Making sense of serial numbers

[jimw1960]

Hi all: I'm looking at an old monarch bicycle. It has serial # A 1005701. Can anyone tell me how to figure out the year from the serial number? Is there anything else you can tell from this number? Is there a system to reading these numbers that would help me in the future?
Any help is appreciated.

 

[Markm]

Ive never had much luck with Monarch numbers...

 

[Rustinkerer]

There is a method to their madness.. I believe there's a chart in the book "Introduction to Collecting The classics", published by NBJ(Newsletter By John) They also have a history of Monark book. They show up on ebay sometimes. I don't know where my copies are-a lot of our stuff is still packed up from moving.. UPDATE! I found that book last night, and that # corresponds to 1952.. But there's no metion of letters there, so without a pic, can't be sure.~Adam