By Mads Vestergaard / Source: Heddels

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The Levi’s 501 is slowly approaching its 150th birthday. America’s classic pair of denim has gone through quite the evolution since its inception in 1873. The jean today is, although a different piece of garment entirely to the nineteenth-century waist overall, still referred to by its Lot number: 501. Due to an earthquake and fire in 1906 which destroyed the Levi Strauss & Co. headquarters and factories, it is unknown today why this number ‘5’ was first given to the core range of Levi’s products, but it’s a safe to say that most people have grown accustomed to the number 501 by now.

The 501 has gone through more than twenty makeovers in its already long life and many of the early models are difficult if not impossible to trace down today. To indicate their rarity (and value), Levi’s themselves bought a pair of c1890 501’s in 1997 which cost them approximately 25,000 dollars! It’s safe to assume that today, nearly twenty years later, this value would have almost doubled.

We invite you to take a walk down memory lane of the history of the 501, from its inception through every major variation, all the way to its current form today.

Editor’s note: if you haven’t already, be sure to also read our accompanying guide, “How to Date and Value Vintage Levi’s Type I, II, and III Denim Jackets“.

The History of the Vintage Levi’s 501 Jean

It all starts with The Two Horse brand patch. I mean, it doesn’t actually – but for the sake of dating your 501’s a decipherable Two Horse brand patch will tell you a lot about when your 501’s were produced. The Two Horse brand patch was implemented in 1886, sixteen years after Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented the copper-riveted waist overall. Actually, the waist overall wasn’t dubbed the ‘501’ until 1890 when the patent went into public domain and Levi’s had to think of new ways to make them stand out. The earliest pair of 501’s that I’ve come across currently for sale is a pair 1902 501XX priced at around 35,000 dollars in a good vintage condition.

a-nice-overview-of-some-but-not-all-of-the-different-variations-of-501s-since-1873-image-via-jeansdenim-fr

If you’re lucky enough (or just willing to spend the amount of money) to acquire a deadstock (old and unworn) or near mint condition pair of 501’s with the Two Horse brand patch still intact, you’ll be able to identify it from examples on the internet of almost every patch that was ever issued. Most people carry their smartphones with them when they go vintage shopping anyway, and assuming you don’t have the interest or the photographic memory to store every single Two Horse patch inside your head you can always look it up.

However, using The Two Horse brand patch to date your 501’s will seldom be relevant as most vintage jeans are worn and washed countless times which in most cases have resulted in the patch having come off or simply being undecipherable.

old-leather-patch-from-a-pair-of-1947-501xx-image-via-marvins

Below I’ve listed some of the many different 501 models plus a few popular characteristics to each of them. Our timeline begins in 1890 when the lot number ‘501’ was first coined and ends around 2002 when the Valencia St. factory in San Francisco shut down as the last remaining Levi’s production facility on American soil. Any 501 produced after 2002 was most definitely made overseas.

Please note, that there were many models and transitional phases throughout the years and by the mid-twentieth century, the 60s in particular, numerous factories were producing 501’s, and thus features and years overlap in several examples. The following information is not based on facts, but on research carried out by myself and other collectors worldwide, sharing knowledge with each other. As always, we’re aiming to be as accurate as possible, but bear in mind, that there are no rules without exceptions.

1. 1890: 501XX, Two Horse brand patch introduced, recessed button center, one back pocket, Amoskeag denim
2. 1902: 501XX, added back pocket (two in total), recessed button center, long and “square” back pockets
3. 1922-36: 501XX, belt loops added, cinch-back remains, rivets still exposed on back pockets, Cone denim
4. 1936-41: 501XX, Red tab introduced, suspender buttons removed
5. 1941-42: 501XX, Pre-war regulations, still with cinch, rivets and stitched arcuate
6. 1942-47: S501XX, “Every Garment Guaranteed”, leather patch remains, but cinch is gone, rivets removed from crotch, watch pocket, arcuate is painted on instead of stitched
7. 1947-55: 501XX (post-WWII model), iconic 501 model, slim fit
8. 1955-62: 501XX, Jacron “leather-like” patch replacing leather patch. Still with “Every Garment Guaranteed”
9. 1960-65: “Every Garment Guaranteed”-slogan removed, v-stitch and hidden rivets remains
10. 1964-66: 501XX (last model), v-stitch and concealed rivets replaced
11. 1966-68: 501XX 501 transitional model
12. 1966-68: 501 0117 (0117 denotes “un-sanforized” denim)
13. 1968-71: 501 A, S & F (introducing quality grading to customers)
14. 1968-70: 501E (washing instructions printed on pocket bag)
15. 1970-73: 501E “66” (chain stitched top waistband/no more v-stitch)
16. 1971-78: 501e (small “e”, care label added, single stitch pockets)
17. 1978-81: 501e (double stitch pockets)
18. 1981-93: 501e, 3-stamp on the back of waist/fly buttons (except for a few transitional models (early 80’s))
19. 1992-2002: 501e (501xx, “xx” in black), 3-stamp buttons, new care label w. written instructions on the front

Although the 501 changed in fit and overall design throughout the years, there are certain features that thrifters and collectors commonly look for in order to distinguish 501 models from each other. This guide won’t be going into detail of every single 501 model ever produced, but rather present you with some tools to help you narrow down the age of your old jeans.

There are also certain, heavily discussed features (like rivets and buttons) we won’t be delving into in fear of overcomplicating your search. We have, in the following guide, focused on what we think is the easiest methods of determining the age of 501’s. So let’s begin!

1984-2002: Modern Denim

1. Do they have a selvedge outseam?

vintage-1978-levis-selvedge

An easy place to start your quest is to inspect the outseam of your jeans. If they’re made from selvedge denim, noticeable by a visible selvedge finish on the outseam, then your 501’s would have been produced in 1985 or earlier. According to former Levi’s XX Head Designer Miles Johnson, the Two Horse brand made use of selvedge denim up until 1985.

In the early to mid-1980’s the use of selvedge denim was phased out due to productive efficiency, and the jeans produced in this era were finished with an overlock stitch on the outseam instead. If your 501s are made from selvedge denim you can proceed to step 2, if not got to step 1a and learn more about dating eighties, nineties, and noughties 501s.

1a. Do they have an orange overlock stitch on the outseam?

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The white overlock on the outseam of late 80s and early 90s 501 jeans. Image via Pinterest.

The oldest non-selvedge 501s made use of a copper-orange overlock stitch, which was subsequently replaced with a white overlock stitch which was then custom up until 1993. If your non-selvedge 501’s have an orange overlock stitch, they’ll likely have been produced between 1981-84. If they have a white overlock, please proceed to 1b.

1b. Does the care label have a written instruction?

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If they do, they were most likely produced between 1983-86. If the care label isn’t present or readable look for a lower capital “xx” after the lot number (501) in the bottom left on The Two Horse brand patch. The XX notation made its debut at the early dawn of the brand, but was removed from the lot number sometime in 1968. It was reintroduced in lowercase in 1987 so if this is present on the patch your 501’s are produced later than 1986 and you can proceed to 1d. If the Two Horse patch isn’t applicable go to step 1c.

1c. Does the care label include the red Levi’s batwing logo?

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Label on a pair of 1987 Levi’s 501s. Take note of the red batwing logo and “Care on Reverse” line at the bottom. Image via eBay

If so, your 501’s are produced later than 1986. Up until 1991 Levi’s made use of a care label with “Care on reverse” indicating the care instructions to be found on the backside of the label. If the red batwing logo is present please proceed to 1e, if not go to 1d.

1d. Do they have a red lot no. i.e. “501xx” on the Two Horse brand patch

501xx-patch-levis-vintage-jeans

Take note of the “501 xx” in the bottom left corner of the patch (and the size 60 waist!). Image via Etsy

If so, your 501’s are either produced between 1986-1991 or 1991-1993 (transitional phase). The oldest of the two models had a small spacing between the 501 and the XX which was written in a small font too. On the 1991 model, the 501xx is written in one continuous spelling with XX in a bigger, bold font.

1e. Do they have a written care label and/or black lot no. i.e. “501xx” on the Two Horse brand patch?

black-lot-no-501xx-on-the-two-horse-brand-patch

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