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K5G-4082 would belong only to a Soho Bag. the bag is pebbled leather but doesn't have the Sonoma lining OR the Sonoma creed - I can see "scars, scratches..." etc in the creed stamp and those words weren't used in Sonoma creeds.

I've seen three probably genuine bags marked from the G plant in 1995, and the serial number stamp especially the prefix in the white one you posted doesn't match them, the prefix digits are too close together in the fake. Pics below.

Do NOT buy from seller MARIEDOT325 - she also currently has FOUR fakes listed in today's Hall Of Shame pages

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131061832999
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131061835046
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Brown...695?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item1e83e4e7af
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Vinta...535?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item1e83cede6f
plus the white one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Vinta...407?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item1e83e4dad7

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Womens-Handbags-Bags-/169291/m.html?item=131061832999&_ssn=mariedot325
The purple and pink hangtags she has listed might also be fake - opinions?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Purpl...360?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item1e83cf4b20
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Pink-Tag-/131060423058?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item1e83cf5992

I don't know where she's finding her garbage but she must have hit the mother lode. And she's obviously never read either my Fake Numbers List or Daria48's.

PLEASE REPORT THIS SELLER'S FAKES. Here's a list of the problems but use your own words to describe them since this is a copy of my report:

FIVE CLASSIC-STYLE FAKES, SEVERAL OF WHICH HAVE SERIAL NUMBERS THAT ARE LISTED AS "ALWAYS FAKE" IN DARIA48'S FAKE SERIAL NUMBERS LIST POSTED AT EBAY:
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Fake-Coach-Serial-Numbers-NT-4903-and-more-/10000000002744619/g.html

ENDING IN:
5695 - known fake serial number, fake "overstamping" marks above & below sewrial number, "Scrtches" is missing the "a"

2999 - inside pocket zipper is too short - should ALWAYS extend all the way to the edges of the pocket. Fake plant code Q, fake creed stamp

2407 - fake style number, fake serial number with wrong spacing & font AND wording in prefix, wrong lining for a bag with pebbled leather

1535 - always-fake listed serial number, invalid year code for that style, fake creed stamp with wrong font, wrong lining

5046 - known & Daria-listed fake number, fake creed with "scrtches" misspelled & "markings" should NOT be divided between 2 lines with a hyphen

It is fake. The bag appears to be a Sonoma style. I can't read the creed but it looks like the style number is 4032, which isn't a Sonoma style number. I guess it could be 4932, but then that is a bucket style, not a flap. The inside zipper pull is wrong for a Sonoma and the lining is also wrong. Most Sonomas have striped lining. We have seen some that have solid lining but it should be cotton, and that looks like faille, similar to the lining in Madisons. Although I can't really read the creed wording, it appears to be the standard creed wording with the phrase "scars, scratches, veins" rather than the creed wording that was used for Sonomas. The exterior zipper pull is wrong as well.
Thank you both for confirming what I suspected of MARIEDOT325's listing.

As for the hangtags, I saw several questionable ones (as far as authenticity goes) too but more important is the fact that hangtags -- even authentic ones -- are disallowed as violations of ebay's "prohibited accessories" policy:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-accessories.html

As per the policy, items that aren't sold as free-standing items aren't allowed to be listed or sold without the item it came with:

iconNotAllowed_25x25.gif

Not allowed

  • Accessories or packaging without the accompanying product. Examples include:
    • Dust bags
    • Plastic tags (including a tag with a serial number)
    • Ribbons
    • Tissue paper
  • Box for a branded watch without the accompanying watch
  • Empty jewelry pouch, tin, or other container that may be used to hold and sell a similar or identical product
  • Warranty or certificate (blank, valid, or expired) without the accompanying product
 
Item: NWT COACH PARK SIGNATURE LEATHER LANYARD ID HOLDER 91313 65476 65364 61766 62481

Listing number:281153542527

Seller: designercollezziones

Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-COACH-P..._Women_s_Accessories&var=&hash=item41760e997f

Comments: Check out the brown one (3rd one from the left), the Coach fonts seems different
In this case, I think the lanyards are authentic however I've watched the seller, designercollezziones, for a while and take issue with the seller's listing styles.

Although in the case of the referenced listing above, the seller appropriately uses multiple style numbers, in other listings, the seller has one item but KWS (keyword spams) other style numbers in order to increase visibility, a huge ebay no-no.

For example, in this listing, the seller uses two style numbers, 65820 92813 that are NOT the correct numbers for the keychain he's selling:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-GIFT-BO...pt=US_Women_s_Accessories&hash=item51b5e4dc48

This one KWS 3 other style numbers:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-GIFT-BO...pt=US_Women_s_Accessories&hash=item485d6a8dd3

and
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NWT-DUSTBAG...pt=US_Women_s_Accessories&hash=item51b481eee4

I'm not comfortable with a seller whose ethics are questionable. There are times when using multiple keywords to increase exposure is totally valid and recommended but misleading buyers by drawing them to your listings with unrelated style numbers is sneaky.
 
Item: NEW COACH BLACK ~ LEGACY FLAP ~ SHOULDER BAG CROSS BODY PURSE

Listing number: 360801965023
Seller: roberts1hfb
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/360801965023

Comments: Just looking for confirmation. Is this a Patricia bag? I had one a million years ago that was unlined and I believe without snap. The current Patricia's have a zipper, right? THANKS MUCH!!
 
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Item: NEW COACH BLACK ~ LEGACY FLAP ~ SHOULDER BAG CROSS BODY PURSE

Listing number: 360801965023
Seller: roberts1hfb
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/360801965023

Comments: Just looking for confirmation. Is this a Patricia bag? I had one a million years ago that was unlined and I believe without snap. The current Patricia's have a zipper, right? THANKS MUCH!!

No, it's not a Patricia's Legacy, which is style number 9951. This one's called a Legacy Flap just like in the listing title and is style 9332. It's from 2002 and it's genuine. It's a bit like the Patricia's but with an outside back pocket and doesn't have a pocket under the flap or behind the main compartment. The strap is shorter too.

Patricia's Legacy bags never had snaps, AFAIK. The recent remake in a colorblock design did add a turnlock but all the others, new or old, had open front flaps with a zipped top underneath. Coach still makes it - here's the web page:
http://www.coach.com/online/handbag...cy_bag-10551-10051-9951-en?searchKeyword=9951
 
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No, it's not a Patricia's Legacy, which is style number 9951. This one's called a Legacy Flap just like in the listing title and is style 9332. It's from 2002 and it's genuine.

Patricia's Legacy bags never had snaps, AFAIK. The recent remake in a colorblock design did add a turnlock but all the others, new or old, had open front flaps with a zipped top underneath.
Thanks Hyacinth, I really appreciate the info! I wonder what bag I had then....could it have been a Stewardess? I don't remember there being a zipper but I'm not certain on that.
 
Thanks Hyacinth, I really appreciate the info! I wonder what bag I had then....could it have been a Stewardess? I don't remember there being a zipper but I'm not certain on that.

The Stewardess had a turnlock (Coach still makes that one too). I'm not sure what other bag in that size and shape would have had a front snap.
 
Coach stopped using solid brass hardware in the 80's, so it is brass plated. I've had some hardware look like that. You can use brasso to shine it up but I don't know if you'll be able to get it perfect. You can get a new turnlock from Coach, I think. I ordered two a few weeks ago and I haven't gotten them. There are also sellers on ebay that have them. I'm not sure how much longer I should wait to see if Coach will send them.
You know, I was wondering about some of the purses that have been on this site that have been deemed fake because the grommets looked nickel and the buckles brass. Is it possible that the brass plating wore off the grommets since they may have been made from a different metal and so lost the plating quicker than the buckles?
 
There are similar lanyards on FOS right now. There isn't one exactly like that one, but there is one that has the same font as that one. It is part of the men's collection. I don't have any reason to believe it isn't authentic.

It amazes me that this seller has sold 86 of these and has more than 10 available. How many trips to the outlet would you have to take in order to be able to buy that many, unless for some reason she isn't bound by the same limits as the rest of us?
I'm always a little leery of sellers who just state their location as United States. Most sellers list their town and state as well. I wonder if this is drop shipping.
 
You know, I was wondering about some of the purses that have been on this site that have been deemed fake because the grommets looked nickel and the buckles brass. Is it possible that the brass plating wore off the grommets since they may have been made from a different metal and so lost the plating quicker than the buckles?

Usually we don't say something's fake just because of the grommets, there has to be something else wrong with the bag. Straps can be changed too, just like hangtags, and neither of them should be used as the only evidence that something's fake.

Also if the grommets were brass-plated the color would wear off unevenly since the tongue of the buckle only rubs against a small area on the grommet - some areas shouldn't show any wear or color loss at all if they were genuine brass or even brass-plated.
 
Usually we don't say something's fake just because of the grommets, there has to be something else wrong with the bag. Straps can be changed too, just like hangtags, and neither of them should be used as the only evidence that something's fake.

Also if the grommets were brass-plated the color would wear off unevenly since the tongue of the buckle only rubs against a small area on the grommet - some areas shouldn't show any wear or color loss at all if they were genuine brass or even brass-plated.
Thanks Hyacinth, now that you mention it the bag I submitted also had issues with the length of the zipper as well.
 
I don't think Coach was ever considered high end. In the 60's and on the Bonnie Cashin bags, they mostly used brass plating and the leather used was not as nice as on later bags. In the 70's and possibly early 80's, they used solid brass. A lot of those bags have very minimal hardware like tiny buckles, probably to keep the weight down, and the hardware isn't marked "solid brass". I had a bag from the mid 70's that had large brass buckles and they were extremely heavy. Dooney and Bourke used solid brass through the nineties - I don't know when they stopped. I was a little surprised when I learned this - in some ways, the D & Bs from the nineties were nicer than Coaches. In my collection, I don't believe that any of the Coaches with a serial number, which would be anything made from the late 70s on, has solid brass hardware.

I think Brasso might help but I think you are still going to see that texture of chipping.

I have one turnlock that is very loose. I figure it will break soon so I intend to replace it. I don't know if there is a way to repair it rather than replace it. The stores won't help you with turnlocks. I asked at both FP and factory stores and the SAs weren't even aware if JAX provided turnlocks. If I don't get the turnlocks, I'll probably try to send one of mine in for repair since it needs some stitching as well. I'd attempt the stitching on my own but if they aren't going to send me the turnlock, I might as well have them do both things.

There is a limit on how many hangtags you can ask for. If you've already gotten a few, they might feel you are abusing the system. They don't mind providing hangtags when they think you originally bought the bag from them, especially if you give them the impression that you are still spending money with them. A lot of resellers ask for a bunch of hangtags and they don't want to encourage that. If you ask for hangtags at a store, they don't keep track of how many you get so IMO that is a better way to go.

It can take about 6 weeks to get back a bag you sent in for repair.
Thank you for your knowledge on brass! I had no idea! Too bad about the turn lock! I hope you get them! How do you leave an impression of you buy their stuff? The hang tags are usually for vintage bags that I have cleaned up. I do but from there, but I like the vintage the best! I know people (ebay sellers) really abuse the system which is annoying to the people who actually use them for themselves! Thank you! Let me know how the turn locks turn out!!
 
Thank you for your knowledge on brass! I had no idea! Too bad about the turn lock! I hope you get them! How do you leave an impression of you buy their stuff? The hang tags are usually for vintage bags that I have cleaned up. I do but from there, but I like the vintage the best! I know people (ebay sellers) really abuse the system which is annoying to the people who actually use them for themselves! Thank you! Let me know how the turn locks turn out!!
You're welcome. Coach knows I buy their stuff because I'm in the Coach system. They have a record of my purchases from Coach.com and Coachfactory.com. I've been buying pretty regularly for the last 2 years. I don't know if they know about all my purchases from Coach factory stores but it seems that every time I buy in the FP store they look me up in their system so they may keep a record of those.
 
You're welcome. Coach knows I buy their stuff because I'm in the Coach system. They have a record of my purchases from Coach.com and Coachfactory.com. I've been buying pretty regularly for the last 2 years. I don't know if they know about all my purchases from Coach factory stores but it seems that every time I buy in the FP store they look me up in their system so they may keep a record of those.
Oh that is good to know! My name must be in the system too! But I don't have a big history! Thank you! And talk to you soon!:)
 
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