Vintage Zippo Lighter

Finding Vintage Zippo Lighters on eBay

If you are a collector of antique Zippo lighters, searching the worldwide listing on eBay can be a thrilling way to find a one-of-a-kind, rare, and unique vintage Zippo lighter. Founded in 1932 by George Blaisdell in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the original Zippo lighter price retailed at $1.95 and came with a lifetime guarantee. Highly prized for their windproof flame, Zippo lighters collectibles come in a wide range of styles and values.

As with many collectible items, the ability to date the age of old Zippos for sale allows you to better determine their overall value and rarity. Fortunately, there are several features you can use to determine the year of manufacture of your Zippo lighter, including:

• Date codes - Beginning in the early 1950s, Zippo began stamping the bottom of each lighter with a date code and place of manufacture.
• Hinge style - For Zippo lighters manufactured in the 1930s, you can check the type of hinge to determine the approximate age; the early models featured the hinge on the outside of the lid, while later models moved the hinge to the inside of the lid.
• Logo - Zippo lighters are all stamped with the Zippo logo; this has also gone through changes over the years and can date the lighter.
• ID codes - For Zippos manufactured prior to the 1950s, these units were stamped with identification codes that can be used to determine age.

During World War II, US soldiers were issued a Zippo lighter as a part of their standard Army equipment. These lighters were finished with a black crackle coating that was easily scratched with a knife or other sharp object. Soldiers would often scratch their names, units, battles, and other identifying information into the black crackle finish, creating collectible Zippos that are referred to as having "trench value." These are highly valuable vintage Zippo lighters with appeal to both Zippo collectors as well as World War II aficionados.

In an effort to streamline the original Zippo design and appeal to a growing market of women who preferred to have their own Zippo lighter, the company introduced a newly designed slim lighter in 1956 that was smaller in size and also lighter in weight. The slim lighter is still manufactured. New and preowned Zippo slim lighters are available on eBay at affordable prices.