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Leica Screw Mount Serial Numbers 1923-1965

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.  

This data was taken from the Leica Production book.  It is NOT the same as some other lists, which lists more Luxus models and more military production.  Mr. Braun explained: 

"the ser.nr. from my list are all out of the production book. The number blocks where always allocated for one production run of a certain amount of cameras. It is however possible, that in one number block not all numbers where used (cameras produced) or will be used.

Our official records list only (I LUXUS) from 34803 to 34817. It is of course possible, that Leica (Leitz) did goldplate one or more cameras on special request of customers. This however has not been recorded afterwards in the production list. But a additional number block for gold plated cameras has never been allocated."

In other words, this list is as accurate as we can depend on, though perhaps not 100% accurate.  Cameras assembled in Midland (Ernst Leitz Canada aka ELC) were very seldom engraved Midland.

Leica offered factory upgrades for earlier cameras until at least the middle 1950's. 
Many cameras were sent back to the factory to be converted to the latest model.  The converted camera would keep the original camera's serial number.   This explains why your camera may have left the factory as a black A, II or III, but is now a black or chrome Leica II, III, IIIa, IIIc, or IIIf.  Conversions may have been done to IIId or IIIg, but I personally have never seen one.  The most interesting conversions for me are converted black IIIa, IIIc, and IIIf -- models that were not usually produced in black.

Other than the calculated Batch numbers, color coded table form, and notes added occasionally for clarity  this data is substantially the same as it was given to me by Leica. Notes added are labled "Ed."    After comparing this data to many other sources, I believe that this list presently combines a number of models into the "Leica 1" heading, including many Standard "C" models and non standard "C" models.    I am   working on correcting the problem, as  well working on a second list sorted and subtotaled by type.  

Del. Date Model Starting # Ending # Batch

1923

Leica I  Ed: Prototypes

100

130

31

1925

Leica I  Ed:1st Production

131

1000

870

1926

Leica I

1001

2445

1445

1926/27

Leica I

2446

5433

2988

1928

Leica I

5434

5700

267

1926/29

Compur Leica

5700

6300

601

1928

Leica I

6301

13100

6800

1929

Compur Leica

13101

13300

200

1929

Leica I

13301

21478

8178

1930

Compur Leica

21479

21810

332

1930

Leica I

21811

34450

12640

1930

Compur Leica

34451

34802

352

1930

Leica Luxus Gold   Ed: the only official Luxus #'s

34803

34817

15

1930

Leica I

34818

60000

25183

1931

Leica I

60001

71199

11199

1-Feb-32

Leica II

71200

101000

29801

21-Oct-32

Standard black

101001

106000

5000

1936

IIIa

104951

196200

91250

1933

Leica II

106001

107600

1600

1934

Leica III

107601

107757

157

1934

Leica II

107758

108650

893

1933

Leica III

108651

108700

50

1933

Leica II

108701

109000

300

1933

Leica III

109001

111550

2550

1933

II chrome

111551

111580

30

1933

Leica III

111581

112000

420

1933

II chrome

112001

112500

500

1934

Leica III

112501

114400

1900

1933

Reporter

114051

114052

2

1934

Leica III

114053

114400

348

1933

I chrome  Ed: NUMBERS RECORDED INCORRECTLY

114401

114050

???

1933

II chrome

114401

115300

900

1934

Leica III

115301

115650

350

1934

II chrome

115651

115900

250

1934

Standard chrome

115901

116000

100

1933

III chrome

116001

123000

7000

1934

Standard black

123001

123580

580

1933

III chrome

123581

124800

1220

24-Nov-33

III chrome

124801

126200

1400

24-Nov-33

Leica III

126201

126800

600

1934

Leica III

126801

137400

10600

1934

Standard black

137401

137625

225

1934

III chrome

137626

138700

1075

1934

Standard chrome

138701

138950

250

1934

III chrome

138951

139900

950

1934

Standard black

139901

139950

50

1934

Leicas II

139951

140000

50

1934

III chrome

140001

141500

1500

1934

Standard black

141501

141850

350

1934

Leica II

141851

141900

50

1934

III chrome

141901

142250

350

1934

Leica II

142251

142350

100

1934

Leica III

142351

142500

150

1934

Standard black

142501

142700

200

1934

Leica III

142701

143425

725

1934

II chrome

143426

143750

325

1934

Leica I

143751

143900

150

1934

Leica III

143901

144200

300

1934

Leica II

144201

144400

200

1934

Leica I

144401

144500

100

1934

Leica III

144501

145600

1100

1934

Leica I

145601

145800

200

1934

Leica III

145801

146200

400

1934

Leica II

146201

146375

175

1934

Leica III

146376

146675

300

1934

Leica II

146676

146775

100

1934

Leica III

146776

147000

225

1934

Standard black

147001

147075

75

1934

Leica II

147076

147175

100

1934

I chrome

147176

147875

700

1934

II chrome

147876

148025

150

1934

III chrome

148026

148850

825

1934

II chrome

148851

148950

100

1935

III chrome

148951

149350

400

1934/35

I chrome

149351

149450

100

1934/35

II chrome

149451

149550

100

1935

III chrome

149551

150000

450

1934/36

Reporter

150001

150200

200

14-Jul-36

Reporter with 1000th onward

150125

. .

1934/35

III chrome

150201

150850

650

1935

Leica I

150851

151100

250

1935

Leica III

151101

151225

125

1935

Leica II

151226

151300

75

1935

Leica III

151301

152500

1200

1935

I chrome

152501

152600

100

1935

III chrome

152601

153175

575

1935

Leica II

153176

153225

50

1935

Leica III

153226

153550

325

1935

Leica II

153551

153700

150

1935

Leica III

153701

154150

450

1935

Leica II

154151

154200

50

1935

Leica III

154201

154800

600

1935

I chrome

154801

154900

100

1935

Leica III

154901

156200

1300

1935

III a 1/1000

156201

156850

650

1935

Leica III

156851

157250

400

1935

Leica II

157251

157400

150

1935

III a

157401

158300

900

1935

Leica I

158301

158350

50

1935

Leica II

158351

158400

50

1935

III a

158401

158650

250

1935

Leica III

158651

159000

350

1935

IIIa

159001

159200

200

1935

Leica I

159201

159350

150

1935

Leica III

159351

159550

200

1935

IIIa

159551

159625

75

1935

Leica III

159626

159675

50

1935

IIIa

159676

160325

650

1935

Leica III

160326

160375

50

1935

IIIa

160376

160450

75

1935

Leica II

160451

160700

250

1935

Leica I

160701

161150

450

1935

Leica II

161151

161450

300

1935

IIIa

161451

161550

100

1935

Leica III

161551

161600

50

1935

IIIa

161601

161800

200

1935

Leica III chrome

161801

161950

150

1935

IIIa

161951

162100

150

1935

Leica III

162101

162175

75

1935

IIIa

162176

162350

175

1935

Leica III

162351

162400

50

1935

IIIa

162401

162500

100

1935

Leica III

162501

162625

125

1935

IIIa

162626

162675

50

1935

Leica III

162676

162750

75

1935

IIIa

162751

162800

50

1935

Leica III

162801

162825

25

1935

IIIa

162826

162925

100

1935

Leica III

162926

162975

50

1935

IIIa

162976

163050

75

1935

Leica III

163051

163100

50

1935

IIIa

163101

163225

125

1935

Leica III

163226

163250

25

1935

IIIa

163251

163400

150

1935

Leica I

163401

163450

50

1935

IIIa

163451

163550

100

1935

Leica III

163551

163775

225

1935

IIIa

163776

163950

175

1935

Leica I

163951

164150

200

1935

IIIa

164151

164275

125

1935

Leica III

164276

164675

400

1935

IIIa

164676

164900

225

1935

Leica II

164901

165000

100

1935

Leica III

165001

165100

100

1935

Leica II

165101

165300

200

1935

Leica I

165301

165500

200

1935

Leica III

165501

165975

475

1935

IIIa

165976

166075

100

1935

Leica III

166076

166600

525

1935

IIIa

166601

166750

150

1935

Leica III

166751

166900

150

1935

IIIa

166901

167050

150

1935

Leica III

167051

167175

125

1935

IIIa

167176

167200

25

1935

Leica III

167201

167225

25

1935

IIIa

167226

167700

475

1935

Leica III

167701

167750

50

1935

Leica I

167751

168000

250

1935

Leica II

168001

168200

200

1935

Leica III

168201

168250

50

1935

IIIa

168251

168325

75

1935

Leica III

168326

168400

75

1935

IIIa

168401

168500

100

1935

Leica III

168501

168600

100

1935

IIIa

168601

168725

125

1935

Leica III

168726

168750

25

1935

IIIa

168751

168850

100

1935

Leica I

168851

169000

150

1935

Leica III

169001

169200

200

1935

Leica I

169201

169350

150

1935

Leica II

169351

169450

100

1935

Leica III

169451

169550

100

1935

Leica II

169551

169650

100

1935

IIIa

169651

170150

500

1935

Leica III

170151

170500

350

1935

IIIa

170501

171300

800

1935

Leica II

171301

171550

250

1935

Leica I

171551

171900

350

1935

IIIa

171901

172250

350

1935

Leica III

172251

172300

50

1935

IIIa

172301

172350

50

1935

Leica III

172351

172600

250

1935

Leica II

172601

172800

200

1935

Leica I

172801

173000

200

1935

IIIa

173001

173125

125

1935

Leica III

173126

173176

51

1935

IIIa

173177

173425

249

1935

Leica III

173426

173475

50

1935

IIIa

173476

173500

25

1935<