Hermès Date Stamp Guide: 1945–2026
Collector reference
Hermès date stamp year guide
Plain letter
Circle stamp
Square stamp
Modern plain letter
Date stamps help estimate production year. They do not establish authenticity on their own.
How to read an Hermès date stamp
Hermès date stamps, often called blind stamps, use a letter to indicate the production year. The surrounding shape is essential: the same letter can represent different years depending on whether it appears alone, inside a circle, or inside a square.
From 1945 to 1970, Hermès used plain letters from A to Z. From 1971 to 1996, the letters appeared inside circles. From 1997 to 2014, they appeared inside squares. Since 2015, Hermès has returned to plain letters in a non-sequential order.
Does the stamp prove authenticity?
No. A date stamp is one reference point only. Authenticity should also consider construction, leather, stitching, hardware, typography, provenance, and professional inspection.
