Vintage Levi's Value: How to Date Levi's Jeans

Most used Levi's jeans sell for roughly $20-60, including plenty of pairs that look old. The ones worth real money are dated by a few small details: a red tab reading "LEVI'S" in all capitals (the Big E, used until about 1971), selvedge seams on the inside of the outseam (on 501s until about 1983-1985), and to a lesser extent a "Made in USA" label from before production moved overseas around 2003. A 1970s or early 1980s 501 redline in a wearable size sells for $100-400, Big E 501s for several hundred to well over a thousand, and Big E denim jackets from the 1950s and 1960s reach thousands.

So before looking at fade or size, check four things: the red tab, the inside of the outseam, the back of the top button and the care tag. Together they date almost any pair to within a few years. If all four point to the 1990s or later, the pair is a nice pair of jeans rather than a collector's piece.

One warning matters from the start. Levi's own reproduction line, Levi's Vintage Clothing (LVC), and Japanese repro brands copy the Big E and the selvedge closely. The care tag and inner labels are what separate a 1960s pair from a 2015 reproduction.

The red tab: Big E vs small e

The small red tab on the right back pocket is the first dating tool.

• Big E: "LEVI'S" with a capital E. Used until about 1971. Any genuine vintage Big E pair is a serious find.
• Small e: "Levi's" with a lowercase e. From about 1971 onward.
• Single-sided tabs: very early tabs from the late 1930s and 1940s had text on one side only. These are rare and valuable.
• Registered mark tabs: from the 1950s the tab carries a small ® mark. Some tabs show only the ® with no Levi's name, used in certain periods to protect the trademark.

Big E tabs on modern jeans exist on LVC and some special editions, so the tab dates a pair only when the other details agree.

Selvedge (redline)

Turn the jeans inside out and look at the seam on the outside of each leg.

• Selvedge: the edge of the fabric has a clean, finished band, usually white with a red line on Levi's (hence "redline"). This was woven on narrow shuttle looms. On 501s it lasts until about 1983-1985.
• Overlocked: a zigzag of thread over a raw edge. This is standard after the mid 1980s.

Redline 501s from the 1970s and early 1980s are the most common vintage Levi's that carry real value.

The top button number

The back of the top button is stamped with a number that identifies the factory.

• Single and double digit numbers like 2, 6, 8, 16 and 17 point to US factories and are often seen on 1970s and 1980s pairs.
• Three digit numbers such as 524, 532, 552, 555 and 653 also point to US factories, commonly in the 1980s and 1990s.
• A plain back with no number, or a letter, appears on some early and some later pairs.

Button 555 is the Valencia Street factory in San Francisco, which Levi's later used for LVC reproductions. A 555 button alone is not proof of age, so read it together with the tag.

The care tag

Care tags were introduced in the early 1970s and changed regularly. They are the strongest dating tool for anything after 1970.

• 1970s: small white tags with care instructions, often with a production date printed as a code.
• 1980s: tags with the lot number, a date code (for example 0884 for August 1984) and "Made in USA".
• 1990s: larger tags with more languages. The date code is still often legible.
• 2000s onward: multi page tags, often made in Mexico, Asia or elsewhere.

No care tag at all suggests pre-1970s, unless it has been cut out. Many owners cut tags, so look for the stub in the seam.

501 vs 505 vs 517 and other lots

The lot number is on the leather or paper patch at the back waistband and on the care tag.

• 501: the original button fly jean, and the model collectors want most.
• 505: zip fly with a regular fit, introduced in the late 1960s. Big E 505s are valuable, small e 505s less so.
• 517: boot cut, popular from the 1970s. Orange tab and red tab versions both exist.
• 646 and 684: 1970s bell bottoms and flares with some collector interest.
• 550, 560 and 569: relaxed and loose fits from the 1980s and 1990s, usually worth less.
• Type I, II and III jackets: denim truckers. Type I (1930s to 1950s), Type II (1950s to early 1960s) and Type III (1960s onward) are among the most valuable Levi's of all.

Orange Tab

Levi's used an orange tab on fashion lines from the 1960s to the 1980s, particularly on 505, 517, 646 and 684 cuts. Orange tab jeans have their own following, especially bell bottoms and flares from the 1970s. They usually sell for $40-150, more for Big E orange tabs.

Condition and size

Collectors and wearers want different things, and both affect price:

• Fade: a natural, even fade with honest wear sells well. Heavy repairs, stains and bleach marks lower the value, though some buyers like visible mending.
• Size: waist sizes between 30 and 36 sell best. Very small and very large sizes sell for less, except to specific buyers.
• Damage: crotch blowouts, ripped pockets and torn belt loops cut the price.
• Deadstock: unworn pairs with original flasher tags can sell for several times a worn pair.
• Alterations: hemmed legs are common and reduce value modestly.

Levi's Vintage Clothing and repros

Levi's Vintage Clothing (LVC), launched in the 1990s, reproduces historic 501s and jackets with Big E tabs, selvedge denim and period buttons. Japanese brands such as Warehouse, Studio D'Artisan and others do the same. These are good jeans worth $50-200 used, but not vintage.

Signs of LVC or repro:

• A modern care tag with multiple languages and a recent date code.
• An inner label naming LVC or the year being reproduced, such as "1947" or "1955".
• Made in Japan, Turkey or the USA on a recent tag with a Big E tab.
• A 555 button on a pair that otherwise looks new.

The care tag is what settles it, which is why a clear photo of it is the single most useful picture.

Rough values by era

Approximate used prices in USD, in wearable condition and common sizes:

For other vintage clothing that sells by era and tag, see our guide to vintage t-shirts.

What to photograph for the best read

• The red tab on the back pocket, close up.
• The back of the top button.
• The inside of the outseam, showing selvedge or overlock.
• The care tag, flat and in focus, both sides if it has more than one page.
• The patch at the back waistband with the lot number.
• The full front and back.