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How to Identify Zippo Lighters

Zippo windproof lighters were originally designed by George G. Blaisdell in 1932, and they have stood the test of time, still honoring their original lifetime guarantee. The Zippo has become an iconic symbol of Americana and is considered a collector's item across the United States. Zippo has gone through many phases of manufacturing lighters, including production of commemorative pieces, Lady Bradfords, Slims, Metalliques and Barcroft Table lighters. The most popular of the Zippo lighters are the traditional brushed metal lighters, most noticeably used by servicemen in World War II and the Vietnam War. The markings on the Zippo lighter's bottom holds the key to its identification in production year and authenticity.

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the stamped Zippo logo on the bottom of the lighter. The style of the type used in stamping can help you figure what year it was manufactured. The first line of Zippo lighters were stamped in block letters from 1933 to 1950 and are considered highly collectible. The script style stamp began in 1955, and the most current version of the stamp--with the small flame representing a dot over the i--was put into production in 1980.
- 2
  Identify the bottom stamp's date codes that represent the year of manufacture; this can help authenticate that the lighter is indeed a Zippo. Earlier lighters--from 1933 to 1957--are stamped with the "patent pending" inscription. From 1959 to 1965, the codes were represented as a series of dots stamped into the lighter base. From 1966 to 1973, there were a series of parallel lines represented dates, and then from 1974 to 1986, a series of slanted lines were used. Beginning in 1986, the lighters used a series of letters combined with Roman numerals up to the year 2000, after which the Roman numerals were replaced by numbers.
- 3
  Identify popular Zippo commemorative lighters. These are the most collectible lighters because they commemorate significant events and achievements throughout human history. Such events include The Keeper of the Flame Edition, which commemorated man's discovery of fire--and Zippo perfecting it; the Millennium Edition, commemorating the beginning of the 21st century; and the final commemorative edition known as "Friends for a Lifetime," commemorating Zippo's 70th anniversary in 2002.
- 4
  Identify the Zippo "Town and Country" edition of collectible lighters first offered in 1949. These lighters are the most prized collectible offered by Zippo, using a paint on paint airbrush method of design, over an engraved surface at 0.004 inch deep. The classic series was manufactured in eight styles: the mallard, pheasant, geese, trout, horse, English Setter, lily pond and sailboat. The last commemorative Town and Country lighter that was produced was the 1969 moon landing, and it is considered extremely valuable.

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