Authenticate This COACH - **see first post for format**

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#47,869
IMPORTANT READ-ME

Please post authenticity questions related to COACH in this thread. No PMs please.
For further information, please refer to the first post on page 1 of this thread.

Please follow the following requests:
  • Before you submit a request for authentication, please search this thread to make sure that the item has not previously been authenticated by searching the seller ID and/or item number. This is not a thread to ask general questions about COACH, please refer to our main Coach forum for such information.
  • Note that authenticators have the right to refuse any requests. This is a free service, but it is imperative that you help our authenticators by using the following format:
  • FOR ITEMS LISTED ONLINE:
    Item:
    Listing number:
    Seller and site where listed
    Link:
    Comments:

  • FOR ITEMS NOT LISTED ONLINE:
    Item:
    Where purchased or how obtained
    Comments:
BASIC PICTURES REQUIRED (but more may be requested): If necessary pictures are in the listing, it's not necessary to upload and duplicate them.
  • Front of item
  • Back of item
  • Full clear and legible creed text and serial number
  • Made in tags (when available)
  • Measurements
  • For bags with turnlock closures, show pictures of back of female side of turnlock
  • For bags with magnetic snaps, show pictures of the male part of the snap so that the numbers and letters on it can be read
  • If applicable, search interior of bag and/or pockets for small white tag with production information and include a picture of that.
Thank you and be safe!
 
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#16,367
#16,369
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#16,372
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#16,373
houseof999 said:
I found a back pack style 4922 and was comparing with other ones on eBay and came across one that's not a backpack. Can anyone tell me how this crossbody is also the same style as the back pack?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322170875982
Click to expand...

From what I can see of the serial number, and it isn't much, the serial looks like A?Z-4922. But I'd want a better photo of the creed and serial to be completely sure. I've seen other bags with the old Made in the United States creeds with Z plant codes but it's been almost impossible to authenticate any of them.

More opinions are welcome.
 
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#16,374
whateve said:
Don't mention that you washed it. You aren't supposed to alter anything before you return, which would include marking it as fake. Open a not as described return and include in your description why it is fake. Mention that you had it authenticated and were told it is fake. It's possible the seller will accept your return right away or refund you and tell you keep it. Don't close the case until you have gotten all your money back. If the seller doesn't agree to the return, you will have to escalate. You have to wait about a week to do that. If you have to escalate, you can add more information and pictures to bolster your case, but ebay isn't in the authenticating business so unless the seller can prove it is authentic in some way and ebay decides to listen to him, you will win your case. If you want to make sure, when you escalate, call ebay and keep them on the phone until you get someone to make a decision.
Click to expand...

Thanks again. I just filed, so we shall see.
 
#16,375
houseof999 said:
I found a back pack style 4922 and was comparing with other ones on eBay and came across one that's not a backpack. Can anyone tell me how this crossbody is also the same style as the back pack?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322170875982
Click to expand...
To answer your question, the only way it could have the same last 4 digits is if it was made prior to 1994 and those just happened to be the last four digits of its unique serial number. There may have been an incident or two where a bag was given the wrong style number (I own one) but I don't think that is the case here.
Hyacinth said:
From what I can see of the serial number, and it isn't much, the serial looks like A?Z-4922. But I'd want a better photo of the creed and serial to be completely sure. I've seen other bags with the old Made in the United States creeds with Z plant codes but it's been almost impossible to authenticate any of them.

More opinions are welcome.
Click to expand...
It is my opinion the bag is fake. It looks like A?Z-4922 to me as well. We don't have any proof that the Z plant was used for the US in 1994/1995 when these older creeds were being used. The problem is that Coach changed the styling of the court bag around 1999. On older Court bags, which this should have been made with that creed, the top of the front under the flap went straight across. After 1999 it lipped up like in this one. Another problem I see is that the top of the pocket under the flap has no edging. See picture 3 in the listing.
This is a picture of a pre-1999 court bag.black court bag064.jpg
This is a picture of a post-1999 court bag.brown court0550.jpg
 
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#16,376
houseof999 said:
I found a back pack style 4922 and was comparing with other ones on eBay and came across one that's not a backpack. Can anyone tell me how this crossbody is also the same style as the back pack?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322170875982
Click to expand...

Hyacinth said:
From what I can see of the serial number, and it isn't much, the serial looks like A?Z-4922. But I'd want a better photo of the creed and serial to be completely sure. I've seen other bags with the old Made in the United States creeds with Z plant codes but it's been almost impossible to authenticate any of them.

More opinions are welcome.
Click to expand...
whateve said:
To answer your question, the only way it could have the same last 4 digits is if it was made prior to 1994 and those just happened to be the last four digits of its unique serial number. There may have been an incident or two where a bag was given the wrong style number (I own one) but I don't think that is the case here.

It is my opinion the bag is fake. It looks like A?Z-4922 to me as well. We don't have any proof that the Z plant was used for the US in 1994/1995 when these older creeds were being used. The problem is that Coach changed the styling of the court bag around 1999. On older Court bags, which this should have been made with that creed, the top of the front under the flap went straight across. After 1999 it lipped up like in this one. Another problem I see is that the top of the pocket under the flap has no edging. See picture 3 in the listing.
This is a picture of a pre-1999 court bag.View attachment 3438457
This is a picture of a post-1999 court bag.View attachment 3438459
Click to expand...

I spent quite a while last night going through both the seller's other listings as well as listings from other sellers trying to find another A?Z or A?2 prefix and was not successful. It's unusual to see a unique fake serial number because it doesn't seem cost effective to make just one (or a few) bags with a fake number.

Seller - 81nugget

FWIW, I've enlarged 81nugget's creed in case it might help.
 
#16,378
BeenBurned said:
I spent quite a while last night going through both the seller's other listings as well as listings from other sellers trying to find another A?Z or A?2 prefix and was not successful. It's unusual to see a unique fake serial number because it doesn't seem cost effective to make just one (or a few) bags with a fake number.

Seller - 81nugget

FWIW, I've enlarged 81nugget's creed in case it might help.
Click to expand...
I didn't notice it before but the "No." looks wrong too. None of the older creed fonts had that large "o" and long underline.
 
#16,379
houseof999 said:
Thanks beenburned. I think it looks like A3Z now.
Click to expand...

Since the absolute latest we've ever found any creed with the old "scars, scratches" statement is early to mid-1996, anything more recent than that has to be fake. I don't think the number is a 3, but can't tell what it's supposed to be since it doesn't seem to have any shape that looks familiar. And that's after looking at probably between 5 and 10 thousand different serial numbers.

The earliest Z plant serial number I've ever seen that I'm sure was genuine was for the Dominican Republic plant in August 1997. Here's a photo of the creed and serial, the inexperienced plant stamper also transposed the year and month codes but it's definitely from the Z plant in the DR. And I agree with Whateve that the font, size of the "o", and underline of the "No" in the apparent fake doesn't look like any other Coach I've ever seen either. The spaces between some of the words look "puffy", which usually points to it having been stamped in a Chinese plant or by a Chinese counterfeiter some time after the year 2000. "Puffy" creeds aren't something you find in genuine pre-China bags, note the picture in the BeenBurned post 16376 above..
1997_Z-plant_H-month-DR-4157-sm.jpg
 
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#16,380
Thanks ladies for confirming my suspicion. I'm not experienced enough to notice the differences as I don't know a lot about creed history. Should I report the item? Does anyone report them after posting fakes in the hall of shame? Sorry for the newbie questions.
 
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