The date code stamp, originally intended to track lighters returned for repair, actually contributed to the Zippo lighter becoming a collectible. With an easy way to determine the date a lighter was produced, collectors could examine not only the style and condition of a lighter but the exact date of production.

Below is a complete chart of the Zippo date codes.

 

Year	Regular Lighter Left Side	Regular Lighter Right Side	Slim Lighter Left Side	Slim Lighter Right Side
1933	Patent Pending
1937	Patent 2032695
1942-1946	Black Crackle, Patent 203695 (This number was stamped in error, it should have been Patent 2032695.)
c.1949-c.1957	Patent 2517191 with patent pending
Zippo records indicate an overlap of bottom stamp configurations from 1949-1957. Also, some lighters produced between 1955-57 were date coded, however, specifics remain unclear. The date coding was fully in effect by 1959.
c.1951-c.1957	Patent 2517191
1957			. . . .	. . . .
1958	Patent . . . .	2517191 . . . .	. . . . . . . .	. . . . . . .
1959	. . . .	. . .	. . .	. . .
1960	. . .	. . .	. . .	. .
1961	. . .	. .	. .	. .
1962	. .	. .	. .	.
1963	. .	.	.	.
1964	.	.	.
1965	.
1966	| | | |	| | | |
1967	| | | |	| | |
1968 Lighter has THESE Markings.	| | |	| | |
1969	| | |	| |
1970	| |	| |
1971	| |	|
1972	|	|
1973	|
1974	////	////
1975	////	///
1976	///	///
1977	///	//
1978	//	//
1979	An error was made in the date code. One of the slash marks was removed from the left of the Zippo trademark instead of being removed from the right; thus the code read: / //.This date code error was corrected within the same year to read: // /.
1980	/	/
1981	/
1982	\\\\	\\\\
1983	\\\\	\\\
1984	\\\	\\\
1985	\\\	\\
1986	\\	\\

Effective 7/1/86 the above system was replaced by year/lot code. Year is noted with Roman Numeral, the letter on the left designates lot month (A=Jan., B=Feb., etc.)

 

Year	Regular and Slim Lighters Left Side	Regular and Slim Lighters Right Side
1986	G to L	II
1987	A to L	III
1988	A to L	IV
1989	A to L	V
1990	A to L	VI
1991	A to L	VII
1992	A to L	VIII
1993	A to L	IX
1994	A to L	X
1995	A to L	XI
1996	A to L	XII
1997	A to L	XIII
1998	A to L	XIV
1999	A to L	XV
2000	A to L	XVI

Starting early in the year 2000, lighters produced feature the Zippo logo on the left, the month code in the center, and 2000 stamped above the Roman numeral XVI.
For 2001 and beyond, Zippo has introduced a new, easier to interpret date code. The letters A through L on the left of the Zippo logo still represent the month of manufacture. The year of manufacture, however, is now identified by the last two numbers of that year, stamped to the right of the Zippo logo.

Year	Regular and Slim Lighters Left Side	Regular and Slim Lighters Right Side	Zippo Multi-Purpose Lighter
			Left Side	Right Side
2001	A to L	01	The Zippo MPL was first produced in February of 2002.The MPL's manufactured in late February and March 2002 had a blank adjustment knob. The first MPL's to have a date code were those produced in April 2002 and thereafter.
2002	A to L	02	D to L	02
2003	A to L	03	A to L	03
2004	A to L	04	A to L	04
2005	A to L	05	A to L	05
2006	A to L	06	A to L	06
2007	A to L	07	A to L	07
2008	A to L	08	A to L	08
2009	A to L	09	A to L	09
2010	A to L	10	A to L	10

Information was obtained from Zippo directly: