diff --git a/examples/pickleversion.py b/examples/pickleversion.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f42f108
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/pickleversion.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import pickletools
+
+def protocol_version(file_object):
+    maxproto = -1
+    for opcode, arg, pos in pickletools.genops(file_object):
+        maxproto = max(maxproto, opcode.proto)
+    return maxproto
+