AUTHENTICATE this COACH!

[Hyacinth]

I just read that a lot of serial numbers that start with J are fakes. Is this bag authentic?

Listing No: 271553399488
Seller: palmtree212

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Red-Leather-9993-Mini-Shopper-Tote-Excellent-Condition-Near-Vintage-/271553399488?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item3f39d80ac0

It's a genuine Mini Shopper from 1996

 

[Cgjulie]

Good morning. I am new to this forum, so I hope this works! I literally had a dream about a red Coach bag in this style, so I woke up and promptly found one on eBay to buy. Now, after seeing all the fakes listed, I'm afraid I bought one as well... Did I get duped?? Hope the attachments work, and thanks so much for the help!

View attachment 2694134

 

[Cgjulie]

The second attached image did not seem to go through on my previous post. Here's a second try....

 

[missbaltimore]

Genuine Manor Bag

Looks ok

I think it's ok, Bleeker Leather Large Flap

It seems ok, probably one of the Bleeker Checkbook wallets. But those styles were faked a LOT and faked very accurately so sometimes it's hard to be 100 percent sure.

The bag looks ok

Thank you Hyacinth for your time and for the good news. And yes the wallet was the most questionable-- not to mention used and abused-- but was an impulse counter purchase for the cost of a cup of coffee.

I read the article you linked to about "knock-offs". Curious they mention the tag and not the style numbers. As long as Coach continues to use the "F" in the factory style numbers then with only a little effort one should still be able to discern the difference. I've only been to a couple of outlet stores myself-- Gap and Banana Rep several years ago in Maine-- and generally the clothing did seem lower quality with cheaper fabrics and fewer, less contoured seams. But I didn't think that was headline news. With the number of outlet malls across the country it seems it would be impossible to stock them with only unsold or irregular items.

 

[BeenBurned]

Change in Outlet vs FP price tags?

Found this comment in an article about outlet malls and since I haven't been to a Coach store in either one in over a year, I figured someone here would know:

"At the Coach Outlet, an employee told us the tags used to say “Factory” under the Coach logo, but the company changed the tags, making it more difficult for consumers to tell which bags were designed specifically for the outlet store.

Now tags on bags made for the Coach Outlet read “Est. 1941” under the logo. The high-end bags have “New York” printed under the logo."
http://www.click2houston.com/news/could-you-be-getting-knockoff-at-outlet-malls/26789668

Can any of our serious shoppers confirm?

I read the article you linked to about "knock-offs". Curious they mention the tag and not the style numbers. As long as Coach continues to use the "F" in the factory style numbers then with only a little effort one should still be able to discern the difference. I've only been to a couple of outlet stores myself-- Gap and Banana Rep several years ago in Maine-- and generally the clothing did seem lower quality with cheaper fabrics and fewer, less contoured seams. But I didn't think that was headline news. With the number of outlet malls across the country it seems it would be impossible to stock them with only unsold or irregular items.

I take issue with the article referring to MFF items as "knockoffs."

I consider "knockoffs" to be fakes and just because an item isn't made for the boutique, it doesn't mean that it's a knockoff! It's simply a more cheaply and affordably made version of their own authentic items and IMO, should not be alleged to be knockoffs.

 

[cheerrabbit]

Item: Coach Brown Leather Stewardess Large Bag Depth 4, Bag Height 8 Bag Length 116515
Listing number: 261538419930
Seller: bagsnrags2014
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coach-Brown-Leather-Stewardess-Large-Bag-Depth-4-Bag-Height-8-Bag-Length-116515-/261538419930?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=dheNmcm3W1zAJRIqNKKW%252FbbuzL4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
Comments: I believe this to be a United Airlines Stewardess, but I won't know until I get it in if it has the logo on the strap (I see "something" by the end of the strap in 5th picture). Any concerns? I know that the pictures are blurry, and I can post more pictures when it is received. Thanks!

 

[Aunt Clara]

The 4115 Whitney seems ok. Coach did make some bags in the US at an H plant, and even a few sample bags had that code. Plant codes were often transferred and with only a few exceptions like the Italy plant could have been used in more than one country. The "M" plant code was bounced around more than a tennis ball at Wimbledon. Figuring out the dates for various plant codes is still very much a guessing game and NOT for the faint-hearted.

The red one MIGHT be ok. Usually I don't recommend buying any mid to late 1990s bag with any serial number that begins with "J" since it seems at least half of them are fake or questionable. This might be genuine but I don't own a real one to compare it to.

Thanks, Hyacinth! Thanks so much!

 

[Aunt Clara]

I don't feel comfortable with the red bag. Every authentic H plant I've seen doesn't have that alignment or font. The font on yours looks exactly like a fake J9H creed I have in my files. On the divided pocket, the narrow pen slots look too wide, and the pocket with the creed is too narrow. Each pen pocket should be about 1 1/2 inches wide, leaving about 5 1/2 inches for the remaining pocket. I'd like to see the ends of the pocket zipper, and the zipper pull on the top of the bag.

Thanks, Whateve! The pen pockets do measure 2 inches wide, but here are the photos that you asked for (with wishful thinking), and one more of the creed at a different angle without the flash:

Please let me know if you need anything else and thanks again

 

[whateve]

Thanks, Whateve! The pen pockets do measure 2 inches wide, but here are the photos that you asked for (with wishful thinking), and one more of the creed at a different angle without the flash:

Please let me know if you need anything else and thanks again

The zipper pull is too short and shaped wrong. I've never seen another Legacy zip that has a nylon rather than a metal zipper for the inside pocket, even on those made in 1998 and 1999 (although the current one on Coach.com appears to). The zipper for the pocket doesn't look like it goes all the way from end to end. There should be very little gap between the zipper stop and the piping. I really don't think it is authentic.

 

[whateve]

Change in Outlet vs FP price tags?

Found this comment in an article about outlet malls and since I haven't been to a Coach store in either one in over a year, I figured someone here would know:

"At the Coach Outlet, an employee told us the tags used to say “Factory” under the Coach logo, but the company changed the tags, making it more difficult for consumers to tell which bags were designed specifically for the outlet store.

Now tags on bags made for the Coach Outlet read “Est. 1941” under the logo. The high-end bags have “New York” printed under the logo."
http://www.click2houston.com/news/co...malls/26789668

Can any of our serious shoppers confirm?

The outlet bag I bought in January and the full-price bag I bought in March confirm this.

PS. The forum wouldn't let me quote your post so I had to jury-rig this post. I hope I did it right.

 

[Aunt Clara]

The zipper pull is too short and shaped wrong. I've never seen another Legacy zip that has a nylon rather than a metal zipper for the inside pocket, even on those made in 1998 and 1999 (although the current one on Coach.com appears to). The zipper for the pocket doesn't look like it goes all the way from end to end. There should be very little gap between the zipper stop and the piping. I really don't think it is authentic.

I see all of your points, Whateve. I don't think it's real either. Thanks so much for all the investigative work to both you and Hyacinth!

 

[Hyacinth]

The outlet bag I bought in January and the full-price bag I bought in March confirm this.

PS. The forum wouldn't let me quote your post so I had to jury-rig this post. I hope I did it right.

Thanks, Whateve! The Quote feature has been acting up a lot lately.

Hope you had some interesting shopping adventures on your trip. When do the reveals start?

 

[whateve]

Thanks, Whateve! The Quote feature has been acting up a lot lately.

Hope you had some interesting shopping adventures on your trip. When do the reveals start?

I did! I'm doing a lot of rehabbing right now. I need to dump them all into a pile and take a picture! The most interesting bags I got are a Bonnie Cashin double kisslock, a green nubuc Sonoma drawstring 4931 for $4!, a NYC slim duffle (I'm going to have to post it so you can ID it), a Legacy drawstring 9165, a slim satchel compact in flannel gray, and a 2003 suede Ergo hobo. I never paid more than $25 for anything. I also got some wallets and non-Coach stuff.

 

[whateve]

I see all of your points, Whateve. I don't think it's real either. Thanks so much for all the investigative work to both you and Hyacinth!

You are very welcome!

 

[BeenBurned]

PS. The forum wouldn't let me quote your post so I had to jury-rig this post. I hope I did it right.

I've had this problem several times and did some jury rigging of my own.

But this morning, after having the same problem, I tried quoting using Safari instead of Firefox and had no problem. Maybe it's a FF issue.