Serial number/date discrepancy

[Mwyates]

I recently bought a used Collings from the late’90’s. The label is dated, as many were then, but the serial number is from two years earlier. Have you ever seen this much discrepancy, and what might have caused it?
I don’t want to give specifics at this time, until this is sorted out.

Thanks.

[Flakyfoont]

Weed?

[Mwyates]

Well, I have answered my own question. I called Collings and the date and number are correct. They said most likely the guitar, an SJ, was started in '96' but kept getting pushed back to complete more popular models.
It was shipped April 1998. Serial number indicates early 1996.