A method of marking and authenticating a manufactured item, comprising providing the manufactured item with a visible anti-counterfeiting indicium, marking with marking means the manufactured item with a visible alphanumeric string, marking with marking means the manufactured item with visible marking time data, and transmitting with data transmission and control means marking time data marked on the manufactured item and the alphanumeric string marked on the manufactured item. The method further comprises with computer database control means, receiving the transmitted marking time data and the transmitted alphanumeric string and storing in association in a database marking time information corresponding with the received marking time data marked on the manufactured item and alphanumeric information corresponding with the received alphanumeric string marked on the manufactured item. The method further comprises checking authenticity of the anti-counterfeiting indicium provided on the manufactured item, interrogating the database with the alphanumeric string read from the manufactured item to obtain marking time information for the manufactured item, and comparing the marking time information with marking time data read from the manufactured item to determine if they match. The method comprises determining the manufactured item as authentic if criteria are met, the criteria including that the checking step reveals an authentic anti-counterfeiting indicium and the comparing step determines a match.