Where is s/n on 50mm/3.5 elmar ltm?

[pkuglin]

I just can't seem to find it - where is it?

[LeicaTom]

....on the front of the black ring around the glass element, get out a magnifing lense so you can read it, if it does`nt have a serial number it`s an early one like 1930 or eariler.

Tom

[pkuglin]

For clarification - do you mean the black ring around the front element which moves for the aperture setting or the area around the thread mount at the back of the lens?

The only number I find is on the chrome ring around the thread mounts (the ring the infinity lock latches into) and the number is 5164

This lens is just too clean to be before 1930's. The glass is very clean and the finish is near perfect. A pawn shop deal in the middle of nowhere so I wonder...

[Artorius]

It is almost opposite from the aperture control. I needed a magnifier as Tom stated above.

[VictorM.]

Here's my 1000 words. The number is just above the 'r' in Elmar.

[pkuglin]

Well mine has nothing there so it is old, very old. However in very clean shape. Wild...

Thanks everyone for the help.

[Laforet]

Another possibilty is an old lens re-coated at factory after the war. The front would have been replaced with the modern aperture graduation. In that case it will not bear any serial number and may explain the condition.