It’s a common misconception that anytime you Google the last four digits of your vintage Coach bag’s serial number, all the style information for your bag will pop up.
This is only true if your bag was made in 1994 or after. Before 1994 the serial numbers inside vintage Coach bags didn’t have any connection to the style of the bag where it was made or when it was made. They were just random registration numbers for customers who wanted to register their bags with Coach.
So if you can’t find the style of your vintage Coach bag and it’s in one of the earlier serial number formats it’s most likely that you have an older style on your hands and not an authentic one. Check out my handy chart for dating coach bags using their serial number formats pinned at the top of my grid.