I have a Graflex Crown Graphic Special (is that what it's actually called? I've never seen one on any of the lists I've looked at) with a serial number of 970001 and a date code of E3A. This is May of 1963, correct? Does the serial number mean it was the second one made in that month? I also have a Schneider lens with a code of 6897093--is there a more accurate date than '59-'61 for this?

Schneider's list says that 6,000,000 was made in May, '59 and 7,000,000 in February, '61. That's 1,000,000 lenses in roughly 20 months. Do the arithmetic yourself.

Schneider's date list is at http://www.schneideroptics.com/ . Hover the cursor over info, click on age of lenses.

I see you've been doing your homework. It is indeed May 1963 and is 64% of the way through a batch of 2500 to be built starting 9/62. Graflex assigned numbers then built the cameras according to demand, no relevance to date manufactured other than the date code. It might have taken them anywhere from a few months to a few years to produce a batch of cameras.