Fwiw
My '69 Professional has an "E" number as well. Perhaps model year and calendar year didn't correspond? It's all just speculation at this point unless someone who really knows can weigh in.
Best regards (and really nice bike Jerry),
John Barry
Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
>I checked the serial number on the newly acquired 1969 Pro at the
>suggestion of a curious CR member. It is E4944, which according to Retro
>Raleighs indicates that the frame was built in 1970, not 1969. The 1970
>catalog shows the Professional MkII, a much different frame from the
>(original?) Professional of 1969, the MKII having the color schemes we are
>faimiliar with in the early/mid 70's. But my serial number would indicate
>that the predominantly white, no chrome, original Professional was still
>being built in 1970, at least for part of the year.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, TX
I've seen about an equal number of "69" model white Pros with "D" and "E" serials. There are some minor differences along the way. All the "1970" Mark II Limited Edition Raleigh Pros I've seen had serial numbers starting with "F", which would officially be 1971, but my 1971 Mark IV brown Pro is also an "F", with a much higher number. That's why we can't take anything too seriously here in Raleigh-World.
Larry "taking nothing very seriously today" Osborn Bruceton Mills WV