3 of the Quickest Ways to Authenticate LV

So, you're strolling though your local thrift store when you come upon a bag that looks like Louis Vuitton. Could it be real? Could you really have found a bag worth hundreds or even thousands for only a few bucks?

Beginner's Guide to Authenticating Louis Vuitton

Here are 3 quick things you can look for to rule out the obvious Louis Vuitton fakes.

Please keep in mind that there are always exceptions to every rule and getting your bag professionally authenticated is always best.

Is my Louis Vuitton Real or Fake?

1) QUALITY

First look at the overall quality. While there may be imperfections here and there depending on where and when it was made - the overall quality of authentic LV should be good and should be reflective of a luxury brand.

So, plastic looking parts and sloppy paint jobs should not be present. Good quality also includes proper alignment of the monogram pattern. Louis Vuitton artisans will line up the monogram pattern as cleanly as possible on their items.
Pics below are examples of how bad the quality of some LV fakes can be.

2) HEAT STAMP

The second thing to look at is the heat stamp (where it says Louis Vuitton made in...).

The O’s in Louis Vuitton should be quite round. If it looks like L0UIS VUITT0N (as opposed to LOUIS VUITTON) it’s probably fake.

Also, look at the registered trademark symbol - the circle with the R in it above LOUIS VUITTON. The general rule is - the circle should be smaller than the O’s in Louis and Vuitton.

Below are some examples of fake heat stamps that stand out.

3) PAPER CARDS

Third is the dreaded yellow card. These 'authenticity cards' don't come with real Louis Vuitton. If you see one of these cards included with the sale then the item is most likely fake.

Below are examples of these fake LV cards.

You've checked all these things and you are still curious if you have a fake bag? Check out part 2 of quick authentication and/or have your bag professionally authenticated by Authentic Street.

CLICK to see more from Authentic Street

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What Pictures of LV are Needed for Authentication?

When you send in a Louis Vuitton item in to be authenticated there are certain pictures the authenticator will need to see. For some items more pics might be needed but your authenticator will let you know if they need more. At minimum you will need a picture of the item from the front and the side, heat stamp, date code, zipper pull, rivets, and hardware. It's very important that this pictures are CLEAR, CLOSE UP and STRAIGHT ON. This can be frustrating on the smaller parts - but some counterfeit Louis Vuitton can be very well made and telling the difference can come down to the smallest detail. Below are examples of what pictures are needed for the Neverfull. First you'll need a full pic of the bag or accessory - front and side. HEAT STAMP - This is where it says LOUIS VUITTON made in... DATE CODE - Most items made from early 1980's to 2021 will have a date code . ZIPPER PULL - Pretty self explanatory. This is the part that pulls the zi...

How to Scan Your LV Bag for a Microchip

In the Spring of 2021 Louis Vuitton started adding RFID microchips to their bags. You can scan your bag yourself to see if there is a chip in your bag - here's how: STEP 1 - Download the app called NFC Tools . STEP 2 - Click READ STEP 3 - Use your phone and scan your bag. LAST STEP - If you r bag has a chip some information will pop up. If you are having your bag professionally authenticated take a screenshot and send it to your authenticator. IMPORTANT - finding an RFID chip in your bag does NOT mean it's authentic. For more information please click here to see the post on LOUIS VUITTON MICROCHIPS .

All About Louis Vuitton Microchips

In 2019 LVMH launched AURA, a blockchain consortium platform that tracks their products. Does Louis Vuitton still have date codes? In Spring of 2021 Louis Vuitton did away with date codes in their bags and started using RFID chips. What is an RFID Chip? RFID stands for Radio-Frequency identification Chip. These are tiny microchips that store information and that information can be read with an RFID reader . It's like a name tag for the bag. Who can read the Louis Vuitton RFID chip? Only Louis Vuitton has the technology to read these chips properly and they can be read by the staff at the LV boutique. However, that doesn't mean you can go to the boutique and ask a sales associate to read the chip in your bag. They will only scan the chip in the event that you are returning the bag - so they can make sure the bag you are returning is the same bag you purchased from them. What about chip reader apps? These apps can tell you that there IS a chip i...

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