KOH-I-NOOR 1500: The Yellow Pencil in 20 Grades

Yellow hexagonal KOH-I-NOOR 1500 graphite pencil with a rounded end and a sharpened cedar point, drawn to scale at 175 mm (6.9 in) long; inset: the 7 mm hexagon with its graphite core — The KOH-I-NOOR 1500 at 175 mm, drawn to scale.

Product facts

Product: KOH-I-NOOR 1500 graphite pencil (8B–10H)
Brand: KOH-I-NOOR
Brand origin: Czech Republic
Made in: Czech Republic^*
Material: Cedar wood, yellow lacquer, graphite-and-clay core
Released: 1888^*
Price range: $under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)

Notes on these facts

Made by KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH a.s. (České Budějovice). Made in Czech Republic: Koh-i-noor's Czech e-shop marks the 1500 "Vyrobeno v ČR" (made in the Czech Republic) and describes it as Czech-made. The company has made pencils in České Budějovice since 1848, per its history page. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Koh-i-noor's Czech history page and its blog both give 1888. We found no maker source for 1889 or for the claim that it was the first yellow pencil.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).

Key takeaways

Koh-i-noor's Czech history page dates the 1500 to 1888, launched in 17 grades; its e-shop lists 20 today, from 8B to 10H.
Koh-i-noor's e-shop gives a 7 mm diameter; Russian retailer Detmir lists 175 mm (6.9 in) long and a 2 to 2.5 mm core, depending on grade.
On Koh-i-noor's Czech e-shop a single 1500 costs CZK 14 (about US$0.60) in every grade (October 21, 2026).
In the US, Koh-I-Noor USA (Chartpak) doesn't list the 1500; specialist shops import it, in our $ band (under $5).
Koh-i-noor's e-shop marks the 1500 "Vyrobeno v ČR", made in the Czech Republic.

What is the KOH-I-NOOR 1500?

The KOH-I-NOOR 1500 is a yellow, hexagonal graphite pencil in a cedar case, sold one grade at a time for drawing, drafting and writing. It is made by KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH, the Czech company Joseph Hardtmuth founded in Vienna in 1790 and his son Carl moved to České Budějovice in 1848, per the company’s history.

The English catalogue calls it a “traditional yellow hexagonal graphite pencil” whose lead comes in 20 hardness classes, for “technicians, graphic designers, and artists”.

KOH-I-NOOR 1500 specs

Spec	Value
Maker	KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH a.s., České Budějovice
Grades	20: 8B to 2B, B, HB, F, H to 10H
Length	175 mm (6.9 in) (Detmir)
Diameter	7 mm, hexagonal (Koh-i-noor)
Core	2 to 2.5 mm, by grade (Detmir)
Case	Cedar, yellow lacquer
Eraser	None
Czech price	CZK 14 (about US$0.60) each
Made in	Czech Republic

The grades, diameter, price and origin come from Koh-i-noor’s Czech e-shop. Koh-i-noor doesn’t publish a length or core size in the pages we read, so those come from Russian retailer Detmir.

When did the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 come out?

Koh-i-noor’s Czech history page dates the 1500 to 1888, when Franz Hardtmuth began making it in 17 grades. The company blog says he priced it at almost three times its rivals and named it after the Koh-i-noor diamond.

The 1500 did well enough that the company added “KOH-I-NOOR” to its own name in 1894, and the pencil won a Grand Prix in Paris in 1900, per the same page. Before World War I, the company says it was the largest pencil factory in the world.

You may read that the 1500 was the first yellow pencil, from 1889. Koh-i-noor’s own pages don’t say that: they call it the “iconic yellow” pencil and date it to 1888.

What grades does the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 come in?

Koh-i-noor’s e-shop lists 20 grades, from the soft, dark 8B to the hard, pale 10H. The company credits Franz Hardtmuth with the letters themselves: H for Hardtmuth, B for Budweis (České Budějovice in German) and F for Franz.

The 20 KOH-I-NOOR 1500 grades from 8B to 10H as swatches from dark to light, grouped into 7 soft B grades, B, HB and F, and 10 hard H grades — The 20 grades on Koh-i-noor's e-shop. Swatch tones are illustrative.

Sketching and shading: 2B to 8B.
Writing: HB or B; HB is close to a US #2.
Drafting: 2H to 4H; the hardest grades leave a very light, fine line.

In tins, The Online Pen Company sells the 1502 sets of 12, for example 8B to 2H or HB to 10H.

How does the 1500 compare to other drawing pencils?

The 1500 has fewer grades than the Staedtler Mars Lumograph but more than the Faber-Castell 9000, and it is the same 175 mm length as the Lumograph.

	KOH-I-NOOR 1500	Staedtler Mars Lumograph	Faber-Castell 9000	Ticonderoga #2
Grades	20 (8B–10H)	24 (12B–10H)	16 (8B–6H)	HB only
Length	175 mm	175 mm	173 mm	190 mm
Eraser	No	No	No	Yes
Made in	Czech Republic	Germany	Germany	China

The 1500 stands out at the hard end: it reaches 10H, which suits technical drawing. If you mainly write and want an eraser, a #2 school pencil is the simpler choice.

Can you buy the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 in the US?

Yes, but mostly from importers: Koh-I-Noor USA, run by Chartpak, doesn’t list the 1500. In North America the Koh-I-Noor brand belongs to Chartpak of Massachusetts, which sells the Czech company’s Toison d’Or graphite pencils under its own part numbers. The 1500 itself reaches US buyers through shops such as The Online Pen Company, singly or in 1502 tins.

That split goes back to World War II, when, Chartpak says, Koh-i-noor’s US branch separated from the European company. Chartpak’s own best-known Koh-I-Noor product is the Rapidograph technical pen.

Where is the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 made?

Koh-i-noor’s e-shop marks the 1500 “Vyrobeno v ČR”, made in the Czech Republic. The company has been based in České Budějovice since 1848.

Frequently asked questions

How many grades does the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 come in?

Koh-i-noor's Czech e-shop lists 20: 8B to 2B, B, HB, F, and H to 10H. That is seven soft B grades, three middle grades and ten hard H grades.

When was the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 introduced?

In 1888, according to Koh-i-noor's own history page, which says Franz Hardtmuth launched it in 17 grades. The company took the KOH-I-NOOR name in 1894 after the pencil's success.

Was the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 the first yellow pencil?

Koh-i-noor calls it its iconic yellow pencil, but its history page and blog don't claim it was the first yellow pencil, and they date it to 1888, not 1889. We found no maker source for the first-yellow-pencil claim.

What do H, B and F stand for on a pencil?

Koh-i-noor's history page says the letters came from Hardtmuth (H), Budweis (B, the German name of České Budějovice) and Franz (F). In general use, H means hard and B means black.

Does the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 have an eraser?

No. It has a plain rounded end, like most drawing pencils, so you need a separate eraser.

How long is a KOH-I-NOOR 1500 pencil?

Retail listings give 175 mm (6.9 in), about 15 mm shorter than a 7.5 in US #2 pencil. Koh-i-noor's e-shop gives the diameter as 7 mm.

Can you buy the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 in the US?

Yes, from importers such as The Online Pen Company, singly or in tins of 12 (the 1502 sets). Koh-I-Noor USA, run by Chartpak, sells its Toison d'Or graphite pencils instead.

Where is the KOH-I-NOOR 1500 made?

In the Czech Republic. Koh-i-noor's e-shop marks it "Vyrobeno v ČR", and the company is based in České Budějovice.

Sources (10)

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