Model Guide
The Levis 505 is a zipper-fly straight jean released in 1967, offering more modern convenience than the 501's button fly. The silhouette is close to the 501 but with a slightly lower rise and slimmer impression. From its 1967 launch until 1971, Big E era examples carry the '70505' model number and are highly coveted by collectors. The 505's greatest advantage for dating is its zipper — enabling zipper-brand dating unavailable on the 501. This additional identification point allows decade-level precision dating.
70505 is the model number for Big E era (1967–1971) 505s — the most highly valued 505 in the collector market. Identification points: model number '70505' → confirm on inside waistband tag or back pocket paper label. Big E red tab (both sides uppercase 'LEVIS') → confirmed pre-1971. No care label → confirmed pre-1971. TALON zipper (with or without 42) → supports Big E era. Selvedge present → pre-1981 (expected on Big E era). No orange/white overlock on outseam (selvedge instead) → pre-1981. All these together confirm a genuine 70505.
505 zipper brand dating: Scovill/Conmar = pre-1950s (pre-505 related models, ultra-rare). TALON 42 = 1950s–1960s (earliest 505 era). TALON no 42 = late 1960s–early 1970s (primary 70505 zipper). YKK = post-1970s (standard Small e era zipper). Both TALON and YKK may appear during the early 1970s transition. TALON 42 + Big E tab + no care label = possibly earliest 70505. TALON no 42 + Big E tab + no care label = later 70505. YKK + Small e tab + care label = post-1971 505.
The key difference between the 501 and 505 is the fly — vertical buttons = 501, zipper = 505. The 505 silhouette is slightly slimmer and more modern. The model number appears on the inside waistband tag or back pocket paper label: '70505' indicates a Big E era model (1967–1971). While the 501 offers no zipper for dating, the 505's zipper brand enables decade-level precision dating. This is the 505's greatest identification advantage.
1967–1971 (70505, Big E): TALON zipper, Big E tab, no care label, selvedge, orange/yellow arcuate thread — rarest and most valuable. 1971–1975: Small e tab, English-only care label, TALON or YKK, selvedge continuing. 1975–1981: multilingual care label, YKK, selvedge, 3-digit date codes (from 1984). 1981–1986: no selvedge, orange overlock (1981–84) or white overlock (from 1985). Post-1986: batwing logo care label, YKK zipper. The Big E 70505 holds the second most coveted collector status after the Big E 501 — condition, selvedge presence, and tab condition directly translate to price.
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