martin serial numbers

On round hole martin guitars, the serial and model numbers are stamped on the neck block inside the instrument. The number can be seen by looking inside the sound hole. Look at an angle towards the neck. All f-hole Martin archtops have their serial and model numbers stamped on the inside center of the backstripe, roughly under the shadow of the bridge (and best seen from the bass side "f" hole).

The numbers listed here show the LAST serial number produced for that year. Martin produced all guitar serial number sequentially. These serial number apply to all Martin guitars, flat top and arch top. It does not apply to ukes (except for the first year, they do not have a serial number). Does not apply to Martin mandolins either (they have their own serial number system).

and here's some of the serial number on the guitar martin from year to year :

Year Serial# Range (produced)
1898 8001-8349 (347)
1899 8350-8716 (367)
1900 8717-9128 (411)
1901 9129-9310 (181)
1902 9311-9528 (217)
1903 9529-9810 (281)
1904 9811-9988 (177)
1905 9989-10120 (131)
1906 10121-10329 (208)
1907 10330-10727 (397)
1908 10728-10883 (155)
1909 10884-11018 (134)
1910 11019-11203 (184)
1911 11204-11413 (209)
1912 11414-11565 (151)
1913 11566-11821 (255)
1914 11822-12047 (225)
1915 12048-12209 (161)
1916 12210-12390 (180)
1917 12391-12988 (597)
1918 12989-13450 (461)
1919 13451-14512 (1061)
1920 14513-15484 (1335)
1921 15485-16758 (909)
1922 16759-17839 (1080)
1923 17840-19891 (2051)
1924 19892-22008 (2116)
1925 22009-24116 (2107)
1926 24117-28689 (4572)
1927 28690-34435 (5745)
1928 34436-37568 (3132)
1929 37569-40843 (3274)
1930 40844-45317 (4473)
1931 45318-49589 (4271)
1932 49590-52590 (3000)
1933 52591-55084 (2493)
1934 55085-58679 (3594)
1935 58680-61947 (3267)
1936 61948-65176 (3228)
1937 65177-68865 (3688)
1938 68866-71866 (3000)
1939 71867-74061 (2194)
1940 74062-76734 (2672)
1941 76735-80013 (3278)
1942 80014-83107 (3093)
1943 83108-86724 (3616)
1944 86725-90149 (3424)
1945 90150-93623 (3473)
1946 93624-98158 (4534)
1947 98159-103468 (5309)
1948 103469-108269 (4800)
1949 108270-112961 (4691)
1950 112962-117961 (4999)
1951 117962-122799 (4837)
1952 122800-128436 (5636)
1953 128437-134501 (6064)
1954 134502-141345 (6843)
1955 141346-147328 (5982)
1956 147329-152775 (5446)
1957 152776-159061 (6285)
1958 159062-165576 (6514)
1959 165577-171047 (5470)
1960 171048-175689 (4641)
1961 175690-181297 (5607)
1962 181298-187384 (6086)
1963 187385-193327 (5942)
1964 193328-199626 (6298)
1965 199627-207030 (7403)
1966 207031-217215 (10184)
1967 217216-230095 (12879)
1968 230096-241925 (11829)
1989 483953-493279 (9323)
1970 256004-271633 (15629)
1971 271634-294270 (22636)
1972 294271-313302 (19031)
1973 313303-333873 (20570)
1974 333873-353387 (19513)
1975 353388-371828 (18440)
1976 371829-388800 (16971)
1977 388801-399625 (10824)
1978 399626-407800 (8174)
1979 407801-419900 (12099)
1980 419901-430300 (10399)
1981 430301-436474 (6173)
1982 436475-439627 (3152)
1983 439628-446101 (6473)
1984 446102-453300 (7198)
1985 453301-460575 (7274)
1986 460576-468175 (7599)
1987 468176-476216 (8040)
1988 476217-483952 (7735)
1989 483953-493279 (9323)
1990 493280-503309 (10032)
1991 503310-512487 (9177)
1992 512488-522655 (10167)
1993 522656-535223 (12567)
1994 535224-551696 (16472)
1995 551697-570434 (18737)
1996 570435-592930 (22495)
1997 592931-624799 (31868)
1998 624800-668796 (43996)
1999 668797-724077 (55280)
2000 724078-780500 (56422)
2001 780501-845644 (65143)
Year Serial# Range (produced)

Source : http://home.provide.net/~cfh/martin.html#size