How to figure out production date according to the serial number

[francois_27]

I was wondering if anyone knows how to decode guitar serial number. According to the the information i found it's a Texan 5/196L 6-string model and the serial number is 47361. So i wonder what may be the year of production of this beauty.

[rain-air]

I originally meant to ignore this topic, so I – after training to become a technical writer – don't have to think too much about mysteries that will never be solved. But it is such a nice guitar to look at, with this rare white pickguard.
It has been stated at several places that those serial numbers mean nothing in terms of finding out production dates.
How's that? What are they there for anyway? (for internal documentation at the Werk, or rather for sales purposes & dealer's records?)
Think about building an acoustic guitar, maybe with f-holes, isn't it practical to glue in the label before closing the box? Where is it done, at the workbench. or in some central office?
It must have been several different stamps in use on different benches, and if there was paperwork produced alongside, it's gone and lost forever. If you're lucky, you'll find a (faded) 2 digits, one letter stamp (larger font) somewhere on the label, implying year and month. Otherwise, a Texan with black headstock could have been made between '67 and '73, I'd say. 1974, if the neck is solid wood (not multilaminate).