Originally Posted by
qd-s
I have 9 (?) Peugeots in my "collection": a PX10 from about 1963 (BB: 6 digits, stamped into Nervex-pro BB-lug), a PR10, PA60, PR60L and the rest PY10 or 60, all from between 1975 and 1979 (early seat-tube design, not the checkerboard-type).
Exept from the PR10 (without any BB-number, but probably from 1977) and a PY60 (hand-made-to-order "prestige" model from 1977), the rest is from the riveted-aluminium-plate type (BB serial number). All of these have 7 digits and here the first digit is exactly the year of built: first digit 6 = 1976, first d. 7 = 1977 and so on. I checked and compared this serial-number theory with more bikes from friends and in most cases it is applicable, but not necessarily always. The only exeption so far I remember was a PA65 from 1975 (BB-no 2xxxxxx).
In my opinion - at least here in Germany/Europe - this may be consistent with about 90 out of a 100 bikes from the seventies.
But maybe this is not transferable to US-spec bikes.
In many cases you can verify the year of construction of the bike with other components of the bike, aside from catalog comparison. Sometimes you find a number stamped into the rear side of the levers of the Mafac Racer-brakes (e.g. "10 76") or into Maillard (600/700) -pedals.
(sorry for the mistakes)
before I forget: nice bike, the one above.
Fair enough, but over the years we've (the bicycle community) seen many excpetions to the rule. Many, many excpetions. My 3 PX10's partialy fall within the rule, 7 digit serial numbers but the first digit DOES NOT correspond to the model year. Keep in mid that later serial numbers, post '79 refer to the date a frame was produced which may different than the actual model year. An October '71 produced frame could be for a '72 model year bike.
My late 60's PE45? has a 7 digit serial number begining with a '1'. Something to keep in mind is that you cant trust the older catalog pics to be correct.