Field Guide
Levi's Denim Jacket Types: How to Tell a Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 Apart
Every vintage Levi's jacket belongs to one of three families, and you can tell which in about ten seconds by counting pockets and looking at the seams. The details after that decide whether it is a nice old jacket or a very valuable one. Every jacket pictured below is one we bought.
The short answer: one chest pocket with a cinch at the back means Type 1 (lot 506XX, made into the early 1950s). Two pockets with knife pleats beside the buttons means Type 2 (lot 507XX, introduced 1953). Two pointed-flap pockets with tapered seams running down the body means Type 3, the trucker (lot 557XX, introduced 1962). We buy all three across Southern California and pay cash the same visit. Call or text photos to (949) 449-1255.
The ten second check
| Type 1 (506XX) | Type 2 (507XX) | Type 3 (557XX) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest pockets | One | Two | Two, pointed flaps |
| Front detail | Knife pleats, cinch back | Knife pleats, no cinch | Tapered V seams, no pleats |
| Years made | 1936 to about 1952 | 1953 to 1962 | 1962 onward (renumbered 70505 later) |
| Patch | Leather | Leather early, then paper | Paper |
Levi's never printed Type 1, 2, or 3 anywhere on the jackets. Those are collector names for three distinct designs, and the lot number on the patch (506XX, 507XX, 557XX) is the factory's own name for each. Patches wear off, though, which is why the pocket-and-seam check matters: the cut identifies the jacket even when the patch is long gone.
Type 2 (507XX): 1953 to 1962
The Type 2 replaced the Type 1 in 1953. Two flapped chest pockets, knife pleats running down from each pocket to the waist, buttoned side tabs instead of a back cinch. It was on the back of every fifties icon you can name, which is a real part of why collectors chase it today.
Within the Type 2 run, the patch material narrows the date. The earliest 507XX jackets carry a leather patch; by the mid fifties it changed to the pressed paper style. Telling the two apart on a worn jacket is easier than it sounds. Leather goes dark brown and cracks in a spidery web across the surface, and a torn edge looks fibrous. Paper stays tan, creases rather than cracks, and tears in straight lines that separate into layers at the edge. A readable patch of either kind adds real money, because it removes all doubt about what the jacket is.
Blanket lined Type 2s exist too, with a striped wool blanket sewn inside for winter work. The lining marks nothing about rarity by itself, but lined examples in good shape have their own following.
Type 3 (557XX): 1962 onward, the trucker
In 1962 the pleats disappeared and the modern trucker shape arrived: two pointed pocket flaps and long tapered seams running down the front. The 557XX is the jacket everyone pictures when they hear denim jacket, and the earliest ones, with a capital E on the red tab, are the collectible ones.
Two details are worth a close look on any trucker. First the tab: a capital E (Big E) means made before 1971. Second the size: vintage jackets ran small and mostly survived in small sizes, so a 44 or 46 that fits a modern frame is genuinely hard to find and priced accordingly.
Patches, pins, and why we leave them on
A jacket someone lived in for years often carries the patches they sewed on at the time. The instinct is to pick them off and sell a clean jacket. Do not. Period patches are dated evidence of when the jacket was worn, they are collectible in their own right, and taking them off leaves needle holes and a shadow in the denim that no buyer can unsee.
What about Type 1?
The Type 1 (506XX) is the one pocket, cinch back original, made from 1936 into the early 1950s, and it is the rarest of the three by a wide margin. Wartime examples have their own quirks, because the government's War Production Board stripped details like the cinch to save metal and fabric around 1942. At the extreme top, a museum grade WWII era Type 1 set a Guinness record when it sold for roughly $346,000 in 2026. Most survivors are not that, but any one pocket Levi's jacket deserves a careful look before it goes anywhere near a donation pile. We paid $12,000 in cash for one 1940s Type 1, and the seller was a dealer who knew exactly what he had.
What they are worth
Honest ranges, as of July 2026. Type 2 507XX jackets typically bring $800 to $1,500, with exceptional dark examples going higher. Big E Type 3 truckers run $150 to $2,000 or more depending on condition, fade, and size. Type 1s start in the low thousands and climb steeply with age and condition. Condition moves every one of these numbers: original hardware, no repairs, and honest fade beat washed, repaired, or altered every time.
- Do not wash it. Collectors pay for the dirt and the fade exactly as they are.
- Do not repair it. A period hole is worth more than a modern patch.
- Do not cut the patch off or remove the tab, ever.
- Photograph the patch, the tab, the buttons, and the seams. That is everything a buyer needs.
Found a jacket like these in a closet or an estate? Text photos of the front, the patch, and the red tab to (949) 449-1255. We read it for free, tell you honestly what it is, and if you want to sell, we come to you anywhere in Southern California with cash.
Common questions
- How do I tell if my Levi’s jacket is a Type 1, Type 2, or Type 3?
- Count the chest pockets and look at the front seams. One pocket with a cinch at the back is a Type 1 (lot 506XX, made into the early 1950s). Two pockets with knife pleats beside the buttons is a Type 2 (507XX, 1953 to 1962). Two pointed-flap pockets with long tapered seams and no pleats is a Type 3 trucker (557XX, 1962 onward).
- What does Big E mean on a Levi’s jacket?
- Look at the red tab: if LEVI’S is stitched with a capital E, the jacket was made before 1971, when the logo changed to a lowercase e. On a Type 3 trucker, Big E is the line between an ordinary used jacket and a collectible one worth hundreds to a couple of thousand dollars.
- How much is a vintage Levi’s Type 2 jacket worth?
- Typical Type 2 507XX jackets bring $800 to $1,500 as of July 2026, with dark, unwashed examples with a readable patch going higher. Big E Type 3 truckers run about $150 to $2,000 or more depending on fade, condition, and size, and larger sizes like a 44 or 46 carry a real premium because so few survived.
- Should I wash or repair a vintage denim jacket before selling it?
- No. Collectors pay for original condition: the dirt, the fade, and even period damage are part of the value, and a wash or a modern repair can cut the price in half. Leave it exactly as found and text photos of the front, patch, and red tab to (949) 449-1255 for a free read.
Have something like this?
One phone call and we come to you, anywhere in Southern California. Free visit, honest evaluation, cash the same day.