How to Find & Read Your GW Sprue Code
Every Games Workshop plastic kit has an 11-digit product code molded directly into the sprue frame. This guide shows you how to find it, read it, and use SprueFinder to identify any mystery sprue.
What Is a Sprue Code?
When Games Workshop manufactures a plastic kit, they mold an 11-digit product code into the frame of every sprue. This code is unique to each sprue in the kit — a box with three sprues will have three different codes. The code is molded directly into the plastic, not printed on a label, so it never wears off or falls away.
These codes are incredibly useful for identifying mystery sprues from bulk lots, bitz boxes, second-hand purchases, and charity shop finds. SprueFinder is a community database that maps these codes to their kits.
Step-by-Step: Finding the Code
Step 1
Look at the Edge of the Sprue Frame
The code is molded into the outer border of the sprue frame — the rectangular plastic border that surrounds all the parts. Run your finger along the thin edge and look for raised or recessed numbers. It is not on the parts themselves, only on the frame border.
Step 2
Find the 11-Digit Number Starting With 99
Every modern GW plastic sprue code starts with 99 followed by 9 more digits. The full code looks like: 99380101025. It is usually accompanied by a copyright notice — look for "© Games Workshop Limited" nearby.
Step 3
Use Good Lighting and a Close Look
The digits are small — typically 2-3mm tall — and molded into the plastic rather than printed. Tilt the sprue under a lamp so the light catches the raised digits at an angle. A phone camera zoomed in close works well. Older or heavily used sprues may have worn digits.
Step 4
Enter the Code at SprueFinder
Type the full 11-digit code into the search box on the SprueFinder homepage. If it is in our database you will instantly see the kit name, faction, and game system. If it is not yet in the database, you can be the first to submit it.
What Does a Sprue Code Look Like?
GW sprue codes follow a consistent pattern. Here is what each section means:
Example code breakdown — 99380101025
GW codes follow an internal structure that encodes information about the kit and its production run. SprueFinder uses this structure to help narrow down what a code might belong to — even codes not yet in our database. The community is actively researching and documenting how this system works.
✓ Most modern GW plastic kit codes start with 99 and are exactly 11 digits long. However terrain, scenery, and some specialty products may use different prefixes such as 15 or 35. If your code doesn't start with 99 but is exactly 11 digits, submit it anyway — SprueFinder accepts all 11-digit codes and the community will help identify it.
Which Games Use This Code System?
The 11-digit code system is used across all modern Games Workshop plastic kits:
Warhammer 40,000All factions, all eras
Age of SigmarAll editions
Horus HeresyLegiones Astartes
Kill TeamAll warbands
NecromundaAll gangs
Blood BowlAll teams
WarcryAll warbands
The Old WorldNew plastic kits
Adeptus TitanicusEpic scale
Warhammer QuestBoxed games
⚠ Older metal and resin kits do not use this system. Forge World resin kits may have different code formats. Push-fit starter set sprues may share codes with their retail equivalents or use unique codes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I found the code but it's not in SprueFinder. What do I do?
Submit it! Click "Submit a Code" and enter the code along with the kit name. Your submission goes to our review queue and once confirmed it helps every other hobbyist who encounters the same sprue. You'll appear on the leaderboard for your contribution.
My sprue has multiple codes — which one do I use?
Each sprue in a kit has its own unique code. A 10-man infantry box might have 2-3 sprues, each with a different code. Submit all of them — a complete kit submission is the most valuable contribution you can make to the database.
The digits are worn and I can't read them all. Can I still search?
Try the SprueFinder photo tool — take a close-up photo of the sprue edge and our AI will attempt to read the code for you. Good lighting at an angle to the sprue surface gives the best results.
I have a huge mystery lot of sprues. Where do I start?
Start with the largest sprues — vehicle and monster kits tend to have codes in more prominent locations. Sort by the first 4 digits to group sprues from the same era and game system together before identifying individual kits.
Does SprueFinder cover Forge World and specialist games?
Yes — we cover Necromunda, Adeptus Titanicus, Blood Bowl, Warcry, Kill Team, and more. Forge World resin kits use a different code system and are not fully supported yet, but we are working on it.
What sprue is this? I have no idea what kit it belongs to.
That is exactly what SprueFinder is for. Find the 11-digit code on the sprue frame edge, enter it in the search box on the homepage, and we will tell you the kit name, faction, and game system. If it is not in our database yet, submit it and the community will help identify it.
I bought a bulk lot and have no idea what any of these sprues are.
Start by finding the 11-digit codes on each sprue frame. Every sprue in a modern GW plastic kit has one. Enter each code into SprueFinder one at a time. Codes starting with 9938 are typically infantry and character kits. Codes starting with 9939 are usually vehicles, monsters, and large kits. Sort your sprues into piles by the first four digits to group similar types together before looking them up.
What if my sprue doesn't have a code?
Some GW sprues do not carry the standard 11-digit code — this includes certain older kits, push-fit starter set exclusives, and some specialist game components. We are actively researching alternative identification methods for codeless sprues. If you have one, head to the Submit page and leave a description in the notes field — the community may be able to help identify it from the parts visible on the sprue.
How do I identify a Warhammer sprue from a photo?
SprueFinder has a photo identification tool at
spruefinder.com/photo.html. Take a close-up photo of the sprue edge where the code is printed and our AI will attempt to read the code automatically. For best results use good lighting and photograph the thin edge of the frame where the code is molded.
Can I identify a sprue without the code?
Sometimes. If you can identify the parts on the sprue — a distinctive weapon, unique component, or recognizable model — you may be able to narrow it down by searching the kit name on SprueFinder. The community is also working on visual identification guides. However the code is by far the most reliable method.
What does the number on my Warhammer sprue mean?
The 11-digit number molded into your sprue frame is a Games Workshop internal product code that uniquely identifies that sprue. GW uses these codes in their manufacturing and logistics systems. SprueFinder has decoded enough of the pattern to use it for kit identification — enter your code on the homepage to find out what kit it belongs to.
What is SprueFinder and who runs it?
SprueFinder is a community-built database of Games Workshop sprue product codes. It was created by hobbyists who got tired of mystery sprues in bulk lots and wanted a reliable way to identify them. The database grows with every submission from the community. We are not affiliated with Games Workshop.
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