Prior to serial numbers, the different instruments were identified by the Martin brand which was stamped into the back of the headstock, the upper portion of the back or on the back binding strut visible through the soundhole (the eased blocking reinforcing the center joint between the 2 back pieces). When was my Martin made? Before serial numbers, different instruments were identified by the Martin-mark, which was stamped into the back of the headstock, the upper part of the back, or on the rear binding strut, visible through the sound hole (the reinforcing block between the 2 back pieces). The original instruments had a paper label that read: “Martin and Coupa”. 1833 to 1867 The brand read: “C.F. Martin New York”.1867 to 1898 The brand read: “C.F. Martin & Co. New York”.1898 onward The brand reads: “C.F. Martin & Co. Nazareth, Pa.”1888 to 1898 Paper label includes: “Charles A. Zoebisch & Sons” (Zoebisch was the sole distributor of Martin at the time).1898 Serial numbers begin at #80001929 Model numbers were marked on the neck block, inside the body. Some, actually from my experience, quite a lot of the pre-1898 guitars have the date penciled on the top just inside the sound hole. Before 1929, the model size and style designation was generally written on a paper label and glued inside the top of the instrument case. 1895 - Mandolines werden geïntroduceerd 1915 - Ukuleles, taropatches, tiples en Hawaïaanse gitaren werden geïntroduceerd 1923 - Tenorbanjo's werden geïntroduceerd Ukuleles did not carry serial numbers but can be roughly identified and dated by the headstock: 1895 to 1932 The Martin brand stamped on the back of the headstock. 1930 Onward The Martin logo decal on the front of the headstock. 1895 to 1934 Bar frets 1934 Onward Standard frets Martin started serializing with number 8001 simply because they accounted for some 8000 instruments built prior to 1898. This information was found in a very old book on Martin guitars. Martin started serializing with number 8001 simply because they accounted for some 8000 instruments built prior to 1898. This information was found in a very old book on Martin guitars.Unlike some other manufacturers, using Martins serial numbers to date your instrument is accurate. The serial number can be found on the neck block. Look inside of the soundhole and towards the neck, the model number and serial number will be stamped on the mahogany block otherwise known as the neck block. The model number is on top, the serial number is below it. Also, when reading the chart below, remember...the number shown beside the year is the LAST number used for that year. So, for instance, if the serial number you are looking to date is number 9311, the instrument was made in 1902, as 9310 is the last serial number used in 1901 Martin Guitars Serial Numbers: Year Last Serial No. 1898 8348 1899 8716 1900 9128 1901 9310 1902 9528 1903 9810 1904 9988 1905 10120 1906 10329 1907 10727 1908 10883 1909 11018 1910 11203 1911 11413 1912 11565 1913 11821 1914 12047 1915 12209 1916 12390 1917 12988 1918 13450 1919 14512 1920 15848 1921 16758 1922 17839 1923 19891 1924 22008 1925 24116 1926 28689 1927 34435 1928 37568 1929 40843 1930 45317 1931 49589 1932 52590 1933 55084 1934 58679 1935 61947 1936 65176 Year Last Serial No. 1937 68865 1938 71866 1939 74061 1940 76734 1941 80013 1942 83107 1943 86724 1944 90149 1945 93623 1946 98158 1947 103468 1948 108269 1949 112961 1950 117961 1951 122799 1952 128436 1953 134501 1954 141345 1955 147328 1956 153225 1957 159061 1958 165576 1959 171047 1960 175689 1961 181297 1962 187384 1963 193327 1964 199626 1965 207030 1966 217215 1967 230095 1968 241925 1969 256003 1970 271633 1971 294270 1972 313302 1973 333873 1974 353387 1975 371828 Year Last Serial No. 1976 388800 1977 399625 1978 407800 1979 419900 1980 430300 1981 436474 1982 439627 1983 446101 1984 453300 1985 460575 1986 468175 1987 476216 1988 483952 1989 493279 1990 503309 1991 512487 1992 522655 1993 535223 1994 551696 1995 570434 1996 592930 1997 624799 1998 668796 1999 724077 2000 780500 2001 845644 2002 916759* 2003 978706 2004 1042558 2005 1115862 2006 1197799 2007 1268091 2008 1337042 2009 1406715 2010 1473461 2011 1555767 2012 1656742 2013 1755536 Martin Mandolin Serial Numbers Year Last Serial No. 1895 x,x23 1896 x,112 1897 x,155 1898 x,359 1899 x,577 1900 x,800 1901 x,881 1902 1,171 1903 1,348 1904 1,507 1905 1,669 1906 2,026 1907 2,357 1908 2,510 1909 2,786 1910 3,098 1911 3,431 1912 3,847 1913 4,162 1914 4,462 1915 4,767 1916 5,007 1917 5,752 1918 6,370 1919 7,237 1920 8,761 1921 9,627 1922 10,196 1923 11,020 1924 11,809 1925 12,520 1926 13,359 1927 13,833 1928 14,170 1929 14,680 1930 14,892 1931 15,290 1932 15,476 1933 15,528 Year Last Serial No. 1934 15,729 1935 15,887 1936 16,156 1937 16,449 1938 16,580 1939 16,747 1940 16,957 1941 17,263 1942 17,405 1943 none 1944 none 1945 none 1946 17,641 1947 18,303 1948 19,078 1949 19,559 1950 20,065 1951 20,521 1952 20,902 1953 21,452 1954 21,952 1955 22,254 1956 22,629 1957 22,985 1958 23,111 1959 23,262 1960 23,512 1961 23,663 1962 23,938 1963 24,139 1964 24,339 1965 24,439 1966 24,564 1967 24,639 1968 24,839 1969 24,989 1970 25,039 1971 25,065 1972 25,289 Year Last Serial No. 1973 25,339 1974 25,679 1975 25,895 1976 26,045* 1977 26,101 1978 None 1979 26,112 1980 26156 1981 26,215 1982 26,225 1983 26,247 1984 26,254 1985 26,263 1986 26,273 1987 26,279 1988 26,281 1989 26,283 1990 26,291 1991 26297 1992 509122** 1993 533213