| 1 | 1989–1991 |
| 2 | 1991–1994 |
| 3 | 1994–1996 |
| 4 | 1996–1997 |
| 5 | 1997–1999 |
| 6 | 2000–2002 |
| 7 | 2002–2003 |
| 8 | 2003–2004 |
| 9 | 2004–2005 |
| 10 | 2005–2006 |
| 11 | 2006–2008 |
| 12 | 2008–2009 |
| 13 | 2009–2010 |
| 14 | 2010–2011 |
| 15 | 2011–2012 |
| 16 | 2012 |
| 17 | 2012–2013 |
| 18 | 2013–2014 |
| 19 | 2014 |
| 20 | 2014–2015 |
| 21 | 2015–2016 |
| 22 | 2016–2017 |
| 23 | 2016–2017 |
| 24 | 2017–2018 |
| 25 | 2018 |
| 26 | 2018–2019 |
| 27 | 2019 |
| 28 | 2019 |
| 29 | 2019–2020 |
| 30 | 2020–2021 |
| 31 | 2021 |
| 32 | 2021–2022 |
The series gives an estimated period. It confirms neither the year of manufacture nor the authenticity of an item.
The format of the number depends on the era and on the product category. In particular, the changes from one system to the next happened at different times for handbags and for small leather goods.
No hologram, no authenticity cardBags made before the mid-1980s carry neither a hologram nor an authenticity card. Genuine early pieces are dated by other markers: construction details, stamps, hardware and materials.
A pristine hologram on a heavily worn bag deserves attention in itself: the item and its history call for examination.
6 digitsSome of the earliest holograms carry six digits. Documented examples run from 100000 to 429999. This format is often missing from dating tables.
The checker is limited to this documented range. For any other six-digit number, the result remains inconclusive.
7 digits, series 0 to 9The first digit gives the series. Series 0 corresponds to an estimated period of 1986 to 1988; series 9, to 2004 to 2005.
Holograms evolved during this period. For example, in the 52–56xxxxx sub-series, the zeros generally have no slash through them. The typeface must therefore be examined according to the series and the era.
8 digits, series 10 to 32The first two digits give the series. Series 31 corresponds, around 2021, to handbags moving to the metal plate. Series 32 is found mostly on small leather goods, into 2022.
The eight-digit numbering system is the last one used on holograms before the move to the electronic chip in 2021–2022. A very recent handbag whose hologram carries a serial number beginning with a number above 31 is therefore suspect.
8 characters mixing letters and digitsThe plates in recent handbags and the new small leather goods holograms carry a code mixing letters and digits. No reliable public method has been established for dating these codes.
The checker can verify the format of the code, but cannot read the chip. An examination by a human expert is necessary for the Maison’s recent items.
These examples show how the checker reads a number. They are not an assessment of the items that may carry these codes.
Series 19, estimated period: 2014
The first two digits, 19, point to the estimated period of 2014 in the table. But the number alone cannot determine whether the bag is authentic.
Points to examine
Compare the item’s materials, construction and markings with the proposed period.
Series 5, sub-series 52–56, estimated period: 1997–1999
The first digit, 5, points to an estimated period of 1997 to 1999. This series has a few specific features, notably in the typeface, that call for particular attention.
Points to examine
Compare the typeface and the hologram’s other features with those described for this period. Examine the item as a whole too.
A particular number, not considered valid
17686401 comes from a rather particular set of serial numbers, since the Maison does not recognise them as authentic. The list of these serial numbers is known to experts. For this number, the checker returns an inconclusive result, with no production period. This example illustrates that a serial number can look correct without actually being so.
Points to examine
Have the item and its provenance examined. A card bearing the same number, or a plausible period according to the table, is not enough to lift the reservations attached to this number.
The serial number is one of the essential checkpoints in an authentication. In the era of digit-only holograms, this number also appeared on the authenticity card. A genuine number can be reproduced on a counterfeit: reading it alone cannot settle whether an item is authentic.
Inside the item: applied directly to the lining, on a leather tab, or inside a flat pocket on small leather goods. The position depends on the model. The most recent handbags carry an engraved metal plate instead of the digit-only hologram.
On a seven-digit number, the first digit gives the series. On an eight-digit number, the first two do. The table links each series to an estimated period. The first six-digit holograms and the recent codes mixing letters and digits follow other rules, described in the guide.
No. A counterfeiter reproduces the same number on the hologram and on the card. A match allows a first check. A mismatch requires verification. The card’s design must also match the bag’s production period.
No. A missing hologram is common on genuine pieces: they peel, deteriorate and fade over time; cleaning or restoration often removes them; some owners remove them; and bags made before the mid-1980s never had one. Recent handbags carry a metal plate. A missing number calls for a closer examination of the item, not a conclusion.
The checker does not state the reason for an inconclusive result. This result appears in particular when:
Start by re-reading the inscription: wear can hide a digit. An inconclusive result does not establish that the item is counterfeit.
No. The checker uses published reading conventions and a limited list of publicly flagged numbers. Chanel offers no public number lookup and no public authentication service for second-hand items. Chanel may carry out its own internal checks as part of after-sales service.
Yes. “Hologram” is the name professionals commonly use for the serial sticker. The term mainly refers to the glittered version, which appeared in the late 1990s. The earliest stickers, white with black digits, show no such effect. Nor does the glittered version carry a holographic image strictly speaking.
The Chanel number is intended to identify an individual item. Its series gives an estimated period. Louis Vuitton and Dior date codes indicate a place and period of manufacture, and several items carry the same code. None of these markings proves an item’s authenticity on its own.
Handbags began receiving plates with a code mixing letters and digits during 2021. Small leather goods kept digit-only holograms until 2022, before moving to holograms mixing letters and digits. The transition therefore did not happen at the same time for the two categories.
There is no reliable public method for dating these codes mixing letters and digits. The checker verifies their format without giving a production period. The receipt gives the purchase date; the retail tag may identify a collection.
Since 2021, handbags with a metal plate are believed to contain an NFC-type electronic chip. Chanel has not publicly documented how it works. This checker reads no chip: it only verifies the format of the code engraved on the plate, without giving a production period.
Very Véritable’s expertise
Very Véritable provides expert assessment of luxury items for resale professionals. This checker offers an initial check of the number. The assessment examines the item itself.
Read about our approach, how an assessment works and our certificate of conformity or non-conformity.
When buying in or before listing for resale, the assessment covers the item as a whole: materials, hardware, stitching, stamps, proportions and interior construction. You receive a written conclusion and a verifiable certificate of conformity or non-conformity to present to your buyer.