Epiphone stamps a serial number on each guitar, which after decryption can tell you where and when it was built. Locate the serial number on the headstock of the guitar. With Semi-Hollow models on the label inside the top f-hole and with acoustic guitars on the label inside the sound hole.

Are Epiphones better than Gibsons?

If you picked up a US-made Gibson and compared it to an Epiphone then you would probably notice a difference. The quality, setup and finish on a Gibson will almost always be superior. However, todays mass-produced guitars are far better than those made a few decades ago.