The Hermès Horseshoe Stamp Explained

What is the Hermès horseshoe stamp?

The horseshoe stamp is the Hermès special order stamp. It is a small horseshoe-shaped mark (it looks like a “U”) pressed into the leather. It shows that the bag was made to a client’s own specification. Collectors call these pieces HSS bags, short for Horseshoe Stamp.

The horseshoe nods to the house’s roots. Hermès began in 1837 as a Paris harness and saddle maker.

Where to find the special stamp next to the Hermès logo

On a Birkin, the horseshoe stamp sits next to the Hermès Paris Made in France signature. It is usually close to the date stamp and the craftsman’s mark. If you see a special stamp next to Hermès on the inside of the bag, check whether it is a horseshoe. That is the mark of a special order.

Horseshoe stamp on a Birkin

A horseshoe stamp Birkin is the most common HSS piece. The stamp sits with the other marks on the strap that runs inside the front of the bag.

Hermès Kelly horseshoe stamp

On a Kelly, the horseshoe sits in the same area as the date stamp. The Kelly is one of the most requested special order models, so a horseshoe Hermès Kelly is easy to find in our HSS Kelly collection.

Mini Kelly horseshoe stamp

The Mini Kelly II is a regular special order choice. A Mini Kelly with a horseshoe stamp follows the same rule. The mark sits near the signature and the year letter.

Hermès special order hardware and the horseshoe

Hardware is part of every special order. The client picks gold, palladium or permabrass, often in a brushed finish, to suit the colour mix. The Hermès special order horseshoe stamp confirms that the whole design, hardware included, was made for one client. See finished examples in our Hermès special order collection.

Other Hermès special stamps

The horseshoe is not the only symbol Hermès uses. These are the other special stamps collectors look for:

• Date letter: one letter for the year the bag was made. Recent letters are A (2017), C (2018), D (2019), Y (2020), Z (2021), U (2022), B (2023), W (2024) and K (2025).
• Shooting star: an artisan-related mark near the signature.
• Exotic skin symbols: a square for alligator, a caret (^) for Porosus crocodile and two dots for Niloticus crocodile.

The Jane Finds stamp guide lists more symbols and their meanings.

Special order hardware

Hardware is part of every special order. Clients choose gold, palladium, rose gold or permabrass. Brushed gold and brushed palladium are special-order-only finishes on the Birkin and Kelly, but they are not offered on mini bags. A brushed hardware finish next to a horseshoe stamp is a strong sign of a custom Birkin.

Horseshoe stamp Hermès price

A horseshoe stamp does not have a fixed price. Hermès charges roughly the same boutique price for a special order as for a regular Birkin or Kelly in the same leather. The bigger cost shows up on the resale market. Rare colour pairings, verso linings and exotic skins can push a stamp custom Birkin well above a standard bag. The stamp alone does not guarantee a premium. The colours, condition and full set matter too.

Shop horseshoe stamp bags

Every bag in our Hermès special order collection is a genuine horseshoe stamp piece. See the special order colors 2026 chart, or learn how to get a Hermès special order. We serve New York City clients and ship worldwide.