Contax 50/1.4 serial number

My own 50/1.4 MM has a high serial like that. I was aware of 9xxxxxx and 101xxxxx serials and waited for one as higher generally means newer, so more likely to be less used. They do crop up reasonably often as a few came up before one hit my budget.

It is interesting to know that 8-digit 50mm f1.4 MM lenses are cropping up reasonably often; I was unaware of that.

If there are quite a lot out there, it suggest that the replacement bezel idea is probably wrong. Unfortunately, Zeiss' numbering system is much less transparent than Yashica's as the latter ascribed specific groups of numbers to specific lenses (until we hit very late production by Cosina). With a few notable exceptions (such as the Anniversary lenses and the big Mirotars) Zeiss appear to have used a simple additive system which is why groups of similar, even sequential, serial numbers can be ascribed to completely different lenses.

The appearance of these very high numbered Planars would suggest that there had been a hiatus in their production and then later a rush to clear the remaining stock which would have resulted in what would seem to be most unusual numbers for these lenses.  But I'm afraid that's mere speculation.