Real vs Fake Coach Wallets: 7 Authenticity Tips

An authentic Coach checkbook wallet is a collectible item found in any Coach lovers purse wardrobe.

If you are looking to buy a Coach wallet online, at a factory store or from a street vendor, you will need clues to detect a faux Coach replica from the authentic product.

When an online store offers checkbook wallets at a price listed 60 to 70-percent off retail prices, this deal is often for a Coach impostor.

How to Tell the Difference Between Fake Coach Wallets & Real Ones

From examining the seams, to looking for reconstituted or fake leather, with a little practice, you can clearly identify a fake Coach checkbook wallet from the quality product.

1. Look for identifying proof from Coach that the checkbook wallet is authentic before you buy.

If you are buying the product online, verify serial numbers, sales associate identification or proof of purchase to determine the original purchase date of the Coach checkbook wallet.

2. Perform a glue check inside and outside of the wallet.

Authentic Coach checkbook wallets never feature glue at any of the seams. If you notice any clear glue residue on any part of the checkbook wallet, it is a fake Coach product.

3. View the inside and outer fabric for single C logos. 

The Coach insignia is a double “C.” If the fabric logo on the outside the wallet is crooked or the double “C’s” are not facing each other, the wallet is a fake. If the outside material and inside fabric lining of the wallet both feature double “C’s” the wallet is not an authentic Coach product.

4. Check for crooked and irregular Coach wallet stitching. 

Unfortunately, unauthorized vendors sell fake copies of the coveted leather goods to naïve consumers looking for a bargain.  The inner and outer stitching of the wallet has straight seams, and no hanging threads. But, the stitching along the outer seams of a real Coach wallet is well-done and even. If logos are present, the seam will divide the double “C’s” evenly.

5. Beware of the prices of an online Coach wallet purchase.

Fake Coach vendors price the replica wallets at prices below the retail value of an authentic Coach product. Peruse the Coach website for pricing information and a list of authorized resellers. In 2016, prices for Coach wallets retail from $140 to $350 dollars.

6. Check the outer covering of the checkbook wallet for fake leather.

If the wallet is real leather, the material is smooth. Some counterfeit Coach products feature fake or reconstituted leather. In fact, fake leather checkbook wallets will often feel rough to the touch and feel like plastic.

7. Examine the Coach checkbook wallet’s hardware and YKK zippers.

The New York Times Magazine reports that the hardware of a Coach product should be weighty and made of real brass. The hardware should not be hollow and display the Coach logo on the clasp or may feature another type of Coach metal fasteners. Coach, along with most high-quality fashion designers,  use YKK zippers in their wallets. A fake Coach product may not use these sturdy zippers in their replica wallet.

More Fake Coach Tips & Warnings

• If the price of the checkbook wallet is less than 50 to 70 percent off of the original retail price, the Coach product is probably a fake.
• Fake Coach wallets feature fake or reconstituted leather. Fake leather feels rough and often smells like plastic.
• A real Coach checkbook product will not feature leather that is peeling or cracking along the inside folds of the wallet.
• Visit the Coach retail store and website to check current wallet styles. A Coach sales representative in the store or outlet can also detect a counterfeit Coach product by examining the zipper, seams, and fabric.
• To make sure that your Coach checkbook wallet is authentic, buy the product from an authorized Coach boutique, outlet, retailer or department store. 
• If you’ve bought a counterfeit Coach product, report it anonymously by calling their anti-counterfeit hotline at 877-788-7656. Or email the information requested below to counterfeitscoach.com.
• According to the Coach website, the ONLY  third-party websites that are authorized to sell Coach products are:

• 1. Belk.com
  2. Bergners.com
  3. Bloomingdales.com
  4. Bonton.com
  5. Bostonstore.com
  6. Carsons.com
  7. Dillards.com
  8. Elder-Beerman.com
  9. Herbergers.com
  10. LordandTaylor.com
  11. Macys.com
  12. Mynavyexchange.com
  13. Nordstrom.com
  14. Shopmyexchange.com
  15. TheBay.com
  16. VonMaur.com
  17. Younkers.com
  18. Zappos.com

Coach Won’t Authenticate Directly Anymore

According to the Coach counterfeit website page, they will no longer authenticate real or fake products in the store, or on the phone.

For more information and tips on authenticating a Coach wallet, here’s a video. It helps to illustrate the difference between real and fake coach wallets.

Use an Authentication Company

There are a few companies online that will authenticate designer bags for you. This includes the authentication of Coach wallets. For a fee, you can send your bag or wallet into the authentication company where they’ll verify whether it’s real or fake. This can be a spendy process, but if you want to know for sure whether your product is real or fake, it’s worth it.