Item Description
Original Item: One-of-a-kind. During the Vietnam was Zippo lighters were not only available for purchase in the PX (Post Exchange) where many consumer goods were sold, but also on the black market. Zippos could be customized with regimental cyphers and engravings, and were purchased by GIs returning home as a memento of their military service in the specific theatre of operation. They were also used as promotional items by bars and brothels and given to the best customers who would take the lighters into the field, barracks, etc and work as advertising to the GIs friends and fellow soldiers.
This example is marked on the front side:
RUE PASTEUR
SAIGON
The riverside side is engraved:
SPEAK ENGLISH
SPECIAL FOR YOU
IF YOU WANT
TO FUCK
SMILE
WHEN YOU
GIVE THIS
LIGHTER
BACK
The underside of the lighter bears the ZIPPO logo and Bradford, PA.
A note on how to verify that this is an authentic VIETNAM era zippo- To determine ZIPPOs with correct date marks (before 1975) check the zippo date according to the dating card supplied by the zippo firm. For the years between 1966 and 1975 (Vietnam war ended in April 1975) the codes are: four vertical bars each side of the italicized zippo logo for 1966. Then the bars were removed alternatively first on the right and then on the left. So for 1967 four bars on the left and three on the right, three each side for 1968 and so one until 1973 last year with vertical bar coding. Lighters from 1973 have one bar on the left and nothing on the right. In 1974, the code marks turn to slashes; four slashes on each side of the italicized zippo logo and in 1975 only three slashes on the right part.
This particular lighter has three vertical bars on the left of the ZIPPO logo and two bars on the right, meaning it was manufactured in 1969.
This is a great reference site for further research of Vietnam era Zippo lighters: http://vietnam.zippo.free.fr/intra.htm
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
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