Another method is to find data on your lighter in a price guide , if you're lucky. But many of the price guides don't indicate years. These ads, like patent dates, may not give you the exact year when a lighter was issued, but you at least know when that lighter was in use. Case is flat-bottomed with square corners. Windscreen has 16 holes and cam support is part of the windscreen.
Case is flat-bottomed with square corners.
Case is flat-bottomed with square or rounded corners. Still flat-bottomed, but corners are rounded. Bottom slightly rounded, corners rounded. Black crackle finish. Windscreen has 14 holes.