Most vintage Wrangler jeans, including nearly all 1980s and 1990s 13MWZ cowboy cuts, sell for about $15-50 as of October 2026. The value is in the Blue Bell era: 1960s and 1970s Wrangler with Blue Bell still on the label sells for roughly $75-300, and the first 1940s and 1950s Blue Bell jeans for roughly $300-1,000 worn and over $1,000 deadstock. Blue Bell era denim jackets bring roughly $150-600, and the earliest 11MJ jackets more.
Wrangler made the 13MWZ in enormous numbers for ranch hands and rodeo riders and still makes it, so a pair of Wranglers with the W on the pockets is common. The parent company's name on the label, the lot number, the care tag and the country decide whether yours is a $20 work jean or a collectible, and this guide shows where each one sits.
Quick answer
- 1980s and 1990s Wrangler, including most 13MWZ: about $15-50; more only for deadstock or a great fade.
- 1960s and 1970s Wrangler with Blue Bell on the label: roughly $75-300.
- 1940s and 1950s Blue Bell 11MWZ era jeans: roughly $300-1,000 worn, $1,000 and up deadstock with paper tags.
- Jackets: 1970s to 1990s 124MJ about $40-120; Blue Bell era jackets about $150-600; an early Blue Bell 11MJ roughly $700-3,000, on very few sales.
- Modern Wrangler and Blue Bell reissues: used-clothing prices.
How do you date and value vintage Wrangler, step by step?
You date Wrangler from the labels inside and on the back, then check the construction. Lay the jeans flat, back side up.
- Read the patch. On the 13MWZ the brand patch sits on the right back pocket. Note what it says and what it is made of. Some older patches and inside labels name Blue Bell, Wrangler's parent company, alone or alongside Wrangler.
- Look for Blue Bell anywhere. Check the patch, the inside waistband label, the care tag and any paper tag. Blue Bell launched Wrangler jeans in 1947 and its name stayed on labels in some form into the 1970s, on some pieces into the 1980s, until Blue Bell merged with VF Corporation in 1986. If a tag says Blue Bell, stop and photograph it before you wash or alter anything.
- Find the lot number. The 11MWZ was the first Wrangler jean of 1947. The lot was later renamed 13MWZ for its 13 oz denim; Wrangler's timeline as summarized on Wikipedia gives 1952 for the change. 13MWZ is still in production, so the lot number alone does not make a pair old.
- Find the care tag. US garments got permanent care labels from 1972. A pair with no care tag and no sign one was cut out is usually earlier. Our guide to dating clothing by tags explains the care rule, RN numbers and union labels.
- Read the country. Wrangler closed its last American denim factory in 2005, according to Heddels. "Made in USA" on a pair with Blue Bell or with word-only care instructions points to the 1970s to 1990s; Mexico and other countries point to later.
- Check the construction. The first Wrangler jeans were built for riding: felled seams, back pockets set high for a saddle, a zip fly, and a reinforced crotch. The denim was broken twill, a weave that does not twist the leg as it wears. Look at the twill lines on the inside: broken twill zigzags rather than running in one diagonal.
- Check for reissues. Wrangler has sold Blue Bell reissues in recent years, some in raw selvedge denim. They carry modern care labels with symbols, current country lines and modern size labels, and the denim is often unworn and stiff.
- Measure and check the condition. Measure the waist flat, the inseam and the leg opening, because old tag sizes rarely match. Check the crotch, knees, back pocket corners and hems for holes, and note the fade.
How did Wrangler labels change by era?
The parent company name, the care tag and the country give three dividing lines that place most pairs within a decade or two.
| Clue | What it suggests | Typical value, jeans |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Bell on the label, no care tag, 11MWZ or early 13MWZ | 1947 to the 1950s | roughly $300-1,000 worn; $1,000 and up deadstock |
| Blue Bell on the label, 13MWZ, no care tag | 1950s to about 1972 | roughly $100-300 |
| Blue Bell on the label with a care tag | 1972 to the 1980s | roughly $75-200 |
| Wrangler only, Made in USA, word-only care tag | 1970s to 1990s | about $20-60 |
| Made in USA, care symbols | late 1990s to 2005 | about $15-40 |
| Mexico or other countries, modern labels | 2000s on | used-clothing prices |
| Blue Bell reissue, symbols, raw denim | Modern | priced as new clothing, not vintage |
What is vintage Wrangler worth?
Most of it is worth $15-50. The ranges below draw on the denim buyer California Vintage Buyers for jeans and on our vintage denim jacket guide for jackets, checked against current sold listings as of October 2026. Early Blue Bell sales are few, so those ranges are wide.
| Item | Era | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| 13MWZ cowboy cut, worn | 1980s to 1990s | $15-50 |
| 13MWZ, deadstock with tags | 1980s to 1990s | roughly $50-100 |
| Jeans with Blue Bell on the label | 1960s to 1970s | roughly $75-300 |
| Blue Bell 11MWZ era jeans, worn | 1947 to 1950s | roughly $300-1,000 |
| Blue Bell jeans, deadstock with paper tags | 1940s to 1950s | $1,000 and up |
| Bell bottoms and flares, Made in USA | 1970s | roughly $40-150; Blue Bell labels at the top; sales thin |
| 124MJ denim jacket | 1970s to 1990s | about $40-120 |
| 124MJ jacket, Blue Bell era | 1960s | about $100-350 |
| 24MJ jacket, Blue Bell | 1950s to early 1960s | about $300-1,000; sales thin |
| 11MJ jacket, Blue Bell | late 1940s to early 1950s | about $700-3,000; very few sales |
Bell bottoms. Wrangler made flares and bell bottoms for men and women through the 1970s. They sell to vintage fashion buyers more than to denim collectors, and waist size matters a great deal: small 1970s waists limit the market. A Blue Bell label or deadstock condition lifts a pair toward the top of the range.
Jackets. Blue Bell's first Wrangler denim jacket was the 11MJ of the late 1940s and early 1950s; later lots include the 111MJ and 24MJ, and the 124MJ became the common Wrangler denim jacket from the 1960s. Exact lot dates vary between sources, so let the labels and construction date a jacket rather than the lot number alone. Our denim jacket guide covers how to tell them apart next to Levi's and Lee.
Say you find Wranglers in a ranch sale
Say you find a pair of dark Wrangler jeans with the W stitched on both back pockets. The patch on the right back pocket reads Wrangler, an inside label reads Blue Bell and 13MWZ, and there is no care tag and no stub where one was cut off. Blue Bell with no care tag places the pair before 1972, and the 13MWZ lot and the construction fit the 1960s. The denim has an even mid-blue fade, the hems are worn but whole, and there is a small repaired hole at one knee. The waist measures 16 inches across laid flat, a 32 inch waist. As of October 2026 that pair sells for roughly $120-250. A 1990s 13MWZ with a Made in USA care tag in the same condition would sell for about $25-45, and a modern Blue Bell reissue would sell as used clothing.
What changes the price of vintage Wrangler?
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blue Bell on the label | The main premium |
| No care tag, none removed | Supports a pre-1972 date and the higher tiers |
| Deadstock with paper tags | Roughly double to triple a worn pair |
| Waist 30 to 36 inches | Sells most easily; very small or very large waists lower |
| Even fade, honest wear | Neutral to positive |
| Holes at the crotch, rotten or torn fabric | Strong drop |
| Repairs done well | Small drop |
| Cut-off hems or shortened legs | Moderate drop on early pairs |
| Missing patch or labels | Hard to date; lower value |
How to sell vintage Wrangler
Separate the Blue Bell pieces from the rest. A 1980s or 1990s 13MWZ is a $15-50 jean: list it singly only if it is deadstock or has a strong fade, otherwise bundle several pairs by waist size as one lot and price from sold listings. Anything with Blue Bell on a label, any 1970s flare, and any 124MJ jacket gets its own listing. A Blue Bell pair with no care tag, a deadstock pair with paper tags, or a jacket that could be an 11MJ or 24MJ should be offered to a vintage denim dealer who buys early Levi's, Lee and Wrangler before it goes online; the dealer's offer, usually about 40 to 60 percent of retail, is the floor, and the dealer can date the pair by hand where a listing cannot.
Denim buyers read labels and tape measures, so give them:
- The back laid flat, the patch straight on, and every inside label with the Blue Bell wording and lot number readable.
- The care tag, or the seam where one would be, so a pre-1972 claim can be checked.
- The country line.
- Waist measured flat, inseam and leg opening in inches, with the tag size as a separate note.
- Holes, repairs, cut hems and stains close up, and the fade in daylight.
- Paper tags on a deadstock pair, unwashed.
Do not call a Blue Bell reissue vintage; its care symbols give it away. Do not describe a 13MWZ as old on the lot number alone, and do not wash a deadstock pair before listing it.
Common mistakes
- Treating 13MWZ as a sign of age. It has been made continuously for decades and is still made.
- Missing Blue Bell. The name can be on an inside label or tag, not just the patch.
- Calling a Blue Bell reissue vintage. Modern Blue Bell reissues have care symbols and current labels.
- Assuming Made in USA means old. US-made Wrangler runs to 2005.
- Washing a deadstock pair. The paper tags and the unwashed denim are what make it deadstock.
- Pricing from Levi's results. Early Levi's carry larger premiums; see our vintage Levi's guide for that market.
- Listing tag sizes only. Old Wrangler tag sizes rarely match measured sizes.
How WorthPic reads Wrangler photos
WorthPic runs on the newest and most capable AI model available, tuned for exactly this kind of identification. From photos of the back it reads the patch and the pocket stitching; from the inside labels it reads Blue Bell wording, the lot number, the care tag or its absence, and the country. From the front and the seams it looks at the fly, the construction, the fade and the damage. It then places the pair or jacket in an era and gives an honest value range with a most likely figure, and says which extra photo would settle a question, often the inside waistband label or the side seam where a care tag would be. What it cannot know from photos is the exact measured size unless shown, odors, weak or rotten fabric that looks sound, or whether a careful reproduction is period. It identifies and estimates. It does not authenticate, grade or appraise.
What to photograph
- The back of the jeans laid flat, showing both pockets and the patch.
- The patch close up, straight on.
- Every inside label, the waistband label and the care tag or the place it would be.
- The front, the fly and a side seam.
- A tape measure across the waist, and the inseam.
- Any holes, repairs, stains or fading close up.
- Paper tags, if present.
When should you get vintage Wrangler looked at in person?
Most Wrangler does not need an expert: a 1980s or 1990s 13MWZ is a $15-50 jean, and sold listings for the same lot, size and condition set the price. Anything with Blue Bell on the label and no care tag, any deadstock pair with paper tags, and any jacket that could be an 11MJ or 24MJ deserves a second opinion. A vintage denim dealer who buys early Levi's, Lee and Wrangler can date a pair by hand from the denim, the thread and the labels and will make an offer, usually about 40 to 60 percent of retail when buying outright. For the shirts and tees that often come in the same lot, the vintage T-shirt guide applies. For the wider picture of how vintage clothing and sneakers are valued, including Levi's, Lee and workwear, see the category page.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Wrangler (jeans): Hudson Overall Company 1904, Blue Bell Overall Company 1919, 11MWZ introduced 1947, renamed 13MWZ in 1952 per the article's timeline, Blue Bell merger with VF 1986, last US sewing plant closed 2005, Kontoor Brands 2019.
- Heddels: Wrangler history: Rodeo Ben, 11MWZ construction, broken twill denim, Belgian factory in the mid 1960s, 1974 rodeo association endorsement, last American denim factory closed in 2005.
- California Vintage Buyers: vintage Lee and Wrangler value: Blue Bell on labels into the 1970s and 1980s; price ranges for 1940s and 1950s Blue Bell jeans, 1960s and 1970s Blue Bell labels, 1980s and 1990s 13MWZ and Blue Bell era jackets.
- Vintage Fashion Guild label resource: Wrangler: Blue Bell's acquisition of the Casey Jones company and the Wrangler name in 1943, VF in 1986.