Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

[kingjammy24]

Having come across some new information, I've updated my Wilson tagging primer for MLB jerseys tagged in the tail. This primer does not apply to jerseys tagged in the neck.

If anyone has any further insight, please let me know.



Rudy.

[sarahsdad]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

Recently purchased a Reds jacket mfg by WIlson. Off the Wilson tag is a flag tag with the letters DX. To what year would that trace the jacket back to?
Thanks,
Howard
howardperch@hotmail.com

[kingjammy24]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

howard,

1991

rudy.

[sarahsdad]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

Thank you, Rudy. Do you know when they started using paper tags? Many thanks for your help.
Howard

[34swtns]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

Thanks for the update, Rudy. Hi, I was wondering if you have a "key" to identifying the flag tags. I have several NFL jerseys with similar flag tags containing various 2-letter codes and have no idea what they mean. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,
Rick

[kingjammy24]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

for info re: the 2 letter code on wilson tags, see:

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=4831

the first letter is the year, the second the month.

years:
------
1988 = A
1989 = B
1990 = C
1991 = D
1992 = E
1993 = F
1994 = G
1995 = H
1996 = I
1997 = J
1998 = K

lon and i have been speaking about the second letter/months. from all indications, there are different systems/cycles/letters for football jerseys and baseball jerseys. previous interpretations may have been based on football jerseys and may not apply accurately to baseball jerseys. i don't want to steal his thunder or post his thoughts/research so i'll leave it up to him to shed some more light on the second letter/months.

rudy.

[lon lewis]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

for 34swtns. as rudy stated the nfl wilson letter "codes" represent the year and month the left letters A thru K being the year and the right letters O thru Z representing the month. the year letter A represents an 8 year 1988,1998, ect. the letter B a 9 year continuing thru K being a 7 year. this system is on a ten year cycle. the months start with O for january and end with Z for december and is on a 12 letter cycle. the only caveat i have so far is with the 1994 nfl wilson jerseys, as some have a GN designation and the N portion doesn't code. as i have posted before i have a theory but until i can prove it it will remain a theory. also some tags only have the year designators. regarding baseball, mlbb jerseys for the most part appear to use the same year designator but the month while using the same letters appears to have "shifted" the month to something like this: V jan W feb X mar Y april Z may O june P july Q aug R sept S oct T nov U dec. as with all things dealing with mfr tagging please bear in mind that not everything is "set in concrete" and there may be exceptions to the above. also, not all nfl and mlbb jerseys have this tagging, as it may have been removed, washed out, never installed, whatever. thanks to rudy for contributing and raising the tagging questions.

[ChrisCavalier]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

for 34swtns. as rudy stated the nfl wilson letter "codes" represent the year and month the left letters A thru K being the year and the right letters O thru Z representing the month. the year letter A represents an 8 year 1988,1998, ect. the letter B a 9 year continuing thru K being a 7 year. this system is on a ten year cycle. the months start with O for january and end with Z for december and is on a 12 letter cycle. the only caveat i have so far is with the 1994 nfl wilson jerseys, as some have a GN designation and the N portion doesn't code. as i have posted before i have a theory but until i can prove it it will remain a theory. also some tags only have the year designators. regarding baseball, mlbb jerseys for the most part appear to use the same year designator but the month while using the same letters appears to have "shifted" the month to something like this: V jan W feb X mar Y april Z may O june P july Q aug R sept S oct T nov U dec. as with all things dealing with mfr tagging please bear in mind that not everything is "set in concrete" and there may be exceptions to the above. also, not all nfl and mlbb jerseys have this tagging, as it may have been removed, washed out, never installed, whatever. thanks to rudy for contributing and raising the tagging questions.

Hello Lon and Rudy,

I trust I'm speaking on behalf of a large number of jersey collectors in thanking both of you for helping the collecting community understand more about "The Wilson Code". This is really useful information and we are very happy that you could both could shed some light on what the codes indicate.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,
Chris Cavalier

[34swtns]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

Wow. Thanks for all the info. That's really going to help me in future purchases as well as help date items that I already own.
So, for the purposes of illustration, here are a few examples:

Mike Tomczak Bears. "B-Z" = 1989/December


Jim McMahon Bears retail authentic. "E-S" = 1992/May


Neal Anderson Bears. "EU" = 1992/July "2" = ?


Mike Tomczak Bears. "A-O" = 1988/January


Other than the "2" on the Anderson jersey tag, everything seems to make sense. Thanks again for sharing this valuable information.

[RKGIBSON]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

I do not know that Wilson used this system but I have seen dash 2 in a lot of date code system. In the systems that I have run into it usually means Line 2 or Shift 2.

Roger

[cohibasmoker]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

In reference to the Wilson Tagging Primer code, are these codes used only on jerseys shipped to the teams or are they also found on retail jerseys?

Thanx,
Jim

[lon lewis]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

jim, if by "retail" you mean jerseys sold in team shops, dugout stores, ect. the answer would be yes. most wilson products such as jerseys, pants, jackets and hats have some form of this "code" this includes mlbb, nfl, minor league and non pro. however, the presence or lack of these tags in some form should not be the sole determining factor in whether an mlbb or nfl jersey is game used/ authentic. these "codes" are simply a reference point as to the date of mfr of the particular item.

[34swtns]

Re: Updated Wilson Tagging Primer

Absolutely. I have Wilson NFL gamers that have no flag tag at all but are definitely legit.