Marcus- One would think that any and all stickers that come applied from a factory would still be on a bike when sold... Well one would be wrong. Especially when the "waters" are murky and there's a value attached to some stickers that others lack.
I've worked the LBS business for 35 years and decals, stickers, tags as well as reflectors get removed all the time for different reasons. Sometimes for display, other times for lack of ability to work (spoke guards and reflectors) and often for test rides (the front Q/R lever warning tag). For at least one year a Raleigh dealer I worked for removed the lower head tube "made in..." sticker on every bike he could. He claimed the smaller and less noticed "made in...", in another decal, was enough.
Again there are general build style, finish style differences between the English and Japanese Raleighs. I don't remember but I believe the serial number sequence was also different. I can remember searching for the serial number on old Raleighs. never knowing where it might be, let alone what it might consist of. The Asian built Raleighs were much more consistent in all manors. Better or worse is another discussion.
>I am not trying to be a smart-aleck, but I would expect that a Japanese
> Raleigh would have a "Made in Japan" sticker. My 1981 Raleigh Gran Sport
> (gas pipe tubing, far different from a Grand Sport) has one. Also the
> heron headbadge only says "The Raleigh" It does not say Nottingham or
> England.
>
> Not a Raleigh expert by any means,
> Marcus Helman
> Detroit, MI
>
Andrew R Stewart
Rochester, NY