RULE #1:

The 1974-1976 models are the easiest to date; almost all of these (with exception to some held-over '73 frames) simply follow the standardized serial system developed by Raleigh in mid-1973, whether Gazelle or Nottingham in origin:

Seat tube will be stamped with two letters, followed by a series of 6 or 7 numbers - first letter denotes location of manufacture (G for Gazelle, N for Nottingham, W for Worksop plus Nottingham after 1981), second is the month the frame was manufactured, and the first digit will indicate the last number in the standard calendar year - 1974 = 4, 1975 = 5, 1976 = 6. All following digits are the unique (you hope, anyway - remember, this is Raleigh we're talking about) batch number of that particular bike. Nottingham has 6 digits following the year digit; so far, all the Gazelle examples I've seen have only 5. A trivial, inconsequential detail, but an amusing one to quiz your friends with if you have the guts to try this stunt around someone who knows Raleigh serials very well. A well-versed expert can chop you down to reveal a fool - in 10 seconds - if this tidbit constitutes the extent of your knowledge.

RULE #2:

The 1973 and earlier frames use a serial system which does follow a pattern - contrary to popular belief - though not an easy one nor quickly decipherable. For those who wish to bother with the details, all the information for this system is mentioned on the "Raleigh Serial Number Systems" portion of the site - the patterns used on these frames are "System 196X," "System 1972," and the one-year 1973 system. For those who want the short answer, continue reading:

Any frame that does not have letters in the serial system - such as Gxø***** or Nxø****** - should be considered a 1973 or earlier frame and no earlier than 1973 if it wears the italicized Raleigh block-letter decal kit. All examples with cursive downtube lettering are 1972 or earlier.

These serials are generally found on the left dropout, though some examples carry them on the on the BB, and some oddballs have two different serials at both locations. Unless you're a bean counter, this doesn't matter - so long as you don't have any letters in the serial system, it's a '73 frame or earlier, and if you have italicized decals, it is no earlier than '73.

There is ONE exception to this: There are some cases of 1973 frames with 1974-dated components on them. These are '73 frames that didn't leave the factory until the following year. To find out if you own such an example or not, simply check the components for date codes - the hubs and derailers, especially. Some of these date codes may be considerably earlier than the frame - ignore them. At this point, you already know whether you have a '73 or a '69-72 frame. What you are looking for are components dated "74," in which case, you have a early '74, with a held-over '73 frame. If you can't find anything dated newer than '73 on a '73/4 frame with italicized decals, you have a '73. Simple as that.