here has also been a lot of questions regarding stamping on the back of the top buttons.
As a rule, jeans with a single stamped digit (2, 5, 6, W) for example are older than jeans with a 3 digit stamping on the top
of the button. Common 3 digit stampings are 524, 558, 555,554.
- Jeans with single digit or no digit stamping are made from mid 70's back, and are possibly big E
- Authentic Big E non-reproduction jeans will have either no or a single stamped digit.
- Reproductions will normally be stamped '555'
- Newer Levis and fakes will be stamped '501'
- Japanese Made Levis will have a 'J' followed by a couple of digits '21'
Era: 1870 ~ 1873 period. The hand stitched top-buttons used in the duck cloth work overalls
Era: 1873 ~ 1890 period.
The most basic type of metal buttons used in the Levis 125 model waist overall in 1873.
note the recessed button center which differs from more modern jeans
Era: 1930 ~ 1941 period, 1945-Modern Peroid.
The donut core was filled and molded into a solid heart top button for the 501XX series. Levis decided to include it's country of origin, and thus, " * S . F CAL * " was inserted in together with the other characters. This button is the father of the modern button used currently.
Era: 1987 ~ Current
There are two versions of this top button. Available in both Silver and Copper, the " * " which was used as a spacer was replaced with " . " instead. The silver color top button were use mainly on jeans while the copper version appeared on 505 series of jeans and jackets. Copper buttons never appear on 501 model jeans.
4 comments:
Hmmm, curiously I have a pair of 501's button fly where the top button is copper and they have a tag of 1999 San Francisco !
During my gold prospecting years here in the West Oz, goldfield,s I unearthed a number of Levi jean button,s. Levi,s were worn by prospector,s returning from the America,s great gold rush of the late 1800,s also by the hoard,s who followed .Are they of interest to any one ?
are ant original 501 with 501 stamp buttons.?
I have a button that was found in California Gold Rush area. We are trying to date it. On the button the text shows "L. Strauss" "San" "Cal". It has two rectangular holes in center for which it was probably sewn onto a garment. If you have any information, I'd be interested to hear. I can't find anything at all online.
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