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  Leica M's and SLRs from 1954 to 1999 Sorted by Date and Serial Number

The raw data was supplied courtesy of Leica, by Mr. Horst Braun with the approval of Leica's CEO, Mr. Cohn.   I'm sure I'm speaking for all Leica enthusiasts in thanking them for their help and generosity in sharing this information.   I sorted and edited the raw data into its present form to enhance readability.  In some cases notes were added and wording revised for clarity.

It's probably a fair guess that many variations and special models which get collector's notice, did not get that much notice at the factory, so the serial numbers were just mixed in with the regular production for that model.    The reality of it is that the list was not made with all the precision that Leica collectors might like, but then the list wasn't made by Leica collectors -- it was made by people simply trying to get their job done -- sometimes at the end of a long day at work. 

Cameras are sorted chronologically and by serial number. 

For perhaps the first time, most Leica birthdays are also listed, to be more exact the assignment date of the serial block. You know what this means ---another reason to have a birthday party.  Let's see, 6 Leicas, six new birthday parties. Hmm.

ELC  = Assembled at Ernst Leitz Canada (Midland)       LP = Leitz Portugal     LW = Leitz Wetzlar

Date Camera Starting Ending Batch
1/1/54 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 700001 710000 10000
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 700000 700000 1
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 730001 746450 16449
1/1/55 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 746451 746500 50
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 746501 750000 3500
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 750001 759700 9700
1/1/55 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 759701 760000 300
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 775001 780000 5000
1/1/55 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 780001 780100 100
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 780101 787000 6900
1/1/55 M3 from 782001 top plate changed without 4 screw holes 782001 . .
1/1/55 M3 from 785801 with preview lever 785801 . .
1/1/55 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 800000 807500 7500
1/1/55 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 805001 805100 100
1/1/56 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 837721 839620 1900
1/1/56 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 839621 839700 80
1/1/56 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 839701 840500 800
1/1/56 M3 ELC (Exact Date Unrecorded) 840501 840820 320
1/1/56 M3 (Exact Date Unrecorded) 840821 845000 4180
3/21/56 M3 816001 820500 4400
3/23/56 M3 ELC 816901 817000 100
5/4/56 M3 830001 837500 7500
6/15/56 M3 ELC 829851 830000 150
7/21/56 M3 ELC 837501 837620 120
9/27/56 MP 1 11 11
10/26/56 M3 ELC 844781 845000 220
11/5/56 M3 851001 854000 3000
1/5/57 M3 new shutter speed sequence 854001 858000 4000
1/5/57 M3 from 856000 metal film pressure plate 856000 . .
2/14/57 MP 12 500 489
2/14/57 M3 862001 866620 4620
3/22/57 M3 ELC 866621 867000 380
3/25/57 M3 872001 877000 5000
6/5/57 M3 882001 886700 4700
6/24/57 MP Black 13 150 137
6/24/57 MP Chrome 151 450 298
6/24/57 MP Black 213 214 2
7/30/57 M3 ELC 886701 887000 300
8/13/57 M3 893001 898000 4430
8/26/57 M3 ELC 894001 984570 570
9/25/57 M3 898001 903000 5000
11/20/57 M3 915001 915200 200
11/25/57 M3 ELC 903001 903300 300
11/25/57 M2 926001 926200 200
11/28/57 M3 910001 916000 5700
12/20/57 M3 Green 910501 910600 100
1/14/58 M3 916001 919250 3250
3/26/58 M3 with depth of field mask and single stroke advance 919251 924500 5229
3/26/58 M3 Green 920501 920251 21
4/22/58 M3 ELC still with double stroke 924401 924500 100
4/23/58 M3 926701 929000 2300
5/8/58 M2 929001 931000 2000
6/9/58 M2 with smaller window 931001 933000 2000
8/6/58 M2 935001 937500 2500
8/19/58 MP2 935501 935512 12
9/8/58 M2 937501 940000 2500
9/12/58 M2 ELC 937621 937650 30
9/26/58 M2 940001 942900 2900
10/31/58 M2 ELC 942901 943000 100
11/3/58 M2 944001 946000 2000
12/1/58 M2 946001 947000 800
12/4/58 M2 ELC 946301 946400 100
12/9/58 M2 ELC 946901 947000 100
12/9/58 M2 947001 947500 500
12/9/58 M2 with self timer 947501 948000 500
12/17/58 M2 ELC 948501 948600 100
12/19/58 M2 Black 948601 949100 500
12/19/58 M2 with self timer 949101 949400 300
1/5/59 M2 949101 950000 900
2/26/59 M1 950001 950300 300
2/26/59 M3 950301 951900 1600
3/18/59 M1 952016 952500 485
3/19/59 M3 ELC 951901 952000 100
4/3/59 MP2 952001 952015 15
4/15/59 M3 952501 955000 2300
4/22/59 M3 ELC 954801 954900 100
4/29/59 M3 ELC 954901 955000 100
5/14/59 M3 957001 959400 2400
6/1/59 M1 956501 957000 500
6/3/59 M3 Black 959401 959500 100
6/22/59 M2 960501 961500 1000
6/22/59 M2 with self timer 960501 960500 1000
6/22/59 M2 from 960601 with new light window 960601 . .
6/24/59 M3 ELC 961501 961700 200
6/24/59 M3 961701 966500 4800
7/22/59 M1 966501 967500 1000
7/22/59 M2 967501 968350 850
7/22/59 M3 ELC 968351 968500 150
7/27/59 24x27 Postcamera 928923 929000 78
8/24/59 M2 970001 971500 1500
8/24/59 M3 972001 974700 2700
10/2/59 M3 ELC 974701 975000 300
10/9/59 M2 975001 976500 1200
10/9/59 M3 976501 979500 3000
10/9/59 M1 979501 980500 950
12/4/59 M2 982001 984000 1850
12/7/59 M2 with self timer 982901 983500 600
12/7/59 M3 ELC 984001 984200 200
12/7/59 M3 984201 987000 2800
1/19/60 M2 without self timer 960501 960801 300
1/19/60 M2 with self timer 975801 976100 300
1/19/60 M2 with self timer 982001 982150 150
2/3/60 M3 ELC 987001 987200 200
2/3/60 M2 ELC 987201 987300 100
2/10/60 M2 989251 990750 1250
2/10/60 M2 with self timer 989251 989650 400
2/10/60 M2 with self timer 989801 990500 700
2/10/60 M3 990751 993750 2750
3/21/60 M2 Black 990501 990750 250
3/21/60 M3 Black 993501 993750 250
3/28/60 M1 Green paint 980451 980500 50
4/13/60 M2 993751 996000 1850
4/13/60 M3 996001 1000000 4000
5/31/60 M2 ELC 995001 995100 100
5/31/60 M2 with self timer 995101 995400 300
5/31/60 M3 ELC 998001 998300 300
6/22/60 M2 988351 988650 300
6/22/60 M2 with self timer 988651 989250 600
7/5/60 M3 1000001 1004000 4000
7/5/60 M3 # 1000070 exists two times 1000070 1000070 .
7/5/60 M2 1004001 1004150 150
7/5/60 M2 with self timer 1004150 1007000 2850
7/5/60 M2 Black with self timer. 1005101 1005350 250
8/17/60 M3 ELC 1003701 1004000 300
8/17/60 M2 ELC 1005351 1005450 100
8/29/60 M2 Luftwaffe grey 1005751 1005770 20
9/13/60 M3 1007001 1011000 4000
9/26/60 M2 1011001 1014000 3000
11/21/60 M3 ELC 1014001 1014300 300
11/21/60 M3 1014301 1017000 2700
1/5/61 M1 1017001 1017500 500
1/15/61 M2 (includes 200 ELC) 1017501 1022000 4300
1/15/61 M2 ELC 1017901 1018000 100
1/15/61 M2 ELC 1020101 1020200 100
1/19/61 M3 1022001 1028000 5500
1/19/61 M3 ELC 1022701 1023000 300
3/21/61 M1 1028001 1028600 600
4/13/61 M3 ELC 1027801 1028000 200
4/27/61 M2 1028601 1031800 3200
6/9/61 M3 1032001 1035400 3400
6/9/61 M1 1035401 1036000 525
7/28/61 M2 ELC 1036001 1036050 50
7/28/61 M3 ELC 1036051 1036350 300
8/9/61 M2 1036351 1038000 1600
8/9/61 M3 1038001 1040000 1800
8/18/61 M2 Black 1031801 1032000 200
8/18/61 M3 Black 1038801 1039000 200
8/31/61 M1 Green pain 1035926 1036000 75
9/13/61 M3 5 made with M1 batch # 1040067 1040068, 1040071, 1040095, 1040096 1040067 1040096 5
9/13/61 M1 (includes 5 M3) 1040001 1040600 600
10/11/61 M3 1040601 1043000 2400
1/5/62 M2 ELC 1037951 1038000 50
2/2/62 M2 1043001 1044000 800
2/2/62 M3 1044001 1046000 2000
3/16/62 M1 1046001 1046500 500
3/16/62 M3 1046501 1048000 1300
5/11/62 M2 Black 1043801 1044000 200
5/17/62 M2 1048001 1050000 2000
6/12/62 M3 ELC 1047801 1048000 200
6/20/62 M1 1050001 1050500 500
6/20/62 M2 1050501 1055000 4250
6/20/62 M3 1055001 1060000 4800
8/27/62 M2 ELC 1054901 1055000 100
10/24/62 M2 Black 1053101 1053250 150
10/24/62 M3 Black 1059850 1059999 150
11/5/62 M1 1060001 1060500 500
11/5/62 M2 1060501 1063000 2400
11/5/62 M3 1063001 1067500 4100
11/21/62 M3 ELC 1065001 1065200 200
2/20/63 M2 ELC 1061701 1061800 100
3/11/63 M1 1067501 1068000 370
3/11/63 M2 1068001 1070000 2000
3/11/63 M3 1070001 1074000 4000
4/26/63 24x27 Postcamera 928918 928922 5
4/26/63 24x27 Postcamera 987536 987600 55
4/26/63 24x36 Postcamera 1067871 1068000 130
4/26/63 24x36 Postcamera 1067871 1668000 130
7/2/63 M1 1074001 1074500 500
7/2/63 M2 1074501 1077000 2500
7/2/63 M3 1077001 1080000 3000
8/5/63 M2 Black 1075001 1075300 300
8/5/63 M3 Black 1078501 1078800 300
10/10/63 Reserved for Flex-Camera 1080001 1085000 5000
10/10/63 M2 1085501 1088000 2500
10/10/63 M3 1088001 1091000 3000
10/11/63 M1 1085001 1085500 500
1/16/64 M1 1091001 1091300 300
1/16/64 M2 1091301 1093800 2150
1/16/64 M3 1093801 1098000 4050
3/16/64 M2 ELC 1093751 1093800 50
3/16/64 M3 ELC 1097851 1098000 15
4/8/64 M2 Black 1093501 1093750 250
4/8/64 M3 Black 1097701 1097850 150
5/15/64 24x36 Postcamera 1085451 1085500 50
7/10/64 M1 (includes 4 Post) 1098001 1098300 213
7/10/64 24x36 Post in M1 batch 1098232 1098235 4
7/10/64 M2 1098301 1100000 1600
7/10/64 M3 1100001 1102000 1950
8/19/64 M2 ELC 1099801 1099900 100
9/10/64 M1 Green 1098101 1098183 83
9/10/64 M3 Green 1100401 1100450 50
9/11/64 M1 1102001 1102500 500
9/11/64 MD 1102501 1103000 300
11/3/64 M2 1103001 1105000 1900
11/3/64 M3 1105001 1107000 1900
1/1/65 Leicaflex (Exact Date Unrecorded) 1115001 1128000 13000
1/26/65 M1 1102801 1103000 100
1/26/65 M2 ELC 1104901 1105000 100
1/26/65 M3 ELC 1106901 1107000 100
1/26/65 M2 1107001 1109000 2000
1/26/65 M3 1109001 1110500 1500
3/17/65 M2 1102901 1103000 100
4/29/65 M3 1110501 1112000 1500
4/29/65 M2 1112001 1115000 3000
6/30/65 24x36 Postcamera 1114976 1115000 25
6/30/65 MD 1128001 1128400 400
6/30/65 M3 1128401 1130000 1600
8/18/65 M2 Black 1130001 1130300 300
8/18/65 M2 1130301 1133000 2600
9/7/65 M3 1133001 1136000 3000
10/14/65 MD 1136001 1136500 500
11/8/65 M2 ELC 1132901 1133000 100
11/8/65 M3 ELC 1135001 1135100 100
11/12/65 M3 Black 1134001 1134150 150
1/26/66 MD 1136501 1137000 500
1/26/66 M2 1137001 1139000 1900
1/26/66 M3 1139001 1141000 1900
2/11/66 M3 with Star 1135001 1135100 100
4/18/66 M2 ELC 1138901 1139000 100
4/18/66 M3 ELC 1140901 1141000 100
5/3/66 MD 1141001 1142000 1000
5/3/66 M2 1142001 1145000 3000
5/3/66 Leicaflex 1145001 1155000 10000
5/3/66 M3 1155001 1158000 3000
9/28/66 24x27 Postcamera 1141696 1142000 32
9/28/66 24x36 Postcamera 1141897 1141968 72
9/30/66 M3 1158001 1158500 500
9/30/66 M3 1158511 1158995 485
9/30/66 MD 1160201 1160769 566
9/30/66 MDa 1160247 1160249 3
9/30/66 M2 1161421 1162400 980
9/30/66 M2 1162451 1163770 1320
9/30/66 M2 1164047 1164550 504
11/24/66 M2 Black 1162401 1162450 50
11/28/66 M4 1175001 1178000 3000
12/2/66 M3 Black 1157591 1157600 10
12/28/66 MDa 1159001 1160200 1200
12/28/66 MDa 1160864 1161420 557
12/28/66 M2 1164551 1164845 295
12/28/66 24x36 Postcamera 1164866 1164940 75
12/28/66 Leicaflex 1165001 1173000 8000
12/28/66 M4 1178101 1185000 6900