Epiphone Serial Number Decoder Guide
Our summary of the maker official system - not a replacement for it. Serials can be inconsistent, reused, or faked; for valuable instruments confirm with the maker.
Gibson official serial page also covers Epiphone: pre-2008 regular models generally use a factory letter + YYMM + ranking (some use a letter month code); Elite/Elitist use a different short format; from about 2008 serials are typically YYMM + ranking with no factory letter shown in the summary. For authentication or odd formats Gibson directs you to its contact form / service@gibson.com.