Elgin Watch Serial Number List
serial number | year | serial number | year |
9,000 | 1867 | 17,000,000 | 1912 |
25,000 | 1868 | 17,339,000 | 1913 |
40,000 | 1869 | 18,000,000 | 1914 |
50,000 | 1870 | 18,587,000 | 1915 |
185,000 | 1871 | 19,000,000 | 1916 |
201,000 | 1872 | 20,031,000 | 1917 |
325,000 | 1873 | 21,000,000 | 1918 |
400,000 | 1874 | 22,000,000 | 1919 |
430,000 | 1875 | 23,000,000 | 1920 |
480,000 | 1876 | 24,321,000 | 1921 |
520,000 | 1877 | 25,100,000 | 1922 |
570,000 | 1878 | 26,050,000 | 1923 |
625,000 | 1879 | 27,000,000 | 1924 |
750,000 | 1880 | 28,421,000 | 1925 |
900,000 | 1881 | 29,100,000 | 1926 |
1,000,000 | 1882 | 30,050,000 | 1927 |
1,250,000 | 1883 | 31,599,000 | 1928 |
1,500,000 | 1884 | 32,000,000 | 1929 |
1,855,000 | 1885 | 32,599,000 | 1930 |
2,000,000 | 1886 | 33,000,000 | 1931 |
2,500,000 | 1887 | 33,700,000 | 1932 |
3,000,000 | 1888 | 34,558,000 | 1933 |
3,500,000 | 1889 | 35,000,000 | 1934 |
4,000,000 | 1890 | 35,650,000 | 1935 |
4,449,000 | 1891 | 36,200,000 | 1936 |
4,600,000 | 1892 | 36,978,000 | 1937 |
5,000,000 | 1893 | 37,900,000 | 1938 |
5,500,000 | 1894 | 38,200,000 | 1939 |
6,000,000 | 1895 | 39,100,000 | 1940 |
6,500,000 | 1896 | 40,200,000 | 1941 |
7,000,000 | 1897 | 41,100,000 | 1942 |
7,495,000 | 1898 | 42,200,000 | 1943 |
8,000,000 | 1899 | 42,600,000 | 1944 |
9,000,000 | 1900 | 43,200,000 | 1945 |
9,300,000 | 1901 | 44,000,000 | 1946 |
9,600,000 | 1902 | 45,000,000 | 1947 |
10,000,000 | 1903 | 46,000,000 | 1948 |
11,000,000 | 1904 | 47,000,000 | 1949 |
12,000,000 | 1905 | 48,000,000 | 1950 |
12,500,000 | 1906 | 50,000,000 | 1951 |
13,000,000 | 1907 | 52,000,000 | 1952 |
13,500,000 | 1908 | 53,500,000 | 1953 |
14,000,000 | 1909 | 54,000,000 | 1954 |
15,000,000 | 1910 | 54,500,000 | 1955 |
16,000,000 | 1911 | 55,000,000 | 1956 |
These are approximate production dates. Oftentimes, a block of serial numbers would be assigned and the movement plates blanked out; then the plates would be stored in the warehouse and finished as demand required. So, it is possible that a watch could have been completed some years after the serial number date.