Is this an authentic Coach purse? *UPDATE: Pg 4*

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, I would guess it was fake, I can't image the Goodwill store would only ask a 1.50 for it. or one of the employees didn't buy it before it went out on the floor.

this is not really true, my DD worked in a store like a goodwill in Boston and they ALWAYS got real Coach in. I have several vintage pieces and the zipper looks like one of the ones I have. you can just check with the serial number to see if it is real.

 

[happygirl]

this is not really true, my DD worked in a store like a goodwill in Boston and they ALWAYS got real Coach in. I have several vintage pieces and the zipper looks like one of the ones I have. you can just check with the serial number to see if it is real.

I guess every store is different

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

These people are the experts on all handbags!

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/forum/Shoes-Purses-And/1000000009

Post your pictures there and see what they say.

Good luck!

 

[TLSnell1981]

Looks like vintage Coach.

 

[piperett]

Thanks, everyone! I'll take the suggestion of washing the purse and see how it shines up. I'm also going to check the links provided and try to get some other opinions from the purse experts on eBay.

About the zipper- it doesn't go past the purse at all. It stops where it should.

Also, this was more like a Goodwill warehouse. This place has just recently opened up and its sort of like a last chance store. Everything was in bins and you just had to dig, and dig, and dig. We had fun doing it! I also found a Kathy Van Zeeland purse and I was very happy about that!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[piperett]

That bag reminds me of one they have on their website right now. It's called the Basic Bag. It's under the Coach Originals category on the website if you want to take a peek. Looks quite a bit like it. Looks like they might be bringing a few of the older styles back on the site, which is awesome. Great find OP!

Wow! You are right! It does look almost exactly like the Basic Bag on the Coach website, with the exception of the strap. Feeling kinda good about this find, now!

 

[myheartlivesatwdw]

Yeah, cool huh? My guess is......fake! LOL It looks pretty good though so who knows!

I about fell over...

 

[castmember19]

I have no idea but I'm really curious. Let us know what the purse experts say!

 

[piperett]

Here are some more pics taken with my Nikon D50. I'm going to post these on the purse expert board and I'll let you all know what they say!

 

[luvmy3]

It looks like real vintage Coach. I have a vintage hobo style and its my favorite bag. Great find OP!

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

It appears authentic to me, but ***I'm not claiming to be expert by any means***. I learned by the many I've restored and researched, and from learning of Coach history. I find it fascinating and the craftsmanship WAY better than the crap that's in stores now.

The wording in the creed appears to be spaced correctly and in all caps, and the serial number sequence being 8 digits for the Made in The United States stamp is how I came to that conclusion according to my notes.

Notes! What a Coach nerd!

But definitely check with a forum that has experts. They will scrutinize the hangtag, hardware and creed for you. If it's that important to you. It would be for me. I don't like fakes.

You can also use some Brasso (on a Qtip for the smaller parts) on the hardware, too. It'll be time consuming but so worth it! Good luck!


Edit-Oops and don't use shoe polish!!! It'll crack and dry out the leather and make it icky. Keep coating with good leather moisturizer. Let it soak in, buff, and coat it again. It'll come back to life.

 

[CurlyGirl]

Take it to your local Coach store (or Macy's or any dept. store that sells Coach) and ask them!

As for Coach, etc. being at Goodwill stores, I found a real Louis Vuitton bag at the Good Will for $2 and it was in fabulous shape! I had it authenticated when I took it the LV store in NYC!

 

[castmember19]

Take it to your local Coach store (or Macy's or any dept. store that sells Coach) and ask them!

As for Coach, etc. being at Goodwill stores, I found a real Louis Vuitton bag at the Good Will for $2 and it was in fabulous shape! I had it authenticated when I took it the LV store in NYC!

I'm not a purse expert by any means, but I did do some researching and most purse "experts" online say that you should never take it to a Coach store employee for authentication... Something among the lines of they aren't trained in it, only trained in selling, don't know what they're talking about... and on and on.

 

[DianeV]

wow our Goodwill store puts anything designer in a seperate case with higher prices. Regular price on purses is $4.99 too but not sure what they charge for the designer stuff

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

I'm not a purse expert by any means, but I did do some researching and most purse "experts" online say that you should never take it to a Coach store employee for authentication... Something among the lines of they aren't trained in it, only trained in selling, don't know what they're talking about... and on and on.

This is true, they're either clueless, or they want you to buy a new bag, so the one you're bringing in MUST be fake. Haha!



About Goodwill, they have an online site like ebay where you can bid on Coach, and other high end stuff. They are usually on top of that. I'm sure some slip through to the stores or maybe they allow certain stores to just sell them. If you can find them it's a score!

Salvation Army and yard sales are the best places to find vintage Coach, if you're so inclined to want to take on a little hobby.

 

[CurlyGirl]

I'm not a purse expert by any means, but I did do some researching and most purse "experts" online say that you should never take it to a Coach store employee for authentication... Something among the lines of they aren't trained in it, only trained in selling, don't know what they're talking about... and on and on.

I don't know about Coach and their employees and identifying bags. I'm just going by what happened to me with my LV bag at the LV store in NYC. I figured that a company's employees would know how to spot a real from a fake.

Couldn't they run the serial number in the bag? Why bother with a serial number if you can't trace it for authenticity?

ETA: maybe this helps: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...d=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

 

[Mahnahmahnah]

I don't know about Coach and their employees and identifying bags. I'm just going by what happened to me with my LV bag at the LV store in NYC. I figured that a company's employees would know how to spot a real from a fake.

Couldn't they run the serial number in the bag? Why bother with a serial number if you can't trace it for authenticity?

ETA: maybe this helps: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...d=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

LV is pretty good about telling you, I can see why you would think that. Coach, not so much.


The serial numbers for that era are unique to those bags. There will be x number of serial numbers and/or letters depending on when they made. You have to be careful with people claiming to be experts on serial #'s, too. Some get it wrong.

 

[Magic Mom]

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, I would guess it was fake, I can't image the Goodwill store would only ask a 1.50 for it. or one of the employees didn't buy it before it went out on the floor.

A few months ago, I found brand new (never been worn) $150 Justin work boots for $3 at Goodwill.

 

[Magic Mom]

OP, I had a Coach bag very similar to that style years ago....in fact, my mom "stole" it from me last year and still carries it.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'm not a purse expert by any means, but I did do some researching and most purse "experts" online say that you should never take it to a Coach store employee for authentication... Something among the lines of they aren't trained in it, only trained in selling, don't know what they're talking about... and on and on.

This is absolutely the truth. I walked into a Coach once to browse and the clerk, very discreetly, tried to insinuate that my crossbody was a fake.

Whoops. No. Sorry you don't know your own product line, sweetcheeks. My black crossbody is a Hampton's patchwork that, new, sold for around $775. I was annoyed.

I will say that another, older clerk, obviously the supervisor, rushed over with this deer-in-the-headlights look and complimented me on my lovely purse.

I DID keep it to myself that I just happened to pick up this purse at an outlet for about 12% percent of what it sold for new. . .it was marked 50% off and they were having a sale of 50% off the tag on anything in clearance and then I had a coupon.

The problem is that now I have been suckered in and will likely blow about $500 the next time I need a Coach, because this little Coach was their top end; I've used it 2.5 years now and it still looks AMAZING. I'll probably get another 2 years worth of use out of it before I move on.