# JC Higgins - Help Identify Year



## SindeAnn (Nov 17, 2018)

This bike was posted on a local FB group as an "Old 1970's Bike". Unless someone went to the trouble of putting a skip tooth sprocket on it, I felt pretty confident that the 1970's date was incorrect. Anyway, I picked it up for near nothing.  Could someone help me determine the year of manufacture? I looked at the Murray Serial Codes but it just confused me.  Thanks for your help


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## Freqman1 (Nov 17, 2018)

I'd go with 1953. V/r Shawn


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## SindeAnn (Nov 17, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> I'd go with 1953. V/r Shawn



Thank you


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## piercer_99 (Nov 18, 2018)

Look very similar to a 24" 1953 I had a few years ago.


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## TieDye (Nov 19, 2018)

piercer_99 said:


> Look very similar to a 24" 1953 I had a few years ago.
> View attachment 903747



That forged fork here, with the 4 stars, etc, and the chainring looks like what is on my 1941 Elgin curved seat tube.  Which is interesting.  It doesn't mean anything, but I can see the strong similarities in those 2 areas.  Made for Sears for sure.


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## TieDye (Nov 19, 2018)

SindeAnn said:


> This bike was posted on a local FB group as an "Old 1970's Bike". Unless someone went to the trouble of putting a skip tooth sprocket on it, I felt pretty confident that the 1970's date was incorrect. Anyway, I picked it up for near nothing.  Could someone help me determine the year of manufacture? I looked at the Murray Serial Codes but it just confused me.  Thanks for your help View attachment 903258
> 
> View attachment 903259



The MOD line of info, is Sears and the model number, etc.  The 81829 is the serial number.  I am curious as to the year on this as well.  Good find.


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## piercer_99 (Nov 19, 2018)

Yep, the MOD 502 was the Murray code for Sears bicycles.

The 4541 is the model number, in the catalog, if you have a Sears 1953 Catalog you can find out what it was.

The MOST is the year code from Murray of Ohio.   MOS is 1953

The serial number was pretty much just for your reference if it got stolen.


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## piercer_99 (Nov 19, 2018)

The 53 I had was easy to figure out what it was.

I got it from the original owner, who had the original receipt, and it had the original Dallas Texas license sticker on the rear fender, from 1953-54.

It had been put in a garage in 1963, along with the other two bikes I pulled out of there at the same time.  They were all original, with the 53 being in the roughest condition.

I also got a 1958 Huffy cruiser and a 1963 Huffy Sportsman from them.  

They had been put in the garage in the summer of 63, when their Dad took a job in Austin and moved the family down there for a couple of years, which turned out to be until he died 4 years ago.  He kept the house in Dallas, they had a gardener take care of the outside.  It was only after he died that they ever came back from Austin to the Dallas house, it was like a time capsule in that house and garage.  Kind of erie, but really cool.  The 24" was their daughters bike, and she is who I bought the 3 bikes from.


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## piercer_99 (Nov 19, 2018)

here is the page, from the 1963 Sears catalog.

It is the basic, bottom of the line JC Higgins model for the year.
left hand side, under the tires, above the boys bike.


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## SindeAnn (Nov 19, 2018)

piercer_99 said:


> here is the page, from the 1963 Sears catalog.
> 
> It is the basic, bottom of the line JC Higgins model for the year.
> left hand side, under the tires, above the boys bike.
> ...



Thank you


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## Freqman1 (Nov 20, 2018)

piercer_99 said:


> here is the page, from the 1963 Sears catalog.
> 
> It is the basic, bottom of the line JC Higgins model for the year.
> left hand side, under the tires, above the boys bike.
> ...



I believe this is 1953 and not 1963. V/r Shawn


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## piercer_99 (Nov 20, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> I believe this is 1953 and not 1963. V/r Shawn



sorry, I obviously was typing in the dark, to late at night.

it is 53.

thanks


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## TieDye (Nov 20, 2018)

Nice score for SindeAnn.


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## Adamtinkerer (Nov 24, 2018)

1954. Sears bikes have an extra S in the date code, not shown in the above chart. A '53 JCH would be stamped 'MOS S'. It can get confusing!


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## tophook1 (Oct 13, 2022)

Adamtinkerer said:


> View attachment 907222
> 1954. Sears bikes have an extra S in the date code, not shown in the above chart. A '53 JCH would be stamped 'MOS S'. It can get confusing!



I have 2  j.c.Higgins coloflow bicycles with the glass reflectors on the tank & batwing headlight, that were my parents,  both 26"   my mother is 97 years old & told me they purchased both of them  brand new in 1952 females bike serial number under the crank is  MOD 137129.   Under that # 502-288 , the. males bike serial number is MOD 502,  -249  ,serial number 41207 MOS -N


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## mrg (Oct 13, 2022)

tophook1 said:


> I have 2  j.c.Higgins coloflow bicycles with the glass reflectors on the tank & batwing headlight, that were my parents,  both 26"   my mother is 97 years old & told me they purchased both of them  brand new in 1952 females bike serial number under the crank is  MOD 137129.   Under that # 502-288 , the. males bike serial number is MOD 502,  -249  ,serial number 41207 MOS -N



You should start your own thread with some pictures!


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 16, 2022)

tophook1 said:


> I have 2  j.c.Higgins coloflow bicycles with the glass reflectors on the tank & batwing headlight, that were my parents,  both 26"   my mother is 97 years old & told me they purchased both of them  brand new in 1952 females bike serial number under the crank is  MOD 137129.   Under that # 502-288 , the. males bike serial number is MOD 502,  -249  ,serial number 41207 MOS -N



Well, the second bike would be '49 with the N, I'd like to see a pic of the first bike's numbers. Sometimes there's no date code, just a 3 digit model #.


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