If you have a Steinway and want to know how old it is, the serial number is the most reliable place to start. Steinway itself has become less and less helpful about dating older pianos, so we put this guide together for owners who want a clear answer — and a person they can call when the number is hard to read or the piano has a story attached to it.
I’m Trevor Nelson. I’ve been in the piano business for 40 years and a Registered Piano Technician with the Piano Technicians Guild for 38 of them. I trained at Bösendorfer in Vienna, spent 12 years as a university piano technician, and was a visiting piano technical consultant and technician for the Banff Centre for the Arts, helping care for its 110 concert-quality pianos. In our Lafayette, Colorado shop we restore, sell, tune and store Steinways every week, and we date them from the number on the plate as a matter of course. Send us a photo if you’d like us to confirm yours.
How to find the serial number
On a Steinway grand: Lift the lid and look at the gold (or sometimes bronze or black) cast-iron plate, in the area between the tuning pins, just above the keyboard. The serial number is stamped into the plate. The model letter — S, M, O, L, A, B, D, and so on — is often stamped nearby.
On a Steinway upright: Open the top lid. The serial number is on top of the wrest plank (the pinblock) above the cast-iron plate. You may also see the number or the model letter on the plate itself.
Write the number down carefully, and take a clear, well-lit photo. Numbers can be faint, partly covered by strings, or confused with patent dates or foundry marks that also appear on the plate. If you’re unsure which figure is the serial, send the photo to us and we’ll sort it out.
Once you have the number, use the chart below, or skip the chart and contact us. We’re glad to date the piano for you.
Steinway serial numbers by year
Each figure in this chart is the approximate first serial number for that production year. Steinway uses one continuous sequence for pianos built in its New York factory and in Hamburg. Find the highest starting number that does not exceed yours; the year beside it is the approximate year your piano was made.
Treat the result as accurate to about a year. A piano numbered late in one year was often finished in the next, and some early production runs span more than one year. If your number sits close to a boundary, or the stamp is hard to read, send us a photo and we’ll confirm it.
| Year | Starting serial | Year | Starting serial | Year | Starting serial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1853 | 483 | 1919 | 195,000 | 1973 | 431,000 |
| 1856 | 1,000 | 1920 | 200,000 | 1974 | 436,000 |
| 1858 | 2,000 | 1921 | 205,000 | 1975 | 439,000 |
| 1860 | 3,000 | 1922 | 210,000 | 1976 | 445,000 |
| 1861 | 5,000 | 1923 | 217,000 | 1977 | 450,000 |
| 1863 | 7,000 | 1924 | 225,000 | 1978 | 455,500 |
| 1864 | 9,000 | 1925 | 232,000 | 1979 | 463,000 |
| 1865 | 11,000 | 1926 | 240,000 | 1980 | 468,500 |
| 1866 | 13,000 | 1927 | 249,000 | 1981 | 473,500 |
| 1867 | 15,000 | 1928 | 256,000 | 1982 | 478,500 |
| 1868 | 17,000 | 1929 | 263,000 | 1983 | 483,000 |
| 1869 | 19,000 | 1930 | 269,000 | 1984 | 488,000 |
| 1870 | 21,000 | 1931 | 271,000 | 1985 | 493,000 |
| 1871 | 23,000 | 1932 | 274,000 | 1986 | 498,000 |
| 1872 | 25,000 | 1933 | 276,000 | 1987 | 500,000 |
| 1873 | 27,000 | 1934 | 278,000 | 1988 | 504,000 |
| 1874 | 29,000 | 1935 | 279,000 | 1989 | 508,000 |
| 1875 | 31,000 | 1936 | 284,000 | 1990 | 513,000 |
| 1876 | 33,000 | 1937 | 289,000 | 1991 | 517,000 |
| 1877 | 35,000 | 1938 | 290,000 | 1992 | 521,000 |
| 1878 | 40,000 | 1939 | 294,000 | 1993 | 524,000 |
| 1880 | 42,500 | 1940 | 300,000 | 1994 | 527,000 |
| 1881 | 45,000 | 1941 | 305,000 | 1995 | 531,000 |
| 1883 | 50,000 | 1942 | 310,000 | 1996 | 533,500 |
| 1884 | 52,500 | 1943 | 314,000 | 1997 | 538,000 |
| 1885 | 55,500 | 1944 | 316,000 | 1998 | 541,000 |
| 1887 | 60,000 | 1945 | 317,000 | 1999 | 546,000 |
| 1889 | 65,000 | 1946 | 319,000 | 2000 | 550,000 |
| 1890 | 67,500 | 1947 | 322,000 | 2001 | 555,000 |
| 1891 | 70,000 | 1948 | 324,000 | 2002 | 559,000 |
| 1893 | 75,000 | 1949 | 328,000 | 2003 | 563,000 |
| 1894 | 80,000 | 1950 | 331,000 | 2004 | 567,000 |
| 1895 | 82,000 | 1951 | 334,000 | 2005 | 571,000 |
| 1896 | 85,000 | 1952 | 337,000 | 2006 | 574,500 |
| 1898 | 90,000 | 1953 | 340,000 | 2007 | 578,000 |
| 1900 | 95,000 | 1954 | 343,000 | 2008 | 582,000 |
| 1901 | 100,000 | 1955 | 346,500 | 2009 | 584,500 |
| 1902 | 103,000 | 1956 | 350,000 | 2010 | 587,000 |
| 1903 | 106,000 | 1957 | 355,000 | 2011 | 589,500 |
| 1904 | 110,000 | 1958 | 358,000 | 2012 | 592,000 |
| 1905 | 115,000 | 1959 | 362,000 | 2013 | 594,500 |
| 1906 | 120,000 | 1960 | 366,000 | 2014 | 597,500 |
| 1907 | 125,000 | 1961 | 370,000 | 2015 | 600,000 |
| 1908 | 130,000 | 1962 | 375,000 | 2016 | 603,000 |
| 1909 | 135,000 | 1963 | 380,000 | 2017 | 606,500 |
| 1910 | 140,000 | 1964 | 385,000 | 2018 | 608,500 |
| 1911 | 150,000 | 1965 | 390,000 | 2019 | 611,500 |
| 1912 | 155,000 | 1966 | 395,000 | 2020 | 614,000 |
| 1913 | 160,000 | 1967 | 400,000 | 2021 | 617,000 |
| 1914 | 165,000 | 1968 | 405,000 | 2022 | 620,000 |
| 1915 | 170,000 | 1969 | 412,000 | 2023 | 621,800 |
| 1916 | 175,000 | 1970 | 418,000 | 2024 | 625,700 |
| 1917 | 183,000 | 1971 | 423,000 | 2025 | 627,800 |
| 1918 | 190,000 | 1972 | 426,000 | 2026 | 629,300 |
Source: This table follows the year-by-year starting serial numbers published by M. Steinert & Sons, an authorized Steinway dealer, and agrees with the matching chart published by Westchester Piano. Other published charts differ slightly at certain years. The figures cover New York and Hamburg Steinways.
A few examples from pianos in our own shop: serial 40,110 is an 1878 Model B; 161,827 is a 1913 Model M (restoration in progress); 183,044 is a 1917 Model O; and 446,299 is a 1976 Model M.
New York or Hamburg?
The serial number tells you the year, not the factory. Steinway has built pianos in New York since 1853 and in Hamburg, Germany, since 1880, and both factories draw from the same numbering sequence.
To tell them apart, look at the plate and the fallboard. A New York piano is marked “Steinway & Sons, New York.” A Hamburg piano names Hamburg, often along with other European cities. If a refinish has taken the fallboard decal off, the plate lettering and small construction details will still tell the story, and we can identify the origin from a photo or an in-shop visit.
Other clues that help confirm the date
The serial number is the one to trust. These details help confirm it, and they tell you more about the piano you have:
- The model letter. It is often stamped next to the serial number. Steinway’s current New York grands are the Model S (5′1″), M (5′7″), O (5′10½″), A (6′2″), B (6′10½″) and D (8′11¾″). Older pianos of the same letter can differ in length and design. The Model O, for example, was first made in 1902, was replaced in New York by the Model L in 1924, and was later brought back. The Model A was first offered in 1878, went through several sizes, was discontinued in New York in 1945, and was later reintroduced. Our own 1878 Model B measures 6′8″, shorter than today’s 6′10½″ B. For a fuller guide to models and sizes, see our Steinway buyer’s guide.
- Patent dates and foundry marks on the plate. Steinway often lists patents along the plate, and some plates also carry a casting date. Those marks tell you which inventions were already in use when the plate was made. They can confirm an era, but they are not a substitute for the serial number — a later piano will still show earlier patents.
- Case style. Carved cheeks, art-case cabinets, square tails (as on the Model L) versus rounded tails (as on the Model O), and changes in finish and hardware all help place a piano in a period, especially when the serial stamp is worn.
Plate (harp) casting dates
The harp casting number is at the back end of the piano, near the rim, back by the bass strings. Sitting at the keyboard, think of it as the far-left back corner.
Before 1910, Steinway wrote casting dates the normal way. In 1910 they switched to a system where a letter stands for the year, and the day and month the harp was cast in the foundry are written normally, as numbers. Steinway stopped dating harps after 1934. This helps owners of Steinways made 1910–1934 figure out the age of their piano.
| Letter | Year |
|---|---|
| A | 1910 |
| B | 1911 |
| C | 1912 |
| D | 1913 |
| E | 1914 |
| F | 1915 |
| G | 1916 |
| H | 1917 |
| J | 1918 |
| K | 1919 |
| L | 1920 |
| M | 1921 |
| N | 1922 |
| O | 1923 |
| P | 1924 |
| Q | 1925 |
| R | 1926 |
| S | 1927 |
| T | 1928 |
| U | 1929 |
| V | 1930 |
| W | 1931 |
| X | 1932 |
| Y | 1933 |
| Z | 1934 |
There is no letter I in this list.
Send us your serial number or photos
If you would like us to date your Steinway, send a clear photo of the serial number and the plate — and, if you have them, a few pictures of the whole piano — through our contact page, or call (303) 521-3722. Visits to our Lafayette shop and gallery are by appointment. We serve piano owners in Boulder County, Broomfield and the north Denver metro, and throughout northern Colorado, and we work with Steinway owners across the United States.
Once you know the year, you may also want to know what the piano is worth, or what it would take to restore it. Start with How Much Is My Steinway Worth?, browse our Steinways for Sale, or read about piano restoration in our shop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the serial number on a Steinway?
On a Steinway grand, look on the gold cast-iron plate between the tuning pins, just above the keyboard. On a Steinway upright, open the top lid and look on top of the wrest plank (the pinblock) above the plate. The model letter is often stamped near the number.
Do New York and Hamburg Steinways use the same serial numbers?
Yes. Steinway has used one continuous serial-number sequence for pianos built in New York and in Hamburg. The number dates the piano; it does not tell you which factory made it. Check the plate and fallboard for “New York” or “Hamburg.”
Can you date my Steinway if I send a photo?
Yes. Send a clear photo of the serial number and the plate, or call (303) 521-3722. We will confirm the year and can talk with you about the piano’s condition, value, or restoration.
How can I read a Steinway plate (harp) casting date?
The harp casting number is at the back end of the piano, near the rim, back by the bass strings — the far-left back corner if you are sitting at the keyboard. Before 1910, Steinway wrote casting dates the normal way. From 1910 through 1934, a letter stands for the year, and the day and month the harp was cast in the foundry are written normally, as numbers. Steinway stopped dating harps after 1934. The letters run from A for 1910 through Z for 1934. There is no letter I in this list.
