1998 SP Bachillares

[Ophidion]

I hate to have to post here but I just made a purchase (its shipping today) and while it looks ok to me save for a few things like angle of stamps, I just wanted to see what everyone else thinks.

I paid Paypal (not with gift option) so I can totally get my money back if need be so I'm not super concerned but my experience buying aged cigars pre 2000 is limited to singles and 5ers.

I had a pic of the chevron and warranty seal and they both look exactly the same as they do on Trevor's site but I can't seem to find it.

[Ophidion]

I haven't bought any pre 2000 boxes prior to this one so while I felt confident after doing some research, I just like to get some validation from others.

I can't honestly see anyone counterfeiting such a niche brand but stranger things have happened. The price wasn't too good to be true it was reasonable so like I said before, I feel confident in my purchase.

[Ophidion]

Ill be able to take real pictures in natural light once they arrive.

[mk05]

Smoke them. There's hundreds of those exact boxes still available.

[Ophidion]

Smoked one yesterday. Very enjoyable (will review when I get some free time) b

[dangolf18]

They are from 06/'99. However, I don't recognize CFGOS. Cienfuegos is either CFG or CFGS (Cienfuegos-Quintero y Hno). This is suspicious. However, I don't think anybody would go out of their way to fake SP.

[Ophidion]

Smoked just fine. Shlo, the paper you were talking about was very yellowed. Like I said, his pictures were bad.

[mk05]

They are from 06/'99. However, I don't recognize CFGOS. Cienfuegos is either CFG or CFGS (Cienfuegos-Quintero y Hno). This is suspicious.

What? Is that a fact? Or are you just going by all you know? Please remember that misinformation is the same as wrong information.

It's 06/98 as Shlomo commented earlier, and Cienfuegos had plenty of typing sets. G's replaced by 6's, O with 0. I guess all my OSSU CFGOS are fake by your standards.

[brazoseagle]

Look delicious to me, glad they smoked well. To go to the extent to fake SP's, you would have to be the most deranged, illogical, OCD counterfeiter in the game I would imagine.

[Ophidion]

My kind of guy

Here is the pictures I took with my camera (phone) in "ok" light:

They feel like nubuck suede

[Diamondog]

I'm no expert, but it all seems fine to me. Only thing I would be kinda wary about is the fact that the white strip of paper on top of the cigars has not yellowed at all. Every pre-2000 box I have seen has had that strip yellow at least a bit.

Could be your monitor how its being displayed, its yellowed somewhat on my display...

[cigcars]

I thought the "piece" of white strip in the box laying across the top row of cigars was an indication of fakes...? No?

[mk05]

april came early

[Trent0341]

I thought the "piece" of white strip in the box laying across the top row of cigars was an indication of fakes...? No?

I'd be curious to hear more about this. I believe I have a box or two with that strip.

Could be your monitor how its being displayed, its yellowed somewhat on my display...

I'm assuming it's the lighting as the strip looks white as can be on my computer but in the picture he took and posted the bofeton looks to be somewhat yellowed.

[dangolf18]

What? Is that a fact? Or are you just going by all you know? Please remember that misinformation is the same as wrong information.

It's 06/98 as Shlomo commented earlier, and Cienfuegos had plenty of typing sets. G's replaced by 6's, O with 0. I guess all my OSSU CFGOS are fake by your standards.

Well sorry. I use a guide given to me by a reputable dealer, so I was basing it off of that. Don't see a reason to be so defensive.

[dangolf18]

This is what I have

DATE CODES 1985-1998 N I V E L A C U S O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 FACTORY CODES HAVANA FACTORIES BM - BRIONES MONTOTO (ROMEO Y JULIETA) CB - CARLOS BALINO (EL REY DE MUNDO) EH/EI - HABANERO EL/EI - LAGUITO (COHIBA) FL/PL/PO - (POR LARRANAGA) FPG - FRANCISCO PEREZ GERMAN (PARTAGAS) FR - MIGUEL FERNANDEZ ROIG (LA CORONA) HM - HEROES DE MONCADA (JOSE PIEDRA) JM - JOSE MARTI (H.UPMANN) PROVICIAL FACTORIES CFG - CIENFUEGOS CFGS - CIENFUEGOS - QUINTERO Y HNO. FD/PR - FRANCISCO DONANTIEN SLR - LAS MAMBISAS SS - SANCTI SPIRITUS TTH - HOLGUIN VC - VILLA CALRA VSC - VILLA SANTA CLARA

[mk05]

I'd be curious to hear more about this. I believe I have a box or two with that strip.

I guess the april fools joke didn't register. The answer is no. Unless you think most dress box with wax paper inserts are fake.

Well sorry. I use a guide given to me by a reputable dealer, so I was basing it off of that. Don't see a reason to be so defensive.

I have shortened this since you've read my reply. I'm more concerned about the spread of misinformation. Less is more when broaching subject matters where one is inexperienced. Long story short, you gave a wrong box code then claimed questionable provenance based on your experience. Had no one corrected you, the owner of the box may have thought this to be of questionable origin.

[winelover]

Look delicious to me, glad they smoked well. To go to the extent to fake SP's, you would have to be the most deranged, illogical, OCD counterfeiter in the game I would imagine.

Exactly, as soon as I saw the title of the thread I thought here we go again...!

[CaptainQuintero]

Box codes are only part of the process of identification, sometimes they are totally messed up so you have to go onto other signs. eg look at the code from a box of partagas charlottes I had:

look at that for a doozie!

[frenchkiwi]

The only way to solve this issue is to rely on the collective wisdom of the forum.

Send a handful of these delicious Bachilleres to each post-er on this thread. We will sample and advise. And then request your source so we can get ourselves another box.

[mk05]

Box codes are only part of the process of identification, sometimes they are totally messed up so you have to go onto other signs. eg look at the code from a box of partagas charlottes I had...

03/99 Villa Clara (Camajuani)

[CanuckSARTech]

I thought the "piece" of white strip in the box laying across the top row of cigars was an indication of fakes...? No?

No. Generally, there's a strip of wax/parchment paper across the bands to "protect" them from the upper paper flap / lid of a dress box. It's more commonly found on the shinier gold/copper-embossed bands. They used to use an actual gold-leaf embossing years back, but now they use a copper-based paint/ink for the band embossing. With the high humidity/moisture levels, and the slight friction from the papleta flap and/or lid, this finish sometimes greens up and/or rubs off.

The wax/parchment paper strips help protect against this. But it is also commonly used on standard (non-gold-embossed) bands, such as especially in Montecristo boxes, to just help the bands to stay and look nice.