How old are black tab Levi's?
Black Tab. Levi's Black Tab complete with gold lettering was used during the 1960s for Levi's products treated in the then- new Sta-Prest process, or anti-wrinkle, to you and I. Still used in the present day on black denim, Levi's black tab are now solely used for aesthetic reasons only.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Levi's® started adding different-colored Tabs to other Levi's® clothing. For example, there was the black Tab with gold lettering for products treated in the new Sta-Prest process — which guarded against wrinkles.
One out of 10 red Tabs on the back pocket of a pair of Levi's® jeans is with a blank red tab, only ® appears without the name Levi's. It is normal to see a ® red tab on Levi's® product. It's not a counterfeit or defective product.
Old School tags: Authentic vintage Levi's jeans are those manufactured before 1970. You can easily verify the true vintage of the jeans with this easy trick: find the red tab and check for a capital “E” in LEVi's. Styles from the 80s and 90s are great too, so don't limit yourself to the big “E”.
The Black Tab with gold lettering meant the pants had undergone the STA-PREST process (non-iron).
Levi Strauss made the first pair of blue jeans in San Francisco in 1873, 16 years after the shipwreck that contained the miner's pants.
A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000. The jeans -- found in an abandoned mine by a "denim archaeologist" -- were bought by 23-year-old Kyle Hautner and Zip Stevenson, a veteran of the vintage denim market.
501s® – “The 501 is naturally the most collectible Levi's® garment,” said Levi Strauss & Co.
A 140-Year-Old Pair of Levi's Was Found in a Mine Shaft. They Just Sold for Over $87,000.
A big 'E' on the Levis' tab is more valuable than a little 'e' Selvage edges on a jean's inside cuff is also a high-value indicator. A leather patch is worth more than a paper patch on the back of the jeans. Collectors also look for concealed copper rivets.
How old are orange tab Levi's?
Orange tab Levi's are widely recognized as a line produced in the 60s and 70s specifically meant to be more experimental.
These 1937 "Japan" 501's Are One of The Rarest Levi's You Can Buy.

A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000. The jeans -- found in an abandoned mine by a "denim archaeologist" -- were bought by 23-year-old Kyle Hautner and Zip Stevenson, a veteran of the vintage denim market.
Orange Tab (1969-1999): Levi's introduced a budget-friendly line of fashion jeans — they were less expensive and less burly than worker jeans — that had an orange tab instead of a red one.
The three most popular vintage styles are the 501, 505, and 517, Hillman confirms. You can find it stamped on the leather patch on the back or on the tag inside. All three were originally designed for men, they're all extremely flattering on the butt, and they're all coveted.
Most Vintage Jeans Sell for About $100. These 19th-Century Levi's Found in a Mine Shaft Just Sold for Much, Much More. The jeans, which were found five years ago in the American West by a "denim archeologist," are shockingly intact.
Drop off your Levi's® jeans and denim jackets at Levi's® Retail Stores in the U.S. In exchange, you'll get a gift card for the value of your trade-in which you can use towards new merchandise at www.levi.com, Levi's® Retail Stores or Levi's® Outlet Stores in the U.S. only.
Color: The Rich (0014) - Deep Blue with heat set wrinkles from the knee down.
The Dyeing Process. And the final issue that is caused by the manufacturing process, is the dyes used to color your jeans black. Remember that almost every garment is dyed, but not all dyes are alike. Some cause shrinkage, and so by the time you wear those new black jeans, they fit a lot tighter than expected.
The red Tab was added to Levi's® jeans in 1936 because competitors were mimicking several features, especially the Arcuate, the signature stitching on the back pockets.
What are the most expensive vintage Levi's?
A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000. The jeans – found in an abandoned mine by a “denim archaeologist” – were bought by 23-year-old Kyle Hautner and Zip Stevenson, a veteran of the vintage denim market.
1970S - 1980S: STREAMLINED AND DIY
For the Levi's® 501®, this meant a move away from the maximalism of flaring, fringe, and psychedelic colors and a move towards the fitted, washed out, worn out—and in many cases torn up—look of icons of the time like Patti Smith and her downtown cohort.
501 Original
The fit: The most iconic jeans to ever exist, the 501s have come to be known (and loved) for their straight fit and button-down fly. Made from 100% cotton, the jeans feature no stretch which adds to the classic appeal.
Expert clothing resellers advise pricing second-hand fashion items at an excellent price-quality ratio. On average, pre-loved clothes sell for between 30% and 40% of their original retail price. As a rule of thumb, price your used garments for a third of new similar items cost.
A pair of vintage Levi's jeans has sold at auction for more than $87,000 Michael Harris found the jeans from the 1880s in an abandoned mine. His title is denim archaeologist. According to one of the buyers, the Levi's are still in good enough condition to be worn.
By 1950, per TIME's count, Levi's had made 95 million pairs. (The going rate in 1950 was $3.50 a pop.)
But why do quality jeans seem to get better with age? Well, according to Jill Guenza, the VP of Women's Design at Levi's, it's got to do with the unique characteristics of denim fabric. “The weight and weave of denim fabric has a molding effect, conforming to the particular contours of your body,” Guenza said.
Vintage clothing dealer Kyle Haupert, 23, bought the jeans along with Zip Stevenson, who chipped in 10 percent of the winning bid. After the addition of a buyer's premium, the duo paid $87,400 for the jeans in total.
The average lifespan for a pair of jeans, according to the International Fabric Institute Fair Claims Guide, is 2-3 years.
Beale International has been in business for almost 30 years and have developed an excellent reputation in the industry. We buy thousands of Used and Vintage Levi's every month.
How old are Red Tab Levi's?
Levi's introduced the Red Tab in 1936, 63 years after the blue jean was first invented. It was developed by Levi's national sales manager Chris Lucier to help differentiate authentic Levi's from copycats in the riveted pants space, with a bright red marking positioned on the jeans' back pocket.
SilverTab™ is known as the unofficial uniform for '90s counterculture. Why was it so popular with GenX? Although Levi's® SilverTab™ arrived in the late '80s, the line didn't really take off until the '90s. The collection was defined by its loose and baggy fits.
Originally, the cropped (R) was due to the fact that there wasn't any room to fit the registration mark on the small tag, so Levi's just crammed it in as best they could. But to Turner Duckworth, that truncated trademark symbol represented something they could turn into a signature of the brand.
501® ORIGINAL
The jeans that started it all, back in 1873. Our 501® Original Fit Jeans are straight from the hip all the way down to the ankle, for a clean classic look.
Possibly the Oldest Pair of Levi's Jeans, Salvaged From an 1857 Shipwreck, Just Auctioned for a Deep-Pocketed $114,000. What may be the earliest known Levi Strauss pants went for double their estimate at auction. The jeans salvaged from the wreckage. Courtesy of Holabird.
The Post explains that Costco “caps its profit margins at about 15 percent,” allowing it to offer serious deals on even brand-name clothing. Well-known brands bring unsold merchandise to Costco, which can then sell them for a much more reasonable price.
Levi 501 jeans
Levi's are a longstanding denim brand, which has stood the test of time. The label is a huge hit with shoppers across the globe, and of all ages, including Jennifer, who has a particular penchant for the 501 Original style.
Levi Strauss made the first pair of blue jeans in San Francisco in 1873, 16 years after the shipwreck that contained the miner's pants.
Orange Tab (1969-1999): Levi's introduced a budget-friendly line of fashion jeans — they were less expensive and less burly than worker jeans — that had an orange tab instead of a red one.
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.
What is the rarest pair of Levi's?
A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000. The jeans -- found in an abandoned mine by a "denim archaeologist" -- were bought by 23-year-old Kyle Hautner and Zip Stevenson, a veteran of the vintage denim market.
These 1937 "Japan" 501's Are One of The Rarest Levi's You Can Buy.
Most Vintage Jeans Sell for About $100. These 19th-Century Levi's Found in a Mine Shaft Just Sold for Much, Much More. The jeans, which were found five years ago in the American West by a "denim archeologist," are shockingly intact.
The three most popular vintage styles are the 501, 505, and 517, Hillman confirms. You can find it stamped on the leather patch on the back or on the tag inside. All three were originally designed for men, they're all extremely flattering on the butt, and they're all coveted. Yet, each one is slightly different.
The red Tab was added to Levi's® jeans in 1936 because competitors were mimicking several features, especially the Arcuate, the signature stitching on the back pockets.
Check the Red Tab: Take a look at the right back pocket. Do you see our famous red tab? Is the word LEVI'S® in all capital letters, or does it have a small letter “e” instead? The Tab with LEVI'S (also known as “Big E”) means the jeans are from before 1971.
But the biggest difference between then and now is price. In the height of the Jordache sales boom, during the 1980s, the average price of the tight-fitting jeans was about $26 — a relative fortune in those times.
In 1873, Levi Strauss created the first ever pair of blue jeans with copper rivet reinforcements: the Levi's® 501® Original. These jeans were created to serve workers who moved out to the American West and needed sturdy, durable pants.
But the original Levi 501 style has remained pretty timeless since they were first invented over 100 years ago. Levi jeans describe their 501s as a 'cultural icon' with an 'iconic straight fit with the signature button fly' – which is what makes this style of jeans so timeless.