For anyone stumbling across this thread in the future, this thread linked below is a good reference, but alas the first post hasn't been updated in some time to reflect some of the made-in-China markings and date codes though a lot of that info is buried in the 300+ comments.
Craftsman Hand Tool Manufacturers & Date Ranges
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84807
As far as the OP's goes the first reply from FordTruckWench has it spot on (fyi: as far as current date codes go Y is 1999, Z is 2010, AA is 2011, AB is 2012, and so on - so the OP's AF and AG are 2016 and 2017)
For what it's worth, I think that the new Chinese craftsman sockets are the best they've ever sold.
I wouldn't go that far but there sure aren't any major differences between them regardless of COO.
I have full ~300pc sets of 1/4"-3/8"-1/2"dr Craftsman sockets both made in USA and made in China. I also have 18pc USA metric and 20pc SAE sets of 3/4"dr Craftsman sockets. Either way they are decent sockets. They both have a good finish, same inside tolerances, and do the job just the same.
China-made Craftsman sockets are equally on par with other brands like GearWrench (no surprise there since they are both made by APEX) or Tekton or Sunex or Stanley/Dewalt/Craftsman(taiwan) but can be had for much less $ than any of those. They're the best bang for the buck sockets out today IMHO and at less than $1 per socket for many sets (esp after 'Shop Your Way' discounts) no one else of comparable quality even comes close in price.
For example about a year ago after SYW discounts I paid less than $250 delivered for the 299pc set (every size 1/4"-3/8"-1/2"dr chrome socket Sears' Craftsman currently makes) and on top of that got ~$50-60 back in freecash for the purchase.
Also, China-made Craftsman deep sockets are still actually deep, unlike many other brands (like Stanley/Dewalt/Craftsman(taiwan)) that are more of a mid-length socket instead. Sears' Craftsman deep vs Stanley Craftsman deep:
Also, for the past few years we've been beating the **** out of sets of China-made Craftsman impact sockets with an IR-2235Ti and Dewalt-DCF899 and I can say they have held up much better than even my Matco ADV set has. I would say that they are every bit as good if not better than the USA made Craftsman impact sockets I have used for decades now. I have nothing but great things to say about China-made Craftsman impact sockets. They must be made from the most primo Chinesium available.
Some differences I have noticed:
-In some instances there are minor differences in the outer diameter between USA made and China-made of the same size but it's not consistent. Sometimes the USA-made Craftsman socket is a fraction of a mm thinner and sometimes it's not vs the same size China-made Craftsman socket.
-Some of the older USA-made deep sockets were fully broached and some weren't, but all of the China-made ones are not like most deep sockets of most brands these days. There's plusses and minuses to that either way.
Some of my Craftsman hand tools, much are made in USA and much are not:
