Post your 1973 Raleigh serial numbers please
01-14-22, 09:37 AM
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Post your 1973 Raleigh serial numbers please
A recent thread on a Raleigh Professional raised a serial number question that I’d like to explore with your help.
Prior to 1973, Professionals had serial numbers with a letter followed by 4 numbers, with A indicating 1966, B = 1967, and so on. 1973 should be designated with an H according to this sequence but many A sn’s have been documented for 1972-3. One possibility is that in 1972 the G series production exceeded 9999 and A was used for the rest of 1972. Others say that A indicates 1973, but I recently bought a 1973 Professional with an H serial number, so they do exist, but are rarely mentioned.
Sometime in 1973 the serial number format changed to use a W prefix, indicating the Worksop location, a second letter indicating the month, and (usually) 7 numbers, the first of which indicates the last digit of the year, so a number WA7001234 would have been made in January 1977.
^ This SN is from a 1976 SuperCourse MkII
The recent thread showed a W serial number with only 6 numbers, the first being 0. The bike is clearly not a 1970 or 1980 model, so it raises the possibility that the W serial number sequence did not include the year designation until the second year of its use, 1974.
1973-74 Raleigh Professional Mk.IV anomalies
So, what do you think? Does anyone have a Raleigh with a serial number that begins with Wm3xxxxxx?
Post your serial numbers for Raleighs likely made in 1973 with either A or H prefixes or W prefixes and let's see what we find.
Prior to 1973, Professionals had serial numbers with a letter followed by 4 numbers, with A indicating 1966, B = 1967, and so on. 1973 should be designated with an H according to this sequence but many A sn’s have been documented for 1972-3. One possibility is that in 1972 the G series production exceeded 9999 and A was used for the rest of 1972. Others say that A indicates 1973, but I recently bought a 1973 Professional with an H serial number, so they do exist, but are rarely mentioned.
Sometime in 1973 the serial number format changed to use a W prefix, indicating the Worksop location, a second letter indicating the month, and (usually) 7 numbers, the first of which indicates the last digit of the year, so a number WA7001234 would have been made in January 1977.
^ This SN is from a 1976 SuperCourse MkII
The recent thread showed a W serial number with only 6 numbers, the first being 0. The bike is clearly not a 1970 or 1980 model, so it raises the possibility that the W serial number sequence did not include the year designation until the second year of its use, 1974.
1973-74 Raleigh Professional Mk.IV anomalies
So, what do you think? Does anyone have a Raleigh with a serial number that begins with Wm3xxxxxx?
Post your serial numbers for Raleighs likely made in 1973 with either A or H prefixes or W prefixes and let's see what we find.
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72+76 Super Course, 74 P-10+ 79 Tandem Paramounts, 84 Raleigh Alyeska, 84 Voyageur SP, 85 Miyata Sport 10 mixte and a queue
72+76 Super Course, 74 P-10+ 79 Tandem Paramounts, 84 Raleigh Alyeska, 84 Voyageur SP, 85 Miyata Sport 10 mixte and a queue
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01-14-22, 10:00 PM
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1973 Super Course, Capella lugs, Coffee Brown. Serial number 0021563. No letters, just numbers, located on the NDS dropout - not on the bottom bracket.
01-14-22, 10:55 PM
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I’ve owned a few models from 1973 based on the Capella lugs: International, Competition, and SuperCourse. Don’t have them any longer but might have a pic of serial #s. Will check.
01-15-22, 10:38 AM
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Found a pic of the '73 Competition. Serial # A5750:
01-16-22, 09:11 AM
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Raleigh SN's on the Headbadge
There is also a registry of Carlton serial numbers:
Carlton SN Registry
Scanning down the list, I don't see any Wm3xxxxxx format serial numbers.
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72+76 Super Course, 74 P-10+ 79 Tandem Paramounts, 84 Raleigh Alyeska, 84 Voyageur SP, 85 Miyata Sport 10 mixte and a queue
72+76 Super Course, 74 P-10+ 79 Tandem Paramounts, 84 Raleigh Alyeska, 84 Voyageur SP, 85 Miyata Sport 10 mixte and a queue
01-16-22, 06:14 PM
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73? Professional
Looks like mine starts with F.
01-16-22, 09:42 PM
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02-14-23, 08:48 AM
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My Capella-lugged Competition Mk. II is serial number A7341.
The '73 Gran Sport was marked 9188 on the non-drive side dropout.
The '73 Gran Sport was marked 9188 on the non-drive side dropout.
02-14-23, 09:09 AM
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My 1973 Supercourse - Capella lugs - Serial on nds dropout
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/25935920
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/25935920
02-28-23, 04:59 PM
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I have collected many Raleigh serial numbers over the years and here are some observations on the W prefix serial numbers for Worksop..
1. The first year that I have seen is 1974. I have never seen a 3 for 1973 for Worksop serial numbers. I have seen a 3 for 1973 for Nottingham serial numbers.
2. The first Raleigh Professional models are all WK4 prefix. I have seen eight occurrences of Professionals with serial numbers beginning with WK4. Most, if not all, of these have the "CC" cutout in the BB shell.
3. I have not seen any 1974 Professional models with the month letters A, B, C, D, E, G, or H. There are other Raleigh models with some of these month letters from Worksop in 1974.
I hope this helps.
1. The first year that I have seen is 1974. I have never seen a 3 for 1973 for Worksop serial numbers. I have seen a 3 for 1973 for Nottingham serial numbers.
2. The first Raleigh Professional models are all WK4 prefix. I have seen eight occurrences of Professionals with serial numbers beginning with WK4. Most, if not all, of these have the "CC" cutout in the BB shell.
3. I have not seen any 1974 Professional models with the month letters A, B, C, D, E, G, or H. There are other Raleigh models with some of these month letters from Worksop in 1974.
I hope this helps.
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03-01-23, 12:51 PM
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There is a good webpage about Raleigh Professionals by Peter Kohler.
https://on-the-drops.blogspot.com/20...p-raleigh.html
On the webpage Peter Kohler looks at different years of the Professional model and also at serial numbers.
https://on-the-drops.blogspot.com/20...p-raleigh.html
On the webpage Peter Kohler looks at different years of the Professional model and also at serial numbers.
Last edited by Hummer; 03-01-23 at 12:51 PM. Reason: wording
08-09-23, 04:05 PM
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A Ser# on a 1973 Raleigh Professional Mark IV.
On the Raleigh Pro Mark IV did the A ser # go below 5000 ser#. I have only seen number higher than 5000. Can any one have seen below 5000?
08-09-23, 05:47 PM
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The number only serials are Nottingham builds. Have seen this on Super Courses, Grand Sports. and on my 1971 Lilac Competition.
I have an RRA, but it is a G serial. Also have a Grand Sports that I think is 1973, but I can not find a serial number on it anywhere.
I have an RRA, but it is a G serial. Also have a Grand Sports that I think is 1973, but I can not find a serial number on it anywhere.
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08-10-23, 01:09 PM
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Thanks for the info mine is Ser# A5006. Just hoping it started at 5000. All the other Raleigh Pros A ser# I have found Were higher than 5000.
Thanks K Smith
Thanks K Smith
