It is clear that radiocarbon researchers take a forward view towards the improvement of accuracy and precision in dating. Unfortunately, archaeologists base much of their research on the published dates produced in the past. Archaeologists and other users of radiocarbon dates should understand the limitations associated with past dates. This article addresses these limitations by looking at a large number of routine radiocarbon dates associated with a block of English tree-ring chronologies, the true ages of which are now known within close limits. The conclusion supports the idea of global multiplication factors as proposed by the International Study Group (1982).