$19.08est. delivered
The lowest ask at $19 delivered, titled 70s mudwash, distressed and faded. There's no size in the title, so get the waist and inseam before you buy.
Vintage 70s Lee Riders Mudwash distressed faded straight leg blue jeans
Lee · 101 · 1924–present (Cowboy pants until the mid-1940s, then Riders)
Lee 101 Riders
Lee made its first jeans for ranch hands in 1924 and called them Cowboy Pants. A year later they got the lot number 101. Lee was using the Riders name by the mid-1930s, and its Japanese licensee dates the full switch from Cowboy to Riders to 1946. The 101 set itself apart from a Levi's 501 with a lazy-S stitch on the back pockets from 1944, X-shaped bar tacks where Levi's put rivets, and a small tab on the right back pocket. Lee offered a zip fly from the late 1920s, and the zip 101-Z became the Lee most people know, worn by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. VF Corporation bought Lee in 1969, and by then the roomier 200 was taking over as the everyday Riders cut. For the real vintage look, hunt a 1950s or 60s pair with a black waistband tag and a selvedge outseam.
101-Z zip fly101B button fly200, a roomier cut from the late 1960s
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Lee
- Model
- 101
- Family
- Cowboy and Riders jeans
- Garment
- Jeans
- Cut
- Straight leg
- Years made
- 1924–present (Cowboy pants until the mid-1940s, then Riders)
- Decade
- 1960s
- Made in
- USA through the vintage years, later overseas
- Fabric
- 13¾ oz left-hand twill denim from the mid-1940s
- Good for
- Dressing a decade
- Nickname
- Lee Riders
- Typical eBay ask (Oct 11, 2026)
- $35–$70
Date it from the photos
Reading a 101 listing
- Waistband tag
- Look at the woven tag inside the back of the waistband. A red tag points to the 1940s or early 1950s, a black tag in the center to the early 1950s, and a black tag moved off to one side to the 1960s and early 70s.
- Patch and tab marks
- Check the leather patch and the little tab on the right back pocket for ® and M.R. Neither mark points to the 1950s, ® alone to the 1960s, and ® with M.R. to the late 1960s and later.
- Back-pocket stitch
- A lazy S on the back pockets means 1944 or later. Earlier Lees used a gentler wave, and some wartime pairs have no pocket stitching at all.
- Selvedge
- Look inside the outseam. Mid-1940s pairs show selvedge on both edges, 1950s and 60s pairs usually on one edge with the other overlocked, and by the early 1970s there's none.
- Union Made tag
- Union Made in U.S.A. on the tag fits the early 1970s. Heddels dates Lee labels that just say Made in U.S.A. to after about 1975.
- Leather patch
- A patch with the hair still on the hide belongs to a pair from 1936 to the early 1940s. Later patches are smooth leather.
Reissues and repros
Lee has reissued the 101 for decades. The premium Lee 101 line uses Japanese and Italian selvedge, and Lee Japan's The Archives series (started in 1998 as Real Vintage) copies old tags and patches closely. Made in Japan or a modern care label means a reissue.
If you’ll wear it
A 1970s or 80s USA-made pair gives you the Lee cut and left-hand-twill fades without collector baggage. Measure it like any other used jean.
If you’ll collect it
Collectors want 1950s and 60s pairs with black tags, Gripper zippers and selvedge outseams, or anything with a hair-on-hide patch.
Size it by measurement
Go by measurements, not the tag. Lee denim was Sanforized (preshrunk) from early on, so a vintage pair shouldn't shrink much more, but decades of washing and re-hemming move it away from the tag. 1950s pairs are a fairly wide straight leg, and even an early-70s 101 looks roomier than a Big E 501 from the same years. Ask for the waist flat and doubled, the inseam, the front rise and the leg opening.
New to measuring old denim? Our measuring guide shows where to put the tape.
What to check
Measurements first, then the details
Pairs that saw work have worn hems, frayed back-pocket corners and crotch wear. Darned crotches and re-hemmed legs are fine to wear, but a re-hem loses the original chain-stitched hem collectors look for.
- 01Waist: Ask for the waist measured flat across the top of the waistband, then double it. Don't expect it to match the tag.
- 02Inseam: Ask for the inseam from the crotch seam to the hem. Check in the photos whether the hem is the original chain stitch or a later re-hem.
- 03Rise: Ask for the front rise from the crotch seam to the top of the waistband. Compare it with a pair you already wear.
- 04Leg opening: Ask for the leg opening measured flat at the hem. A 1950s or 60s pair should be a fairly wide straight leg.
- 05Waistband tag: Zoom in on the tag inside the back waistband in the photos. A red or black woven tag points to the 1940s to 60s.
- 06Patch and tab: Look for ® and M.R. on the leather patch and back-pocket tab. Neither means 1950s, both means late 1960s or later.
- 07Condition: Ask for photos of the crotch, knees and back-pocket corners. Small darns are fine, open blowouts need a repair.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
§ Oct 11, 2026For Lee Riders to wear, we'd take the USA pair titled tag 36x32, actual 34x30.5, with a Talon 42 zipper at $61 delivered. There are at least 201 for sale and most ask $35–70 delivered, so a USA-made pair with stated measurements shouldn't cost more than that. Get the waist measured flat and doubled, the inseam, the front rise and the leg opening from the photos or the seller, since decades of washing and re-hemming move a pair off its tag. For the era, read the tags. Union Made in U.S.A. fits the early 1970s, plain Made in U.S.A. means after about 1975, and a black waistband tag off to one side points to the 1960s and early 70s. eBay's cards don't show seller feedback for these, so check it on the item page, and skip the $492 pair titled 60s, which asks about nine times the median.
- Listed now
- 201
- For parts
- 0
- Typical ask
- $35–$70
- Full range
- $12–$477
Cheapest 
Best value $60.98est. delivered
Titled tag 36x32 but actual 34x30.5, USA made with a Talon 42 zipper, at $61 delivered. A measured pair inside the band is the safest way to get the fit right.
VTG Lee Riders Jeans Mens 36x32 Actual 34x30.5 USA Talon 42 Zipper Straight Leg
Best for beginners $53.83est. delivered
Titled 29x30 on the tag but fits 27x29, Union Made in USA, at $54 delivered. A stated fit size takes the guesswork out of a first pair, and the Union Made tag fits the early 1970s.
Vintage Lee Riders Jeans Men’s 29x30 (Fits 27x29) Denim Pants Union Made In USA
Collector's pick $65.98est. delivered
Titled 1970s and Union Made USA, two claims that agree, since the Union Made tag fits the early 70s. At $66 delivered it's inside the band, so ask for the waistband tag, the patch and the measurements.
Vintage 1970s Lee Riders Jeans Mens Union Made USA
View on eBay ↗: Vintage 1970s Lee Riders Jeans Mens Union Made USA$65.98 est. delivered
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
For sale on eBay
8 of 201 listedChecked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
- Used
- Cheapest
Vintage 70s Lee Riders Mudwash distressed faded straight leg blue jeans
$19.08est. delivered
$11.99 + $7.09 shipping
Buy It Now$11.99
Good buy
Titled 70s, mudwash, distressed. No size given.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
- Used
- Best value
VTG Lee Riders Jeans Mens 36x32 Actual 34x30.5 USA Talon 42 Zipper Straight Leg
$60.98est. delivered
$49.99 + $10.99 shipping
Buy It Now$49.99
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Tag 36x32, actual 34x30.5. Talon 42 zipper.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
- Used
- Best for beginners
Vintage Lee Riders Jeans Men’s 29x30 (Fits 27x29) Denim Pants Union Made In USA
$53.83est. delivered
$44.84 + $8.99 shipping
Buy It Now$44.84
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Tagged 29x30, fits 27x29. Union Made USA.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
- Used
- Collector's pick
Vintage 1970s Lee Riders Jeans Mens Union Made USA
$65.98est. delivered
$59.95 + $6.03 shipping
Buy It Now$59.95
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled 1970s, Union Made USA. No size given.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
UsedVintage Lee Riders Mens Jeans 30X32 Medium Wash Straight Leg Denim Union Made
$35.00delivered
$35.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$35.00
Our take
Tagged 30x32, Union Made. Free shipping.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
UsedVintage 80s Lee 200 Riders Jeans Made in USA Distressed Faded 36x30
$52.70est. delivered
$43.20 + $9.50 shipping
Buy It Now$43.20
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled 80s Lee 200, the roomier cut. 36x30, distressed.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
UsedVtg Lee Riders Jeans Mens 32x31" Blue Denim Straight Leg Union Made USA Fade 80s
$55.49est. delivered
$43.79 + $11.70 shipping
Buy It Now$43.79
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled 32x31, 80s, Union Made USA.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used- Priced high
Vintage 60s Lee Riders Dark Wash Sanforized Union Made Denim Jeans Size 30
$491.84est. delivered
$476.99 + $14.85 shipping
Buy It Now$476.99
Priced high
Titled 60s, but Union Made tags fit the early 70s. About nine times the median ask.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 11, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchRelated models
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