Pentax lens Serial Numbers

I've just taken delivery of a smc-Pentax M 80-200mm(sn 6565610) lens in emmaculate condition for a princely £17.It got me wondering about the serial numbers on older Pentax lenses such as K / M / A / F series.

Is there away to find out the year of manufacture.I also have a zenit 3m with the first two digits being 67.I'm sure i read somewhere that all zenit serial numbers start with the year they were made.Is this the case with pentax equipment.

Any help would be much appreciated

Unlike Rollei, where serial numbers are fairly well known, the Pentax serial numbers are largely a mystery known only to Pentax. Even sequences may be out of order, may cover more than one item, and could be a bit of a problem to disentangle.

The serial numbers given in some books on Pentax are wonderfully vague.

Oh I love the Pentax folklore.

Great bargain you bagged there Martin.

Thanks guys much appreciated

I asked a similar question about body numbers, the advice then was....


... don't go there, they're all over the place!

As John said the lenses may well(will) be the same.

Just enjoy the lens.