Bike Helmet Date Code

[jetersbatboy]

Does anyone have info on dating a Bike football helmet? The date code I located on my helmet is 122918. If someone can help me out I'd appreciate it!

[BrianK]

You'll want to get a second opinion, but I think it's late October of a year ending in '8', probably 1978.

[jetersbatboy]

You'll want to get a second opinion, but I think it's late October of a year ending in '8', probably 1978.

Thanks Brian! How do you read the date code?

[BrianK]

First digit is the shell material. Adult helmets are 0 or 1. Anything else = youth helmet.
Second digit is the work shift.
Next three digits are the day of the year. 001-366, I guess.
Last digit is the year. In your case, 8.

I'm guessing 1978 (not '88 or '98) because you say it's a Bike (as opposed to Air). This can be confirmed by the location of the date code. Originally it was stamped inside back of the shell. In 1984 this moved to under the ear hole.

I'm getting my information from old GUU threads, not an expert myself. Happy collecting.

[jetersbatboy]

Aloha Guys,
I was wondering if any others could comment on the bike helmet date codes? I have another helmet I just got in that does not start with 1 or 0 for the date code. Which should make it a youth helmet. The trouble I'm having is the helmet dates from 1976. Which according to helmethut makes it a first year manufacturered helmet, making it available only for colleges. In a article on helmethut only colleges where give these helmets to test for the first year of production. So the question is, if Bike only made these helmets for colleges during 1976 why would they make a youth model?? The again the helmet dates to Oct 1976, so could it have been produced for 1977?? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Aloha Scott

[jetersbatboy]

Here is a link to the helmet hut article. It's the second article down. Also my mistake the helmet dates to January 1976 as the code read 990126. So the 12th day in 1976. Which makes this more of a mystery seeing as only colleges where distributed these helmets during 1976. So why would youth helmets be need during this time frame. Or could helmet hut be wrong on the dates of when these Bike helmets where made for the public??

[jetersbatboy]

Forgot the link...
http://www.helmethut.com/012202.html

[wfl1974]

What does 011721P denote? I bought a New York Giants helmet several years back with that date code...what does the "P" stand for?

[yosef777]

Here is a link to the helmet hut article. It's the second article down. Also my mistake the helmet dates to January 1976 as the code read 990126. So the 12th day in 1976. Which makes this more of a mystery seeing as only colleges where distributed these helmets during 1976. So why would youth helmets be need during this time frame. Or could helmet hut be wrong on the dates of when these Bike helmets where made for the public??

The first thing I have learned in collecting helmets is that there are always exceptions to the rule or norm so I am guessing that while only colleges (not pro teams) were using the adult helmets Bike may have been also been testing their youth helmets with a few high schools, Pop Warner teams, etc. which may account for your helmet. Also, as the guys from HH will verify, the dates of helmet manufacturing from the 1960's and 70's can be a bit loose.

[bgakladd]

What does 011721P denote? I bought a New York Giants helmet several years back with that date code...what does the "P" stand for?

It means your helmet was made of Poly-Carbon

[War Helmets]

First digit is the shell material. Adult helmets are 0 or 1. Anything else = youth helmet.
Second digit is the work shift.
Next three digits are the day of the year. 001-366, I guess.
Last digit is the year. In your case, 8.

I'm guessing 1978 (not '88 or '98) because you say it's a Bike (as opposed to Air). This can be confirmed by the location of the date code. Originally it was stamped inside back of the shell. In 1984 this moved to under the ear hole.

I'm getting my information from old GUU threads, not an expert myself. Happy collecting.

Thanks Brian,I was able to finally get my GU 49ers helmet dated to where it is supposed to be from,their first Super Bowl season of 1981 :) Always looking for a Raiders,Cowboys,Steelers & Eagles game used lid of any caliber of player at happy35180@gmail.com