Frequently Asked Questions

The “Zippo” (a trade mark of the Zippo Manufacturing Company) has been around for over 75 years. Its smooth surface is a perfect canvass, its adornments reflecting places, organizations, objects, events, art and people. Its mechanism, functionality, reliability, durability and engravings are a reflection of America’s ingenuity, culture, society, history and values. A vintage Zippo is an antique, a collectible, a piece of Americana. For some people, collecting is a passion, and it is hoped that this website will spark the passion of new and seasoned Zippo fans alike.

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How do people collect Zippos?

There are 1000’s of different designs on Zippos. Since it is not practicable to collect everything, most people select niches, or “themes” within the universe of available Zippo lighters to collect.

Commemorating historical events, such as the First Moon landing, or the Japanese surrender on USS Missouri.
Major brand advertising.
Interesting character engravings
Aviation, petroleum, automotive, tobacco, beverage and other company advertising.
Camel Zippos are very popular with some collectors.
Military themes, such as ships, World War II specific branches of military Zippos engraved “infield” with very personal and often colorful images and words during the Viet Nam war have a special appeal senior military officers.
Government agencies such as NASA are popular.
Gifts by the White House, presidents, politicians, union leaders and celebrities
Interesting logos
By movie studios to commemorate productions,
To commemorate space launches, flight records, and special events
Sports and outdoor themes
Deer, dogs, horse, cows and other animals
Sports championships
Year of manufacture
By favorite Zippo artists
Politically incorrect Zippos – produced in years past which by today’s standards would be considered inappropriate
Made of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, steel or other metals
Covered by leather, and other materials
Collector sets
Trick lighters
Types and styles, ie full size, slim, Barcroft, Town & Country, leather-covered etc

The possible collector themes are endless, and recent events can impact the desirability of certain themes. For instance, the death of Dale Earnhardt increased the interest in Nascar themes; 9/11 made pre 9/11 images of the World Trade Center special.

In general, the selection themes are determined by an individual’s level of interest and affordability. In general:

Beginning collectors
deer, states, teams, nice graphics, cars, advertisers, Vietnam, Camels, celebrities or whatever the individual is interested in or thinks looks cool.

Intermediate collectors
By type, such as Town & Country, line-drawn, 3-barrel hinge, metallique, Barcrofts, leather-covered etc.

Advanced collectors
Early Zippos, such as the 1930’s
Variants such as Zippo inserts in cases produced by Tiffany
Vintage Zippo fluid bottles, counter displays, engraving plates, Zippo magazine ads and other Zippo-related material
Unique prototypes and test models

As in most areas of collecting, "advanced" means more time and money is spent by the collector.

Of course most collectors do have several collector “themes”. Zippo collecting is international, and there are probably as many or more “hard core” Zippo collectors abroad than there are in the US. Zippo also produces special editions and themes for the Japanese and European markets, which offer the collector even more choices.

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Aren’t most Zippo collectors smokers?

Most people associate Zippos with cigarettes and smoking and some people think of Zippos and other smoking paraphernalia as dirty and unhealthy. Yet most collectors are non-smokers. Even the collectors that do smoke do not use their collectible Zippos as lighters because they do not want them to be damaged. A collectible Zippo is usually clean, free of fluid and the flint is usually removed since its disintegration can damage the Zippo over time.

Whether a Zippo or a Bic is a better cigarette lighter is largely irrelevant to the Zippo collector. The Zippo is a piece of art, or a piece of history, or a memento to be treated with respect. Some people like love the Zippo for Zippo Tricks!

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Are Zippos good investments?

The value of vintage Zippos in good condition with interesting designs tend to increase over time. Some contemporary themes, such as Camel Zippos, Hard Rock Café Zippos, artistic Zippos or lighters used in recent movie productions command high prices. Rare Zippos sell for many thousands of dollars.

Because of the high values of some Zippos, fake or “doctored” Zippos have emerged. Doctored Zippos are lighters which have been engraved, modified or improved by parties other than the Zippo Manufacturing Company following production. Some jewelers or engravers are quite skilled at taking older Zippos and “improving” their appearance and perceived value in some way. Fake Zippos (not produced by Zippo Manufacturing Company) are more common in Europe and Asia than they are in the US, but this is changing with the passage of time. Fake or “improved” Zippos can be collectible in their own right, but a collector should be careful to make sure that a lighter is what it appears to be before “investing” in it.

As in any area of collecting, it is a knowledge game. Knowledge will help the collector avoid problem Zippos. Occasionally knowledge enables a collector to pick up an old Zippo for $20 or so in an antique store or flea market only to turn around and sell it on ebay for several hundreds of dollars. Buying something low that can be sold high is a good investment.

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How can I tell if a Zippo is fake?

Most fake and doctored Zippos can be identified as such by an experienced collector or dealer. Where there is uncertainty, careful examination and comparison to a know authentic Zippo helps a lot. A magnifying glass is highly recommended. Zippo Manufacturing Company’s Collector Club can provide some help. Fellow Zippo collectors or dealers can help shed light on the authenticity of any particular Zippo. There are also some excellent Japanese and European websites as well as books that provide excellent information to help determine authenticity.

In general, if it doesn't seem right or is too good to be true, then it probably isn't.

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How are Zippos valued?

Factors that affect values are:

Eye appeal – good looking lighters command higher prices.
Condition – Mint lighters are valued higher than ones that show a lot of use and abuse.
Age – In the case of vintage Zippos, older is more valuable
Rarity – The fewer there are, the higher the values. One of a kind Zippos can be difficult to value since they are rarely offered for sale.
Type of engraving or surface treatment. Hand painted Zippos have higher values.
Cross-collectibles – are also collected by non-Zippo collectors, i.e. Coca-Cola Zippos
Model types – i.e. standard size versus slim. While many collectors prefer the full sized to the slim models, advanced collectors tend to place less emphasis on this since it is the engraving or surface treatment that makes a lighter special.
Engraved Zippos are valued more than ones with attached emblems or badges. The main reason for this is emblems and can be attached at any time.
The theme.

Ultimately, the value of a Zippo is based on a combination of these factors.

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How can I tell how old a Zippo is?

There are a number of websites that provide excellent dating information. A quick and easy one is Smokerstuff.com's Zippo Lighter Identification Codes. An excellent resource is the book “Zippo, The Great American Lighter” by David Poore. In general, dating of the standard Zippo is determined as follows:

1933	Readily distinguishable by a flat bottom, square corners and its tall size. It is 2 7/16” tall, ¼ taller than later models.
1934-36	Flat bottom, square corners and outside hinge
1936-37	Flat bottom, square corners and inside hinge
1938-45	Rounded bottom and rounded corners.
1946-53	Canned bottom, Pat # 2032695
1953-55	Canned bottom, Pat #2517191 with centered ®
1955-65	Canned bottom, Stylized “Zippo”, dating “dots”
1966-73	Dating determined by number of vertical lines
1974-81	Dating determined by number of slashes
1982-86	Dating determined by number of backslashes
1987-99	Dating determined by roman numeral system
2000-	Year of manufacture inscribed on the bottom.

The Zippos prior to 1953 can be quite difficult to date, requiring attention to be paid not only on the case markings but to the type of metal (brass or steel), the number of barrels, markings the insert, number of chimney holes, teeth of the flint wheels etc. Information on the dating of sterling silver Zippos can be found HERE.

Determining the date of vintage Zippos with exactitude is a whole area of endeavor that only serves to add to the mystique of the Zippo.

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How do I learn more about Zippos?

Like with any collectible, having the knowledge to recognize the good from the bad is key to successful collecting and avoiding mistakes like buying fake Zippos or paying to much for them. The more you know, the better collector you will be. The best sources of information on Zippos are books. There are many fine books on Zippos, most of which have been published in the US or Japan.

The "must have" Zippo book for any serious collector in the English Language is David Poore's "Zippo, the Great American Lighter which can be purchased online:

Zippo: The Great American Lighter : Including the Poore Guide to Zippo Prices (Schiffer Book for Collectors (Hardcover))

Other great sources of information for collectors are online collector clubs. The best one in English is Zippo's own Zippo Click Collector Club. Its community forum is a place where you will find answers to almost any question you can think of about Zippo lighters. Regional and National lighter collector club meetings and newsletters and Zippo Swap Meets are very informative. There are also a number of wonderful websites for Zippo enthusiasts. See Links for additional information.

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Where can I find Zippos?

Grandparents, uncles and aunts may have old Zippos tucked away from days of yore. Just a mention of an interest in Zippo collecting will often cause a Zippo to appear from an attic, an old trunk or a desk drawer. Aside from such windfalls, Zippos can be found in places such as:

eBay
Local auctions and estate sales
Antique shows, flee markets and garage sales
Collector club meetings and Zippo Swap Meets
Antique shops
Dealers and dealers web sites
Collector websites.

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What is ZippoGallery.com?

ZippoGallery.com is an enthusiast site offering visitors the opportunity to view images from a large collection of Zippos with a wide variety of themes. The Zippos range from the common to the very rare. ZippoGallery.com is intended to be an informational resource to new as well as veteran collectors and to “spark the passion” of Zippo lovers.

The lighters displayed on this site are not for sale, and the images may not be copied without the permission of ZippoGallery.com. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please feel free to drop a line:

Postmaster@ZippoGallery.com.

Enjoy!