Stamps explained
Hermès Date Stamp Chart: Blind Stamp Letters by Year
Read an Hermès blind stamp: the year letter for every period from 1945 to 2026, the circle and square eras, where Birkin and Kelly stamps sit, and the limits.
Quick answer
An Hermès blind stamp is a small letter pressed into the leather that marks the year a piece was made, usually next to a craftsman's code. Letters ran in alphabetical order with no shape from 1945 to 1970, inside a circle from 1971 to 1996 and inside a square from 1997 to 2014. Since 2015 they have no shape and are out of order, from T for 2015 to K for 2025, and collectors report G for 2026. The stamp dates a piece; it does not prove it is genuine.
Hermès does not publish its date stamp letters, yet the blind stamp is one of the first details buyers and sellers look at. This guide brings together the letters that Hermès specialists document for each period, explains where the stamp usually sits, and shows how to use it without treating it as proof.
What the Hermès blind stamp is
The blind stamp is a small uncolored mark pressed into the leather. PurseBlog describes it as a year letter next to a craftsman's code, which identifies the maker so a piece can be traced when it comes back for repair. Craftsman codes vary and can include numbers, extra letters or a symbol.
Hermès says the only way to guarantee the authenticity of an Hermès product is to buy it on Hermes.com, in an Hermès store or from an authorized distributor, and that it cannot guarantee or verify items bought outside an official Hermès point of sale. The chart below therefore comes from Hermès specialists, not from Hermès.
Hermès date stamp letters by year
PurseBlog's chart shows four patterns. In the first three, each year took the next letter of the alphabet, and the shape around the letter tells the periods apart. Since 2015 the letters no longer follow the alphabet, which PurseBop says was done so counterfeiters could not predict the next one.
A letter alone can be ambiguous. An A with no shape could mean 1945 or 2017, so the model, materials and construction have to place the piece in the right period.
- 1945 to 1970: A to Z in alphabetical order, no shape (A for 1945)
- 1971 to 1996: A to Z in alphabetical order inside a circle (A for 1971)
- 1997 to 2014: A to R in alphabetical order inside a square (A for 1997, R for 2014)
- 2015: T
- 2016: X
- 2017: A
- 2018: C
- 2019: D
- 2020: Y
- 2021: Z
- 2022: U
- 2023: B
- 2024: W
- 2025: K, reported by PurseBop and Real Authentication in January 2025
- 2026: G, reported by collectors and resellers in early 2026
Where to find the stamp
The location changes with the model and the period. PurseBlog says that on a Birkin or Kelly the stamp has often been on the outside of the strap or on an interior panel, and that from 2016 it moved to the interior side panel instead of the straps. On a Constance it is normally on the middle interior panel.
Small leather goods, belts and accessories carry their stamps in places that differ by item, so compare with references for the same model and period rather than expecting one fixed spot.
- Photograph the stamp straight on with light from the side, so the pressed letter and any shape around it are readable.
- Include the surrounding leather, so the stamp's position can be compared with the same model.
- Photograph the Hermès Paris Made in France stamp as well, because special marks sit next to it.
Other symbols near the stamps
PurseBlog lists several marks that can appear next to the Made in France stamp: a horseshoe for a special order, a shooting star for a piece made for a craftsman's own use, and an S for a sale or employee purchase.
It also lists marks for exotic skins: a square for alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), a caret for porosus crocodile, two dots for Nile crocodile, a dash for Varanus niloticus lizard and an equals sign for Varanus salvator lizard.
These marks are copied like the date letter, so a horseshoe or an exotic mark only tells you what the piece claims to be. The leather itself has to match the claim.
Why a new bag can carry an earlier year
PurseBop, which covers Hermès closely, says it is not uncommon for Hermès to offer bags produced in previous years, because bags can sit in inventory for a while before they are offered to a client. A new bag from a boutique with a stamp from one or two years earlier is therefore normal.
The stamp gives a production year, not a purchase date. Hermès says it issues an original invoice for both online and in-store purchases, so on a resale, the invoice is what shows when and where a bag was bought.
What a date stamp can and cannot prove
A correct letter and shape for the claimed year is a basic consistency check. Read it with the model's history: hardware, leather types, colors and construction details changed over time, and a stamp that places a piece before its model, leather or color existed needs an explanation.
It cannot prove authenticity. Counterfeiters use the same charts, and a well-made fake can carry the right letter for its claimed year. Because Hermès does not verify items bought outside its own channels, a secondhand review rests on the leather, stitching, structure, hardware, stamps and provenance together. Vereev is independent of Hermès.
Common questions
What readers ask about this topic
What year is my Hermès bag?
Read the letter and any shape around it in the blind stamp, then use the chart. A K with no shape is 2025, a W with no shape is 2024 and an R inside a square is 2014, for example.
What is the Hermès date stamp for 2026?
Collectors and resellers reported in early 2026 that the letter is G. Hermès does not publish its date letters, so treat a new letter as reported rather than official.
What is the Hermès date stamp for 2025?
K. PurseBop and Real Authentication both reported K as the 2025 letter in January 2025.
Why is the date stamp on my new Hermès bag from an earlier year?
PurseBop says Hermès sometimes offers bags produced in previous years, which can sit in inventory before being offered. The stamp shows the production year, not the purchase date.
Does the blind stamp prove an Hermès bag is real?
No. It supports the chronology, but counterfeiters copy stamps. Hermès says it cannot guarantee or verify items bought outside an official Hermès point of sale.
Sources and evidence
How this guide was researched
Vereev separates official brand information, established secondary references, first-party product information, and general buyer-safety guidance. Sources support context, not an authenticity verdict for an unseen item.
- Hermès official authentication FAQ
Official brand source
- PurseBlog: a guide to Hermès symbols and stamps
Established secondary source
- PurseBop on the 2025 Hermès date stamp letter
Established secondary source
- Real Authentication on the 2025 Hermès date stamp
Established secondary source
- PurseBop on new bags with earlier date stamps
Established secondary source
- LA FORMA date stamp list including the 2026 letter
Reseller report
Read the full Vereev research methodology or request a correction.
Item-level review
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Vereev is an independent authentication service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Hermès. Educational guidance cannot replace an item-level review.