Hermès Blind Stamp Checker
Use the letter and shape of your Hermès blind stamp to estimate the item's production year. Free, instant and designed for quick pre-purchase or resale checks.
Enter your Hermès blind stamp
Enter the single year letter and identify whether it has no frame, a circle or a square around it. If the shape is unclear, choose “I'm not sure”.
Does the stamp fit the item?
Compare the decoded year with what the seller, receipt or listing claims. A match supports consistency, but it does not authenticate the item.
What is a Hermès blind stamp?
A Hermès blind stamp is a small mark pressed into the leather of a Hermès item without ink or foil. The year letter identifies the production year within a particular stamp cycle. The shape around the letter, or the lack of one, tells you which cycle you are in, because Hermès reused the alphabet several times.
That is why the same letter can mean different years. A plain K can belong to 1955 or 2025, a K in a circle is 1981, and a K in a square is 2007. The letter alone is never enough.
How to use this Hermès blind stamp checker
Find the single letter that represents the date, look closely for a circle, a square or no shape, then enter the letter and select what you see. If the stamp is worn and you cannot tell the shape, choose “Not sure” and the checker lists every year that letter could mean.
Use the result as a first screening step before buying or selling. If the stamp is missing, faint or inconsistent with the item, a professional Hermès authentication is the safer next step. For other brands, start with the designer serial number checker hub.
What does a Hermès blind stamp result mean?
The checker estimates the production year from the letter and its shape. A Recognized format means the letter and shape fit a known Hermès stamp cycle and point to one year. Two possible cycles means a plain letter fits both the vintage 1945–1970 cycle and the modern sequence from 2015, so you need the bag itself to decide. Transition case covers the plain R, which can be a vintage 1962 stamp or a late-2014 piece. Shape not confirmed lists every possible year. Not a recognized format means the letter and shape do not exist together in any documented cycle, which is usually a misread rather than a fake.
None of these results means authentic or fake. Compare the year with the model, leather, hardware, stitching, interior construction and the typography of the Hermès Paris stamp.
Hermès blind stamp year chart (1945–2026)
Every publicly documented blind stamp cycle in one table. Read across a row to see what a single letter means in each cycle. The modern column is a reference built from observed bags, not an official Hermès list.
| Letter | Plain, 1945–1970 | Circle, 1971–1996 | Square, 1997–2014 | Modern plain, 2015–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1945 | 1971 | 1997 | 2017 |
| B | 1946 | 1972 | 1998 | 2023 |
| C | 1947 | 1973 | 1999 | 2018 |
| D | 1948 | 1974 | 2000 | 2019 |
| E | 1949 | 1975 | 2001 | Not reported |
| F | 1950 | 1976 | 2002 | Not reported |
| G | 1951 | 1977 | 2003 | 2026* |
| H | 1952 | 1978 | 2004 | Not reported |
| I | 1953 | 1979 | 2005 | Not reported |
| J | 1954 | 1980 | 2006 | Not reported |
| K | 1955 | 1981 | 2007 | 2025 |
| L | 1956 | 1982 | 2008 | Not reported |
| M | 1957 | 1983 | 2009 | Not reported |
| N | 1958 | 1984 | 2010 | Not reported |
| O | 1959 | 1985 | 2011 | Not reported |
| P | 1960 | 1986 | 2012 | Not reported |
| Q | 1961 | 1987 | 2013 | Not reported |
| R | 1962 | 1988 | 2014 | Late 2014 only† |
| S | 1963 | 1989 | Not used | Not reported |
| T | 1964 | 1990 | Not used | 2015 |
| U | 1965 | 1991 | Not used | 2022 |
| V | 1966 | 1992 | Not used | Not reported |
| W | 1967 | 1993 | Not used | 2024 |
| X | 1968 | 1994 | Not used | 2016 |
| Y | 1969 | 1995 | Not used | 2020 |
| Z | 1970 | 1996 | Not used | 2021 |
* G for 2026 is reported by multiple collector and authentication references but is the newest and least tested entry. A plain R is the late-2014 transition: Hermès stopped framing the letter on some pieces before the new sequence began in 2015.
How Hermès blind stamps changed over time
Hermès did not date its products with a blind stamp before 1945. From then on, the system has been reset four times, each with a different shape.
| Era | Format | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1945 | No date stamp | Hermès had not introduced the year letter. Pre-war pieces are authenticated on materials, construction and maker marks, so a missing stamp is expected. |
| 1945–1970 | Plain letter | A to Z in order, one letter per year. A is 1945 and Z is 1970. |
| 1971–1996 | Letter in a circle | The alphabet restarts. A circled A is 1971, not 1945. The full A to Z run ends in 1996. |
| 1997–2014 | Letter in a square | The alphabet restarts again but stops at R. A squared A is 1997 and a squared R is 2014. S to Z never appear in a square. |
| Late 2014 | Plain R | Some late-2014 pieces carry an R with no square, an early sign of the system change. Treat it as a transition case. |
| 2015 onward | Plain letter, not alphabetical | The frame disappears and the letters stop following alphabetical order. Plain stamps from 1945–1970 and 2015 onward look alike, so the bag itself has to separate them. |
| About 2016 onward | Letter plus extra characters | Many Birkin and Kelly bags show the year letter on one line with a short alphanumeric string and two letters below. Collectors treat these as workshop or craftsman marks. They are not part of the date. |
The modern Hermès letter sequence, year by year
Since 2015 Hermès has used letters in an order that does not follow the alphabet. Some guides suggest this makes the system harder to copy, but Hermès has never said so. The table shows the sequence as it is currently reported, and how settled each year is.
| Year | Letter | How well documented |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | T | Widely documented |
| 2016 | X | Widely documented |
| 2017 | A | Widely documented |
| 2018 | C | Widely documented |
| 2019 | D | Widely documented |
| 2020 | Y | Widely documented |
| 2021 | Z | Widely documented |
| 2022 | U | Well reported, not officially published |
| 2023 | B | Well reported, not officially published |
| 2024 | W | Well reported, not officially published |
| 2025 | K | Well reported, not officially published |
| 2026 | G | Community-reported, the newest entry |
Letters that have not been reported in the modern sequence so far are E, F, H, I, J, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and V. A plain stamp using one of them is not automatically wrong, because it can simply belong to the vintage cycle, but it cannot be a documented modern year.
Where to find the blind stamp on a Hermès bag
Placement depends on the model and the production period. On Birkin and Kelly bags made before about 2016, the stamp is usually under the left interior strap or tab. On later pieces it generally moves to the left interior wall near the back flap. Other models differ, so do not assume every Hermès bag is stamped in the same place.
The stamp is often hidden behind a strap, under a flap, along an interior seam or beneath a small tab. Use bright, indirect light and avoid pressing into or scraping the leather to bring it out.
Blind stamp location by Hermès model
| Model | Typical location |
|---|---|
| Birkin | Before about 2016: under the left interior strap. Later: on the left interior wall near the back flap. |
| Kelly | Before about 2016: under the left strap. Later: left interior panel near the flap. Kelly 25 can sit on the rear interior pocket and Kelly 20 along the back wall. |
| Constance | Central interior panel, or the upper inner corner near the seam on later pieces. |
| Bolide | Mini: inside the interior pocket. Larger sizes: interior panel near the side seam. |
| Evelyne | Under the front flap, in the closure strap area, or inside near the base seam. |
| Lindy | Side interior seam, or under the flap near the clasp. |
| Picotin | Small leather tab inside near the top or the base. |
| Garden Party and Herbag | Interior leather seam or panel. It can be faint on these models. |
| Small leather goods | Inside the lining or an inner pocket on wallets, near the zip or seam on pouches, and under the snap tab or interior flap on agendas. |
Placement is reported by collectors and resellers, not published by Hermès, and it varies by size, year and construction. If you cannot find the stamp, check a model-specific reference before treating it as suspicious.
Special Hermès stamps and the marks next to the year letter
The year letter is often not the only mark. Collectors and authenticators report several other stamps, most of them near the “Hermès Paris Made in France” foil. Hermès does not publish a key for them, so treat the meanings below as widely reported rather than official.
| Mark | Commonly reported meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe | Special Order (HSS), a bespoke piece made for a client | Sits as a separate emblem near the Hermès stamp and is not a date letter. These pieces often sell at a premium. |
| Square | American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) | An exotic-skin marker, not a year frame. It sits near the foil, not beside the date letter. |
| Caret (^) | Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) | Exotic-skin marker. |
| Double dots (..) | Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) | Exotic-skin marker. |
| Dash (–) | Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) | Exotic-skin marker. |
| Equal sign (=) | Water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) | Some sources describe this as a double dash. |
| “S” or a number | Employee purchase or an atelier section | Sources disagree on the exact meaning, so do not rely on it. |
| Shooting star | A craftsman’s personal piece | Rare and not confirmed by Hermès. Treat it as market lore. |
| Extra letters and numbers | Workshop, craftsman or production tracking | Common on bags from about 2016. Only Hermès holds the key, and these characters are not a second date. |
One oddity worth knowing: in 2011 some bags carry an O in a square interlinked with a J craftsman stamp, forming a rectangle. Reports call it a double-blind stamp, and the reason is unknown. If you see it, the year letter is still the O.
What if your Hermès has no blind stamp, or it looks wrong?
A missing stamp does not automatically mean a Hermès item is fake. Pieces made before 1945 do not carry a year letter, and on vintage bags a faded stamp may need an expert to read. On a bag from the last several decades, though, a missing stamp needs a strong explanation, such as relining, a repair or heavy wear.
If the stamp looks off, check what is actually wrong. Common authentication concerns are a stamp that is crooked or wobbly, a laser-precise stamp on soft leather, an impression that looks burned rather than pressed, and a letter and shape that do not exist together, such as an S in a square. A faint stamp on grained leather is not suspicious on its own.
Why a Hermès blind stamp can still be misleading
Counterfeiters know the stamp cycles. A fake can carry a correct letter in the correct shape for a year that fits the model, and a date stamp is not a serial number. Bags from the same year share the same letter, and Hermès does not issue authenticity cards.
The year is also only useful if it makes sense for the physical bag. The leather, hardware, stitching, interior build and the Hermès Paris stamp all need to belong to the same period. Legitique reviews these signals together rather than relying on one stamp.
What to do after checking your Hermès blind stamp
If the stamp reads cleanly, compare the decoded year with the model’s known production history and the claimed purchase date. If the result is unusual, plain-letter ambiguous or contradictory, do not assume the worst. Repairs, relining, special orders and misread shapes can all explain a mismatch on a genuine bag.
Before buying, selling or filing a dispute, get a professional Hermès authentication with clear photos of the full bag, the blind stamp, the Hermès Paris stamp, hardware, stitching, corners, handles and interior. A receipt alone is not enough either, as explained in our guide on why a receipt is not proof of authenticity.
When to order a professional Hermès authentication
Order an authentication when the price is high, the seller is unknown, the bag has no receipt, the stamp does not match the claimed year, or you plan to use the result for a marketplace claim, chargeback, insurance file or resale listing.
Legitique’s Hermès authentication service checks the blind stamp together with the full bag: leather and glazing, stitching, hardware, engraving, typography, lining and model-specific construction. See how it works and what the Certificate of Authenticity includes.
Can I date a Birkin or Kelly with the blind stamp?
Yes, as a starting point. The stamp gives a production-year reference for the bag, and the Birkin and Kelly are among the most documented models. The year still has to be checked against the construction of the specific bag, especially around the 2014 to 2015 transition and for plain letters that could be vintage or modern.
Hermès
When a blind stamp is not enough, have the complete Hermès item reviewed by a human expert.
- Human-led review
- Clear authentication result
- Digital certificate support
- Photo-based submission
Hermès blind stamp checker questions
Answers to the questions that come up most often when checking a Hermès blind stamp.
What is a Hermès blind stamp?
A Hermès blind stamp is a mark pressed into the leather, without ink or foil, that includes a year letter identifying the production year within a particular stamp cycle. Extra craftsman or workshop marks can appear beside it.
How do I read a Hermès blind stamp?
Identify the single year letter, then check whether it is plain, inside a circle or inside a square. The shape tells you which cycle applies: plain is 1945–1970 or 2015 onward, a circle is 1971–1996, and a square is 1997–2014.
What does a Hermès stamp with a circle mean?
A letter inside a circle belongs to the 1971–1996 cycle. A circled A is 1971 and a circled Z is 1996.
What does a Hermès stamp with a square mean?
A letter inside a square belongs to the 1997–2014 cycle. A squared A is 1997 and a squared R is 2014. The square cycle stops at R, so an S, T, U, V, W, X, Y or Z inside a square is not a documented stamp.
What does a plain Hermès blind stamp mean?
A plain letter with no shape belongs to either the original 1945–1970 cycle or the modern sequence from 2015 onward. The letter alone cannot separate them, so the bag’s leather, hardware, construction and any extra craftsman marks have to decide.
What is the Hermès blind stamp for 2026?
Collector and authentication references report G as the 2026 letter. Hermès does not publish an official date-letter table, so G is a community-verified reference point, not a published fact, and it should not be treated as standalone proof.
Which letters has Hermès used since 2015?
The reported sequence is T (2015), X (2016), A (2017), C (2018), D (2019), Y (2020), Z (2021), U (2022), B (2023), W (2024), K (2025) and G (2026). The letters no longer follow the alphabet, and the newest years are the least firmly documented.
Is K a 1955, 1981, 2007 or 2025 Hermès stamp?
It depends on the shape. A plain K can be 1955 or 2025, a circled K is 1981, and a squared K is 2007.
Does a Hermès blind stamp prove authenticity?
No. A counterfeit can carry a copied or plausible stamp. Authentication has to assess the stamp together with the leather, stitching, construction, hardware, typography, proportions and model-specific details.
Where can I find the blind stamp on a Hermès Birkin or Kelly?
On older bags it is usually under the left interior strap or tab. On bags from about 2016 it is usually on the left interior wall near the back flap. Exact placement varies by model, size and period.
What if I cannot see the shape around my letter?
Choose “Not sure”. The checker returns every year that letter could mean across the cycles instead of pretending the shape is known. A clear close-up in soft light often reveals a faint frame.
What are the other letters and numbers next to the blind stamp?
They are generally reported as workshop, craftsman or production marks, common on bags from about 2016. Hermès does not publish a key, and they should not be read as a second date. The checker only uses the single year letter.
What do the horseshoe and the square, caret or dash next to the foil mean?
A horseshoe is reported to mark a Special Order (HSS) piece. A square, caret, double dots, dash or equal sign next to the foil is reported to identify an exotic skin such as alligator, crocodile or monitor lizard. These are not year frames.
What if my Hermès has no blind stamp?
Pieces made before 1945 do not carry one. On a more recent bag a missing stamp needs a good explanation, such as relining, repair or heavy wear, and a professional review is the safer next step.