Canon date code

So I have a new Canon 70-200 and it doesn't have the date code.
Is this true for the entire Canon lens line?
Did the stop the letter date code because the ran out of letters?
Its so usefully to help identify the age of a lens I hate to see it go.

The date codes seem absent from the new mark III TC's as well. I suspect Canon is getting rid of date codes. They might have a new form that we are unaware of.

If they replace the lens mount you also lose the date code. I know you said "new" but...

themadman wrote in post #11852094
The date codes seem absent from the new mark III TC's as well. I suspect Canon is getting rid of date codes. They might have a new form that we are unaware of.

I wonder if they're trying to undermine the used market by casting doubt on the age of things? Who knows..

It's not because of running out of letters...they get recycled every 26 years...and I doubt it has anything to do with a looming mount replacement, as far as I know they started doing lens codes back in the FD days and carried them over to the EFs.

I wonder if it's just Canon's megalomaniac attitude that only they can know the truth...kind of like they did away with the ability of users to check shutter count on the newer 1D series cameras and stuff.