Ok in an effort to back up all my content here I learned how to add reels.
This reel features five questions to ask yourself when you’re out thrifting and you find a coach originals bag. Coach originals are a specific collection of early coach bags from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Coach still reissues many of these iconic styles today but this post is about the vintage ones specifically.
1. Is it real leather? You should easily be able to tell by touching or smelling the material. If it’s not leave it behind it’s for sure not authentic.
2. Is the serial number in a known format? Coach originals have several known serial number formats and anything that varies from that is easily identified as inauthentic + not worth picking up. Hit the drop down menu at the top of this blogs main page for posts on what the serial numbers formats should look like.
3. Is the bag unlined and sueded inside? Coach Original bags are always unlined inside, meaning they don’t have a fabric lining. Inside you should see the suede side of the leather and the smooth exterior of the leather on the outside. I’ve seen some fakes mimic this so always check under or inside pockets to make sure it’s really leather with a suede back.
4. Is the creed wording correct?
Coach uses standardize creed wording and you can often leave a fake behind just by checking it out and seeing if there are any spelling errors, incorrect wording, or even incorrect spacing. If you’re unfamiliar with the correct creed wording a quick Google search will help you here. Protip: later versions where made in various other countries besides the USA, so don’t be discouraged. Made in Korea is always fake tho.
5. Are there any holes, tears, or major stains? There’s a lot we can fix when we rehab coach originals it’s one of the things that makes them so special but we definitely can’t fix holes tears and sometimes even major staining from ink or oil. All of these are usually a dealbreaker for me anytime I find these in the wild.
If your find passes then it’s most likely authentic & worth picking up (if the price is right) to do more research on. There are still great fakes out there that might fool anyone, so make sure you don’t spend too much if your not confident in your find.