Old tubos about 40 years old (maybe)

[Circles]

I have a friend and got talking to his father. He told me he had stopped smoking about 40-50 years ago. Then he gave me these as a gift which have been sitting in a drawer at home. Some of them I don't recognise. The other Cubans are possibly the machine made ones?

I would like to give him something in return, what value would you place on these?

[Guest gorob23]

I'd say since this is obviously a very nice one of a kind gift. they're priceless.

 

Find out what he enjoys and be happy. 

 

just my .02 

 

Rob 

[Circles]

Indeed, he doesn't smoke or drink any more so I thought I would take him out for a steak. Any ideas on the cigars or their background?

[NSXCIGAR]

^^ Agree with above, but if you're really looking for an appraisal of sorts, there's s a lot of opportunity for storage conditions to drift to less-than-optimal over 40 years, so you just don't know how they'll smoke at this point. I'd value the Cubans the same as a recent production version, or $5-8 each as long as they appear to be in good condition. I'd really place no premium for age on them, especially as you're trying to return a favor/gift. 

As far as the NCs there, those would have been much cheaper at the time, and are probably not very good cigars. I'd say probably a buck or two apiece.

[Circles]

More than value I am really interested in finding out a little more about the cigars themselves. I know some of you have encyclopaedic knowledge and am merely curious. Also I wanted to share with the community what I think might be a rare find. I opened the Cubans and they are in immaculate condition. The Tampa ones are still factory sealed. For the rest I am slowly increasing the humidity and they seem to be doing fine.

[NSXCIGAR]

17 minutes ago, Circles said:

More than value I am really interested in finding out a little more about the cigars themselves. I know some of you have encyclopaedic knowledge and am merely curious. Also I wanted to share with the community what I think might be a rare find. I opened the Cubans and they are in immaculate condition. The Tampa ones are still factory sealed. For the rest I am slowly increasing the humidity and they seem to be doing fine.

I'd just do some Google research on the NCs--I know JR Freeman was a very famous British tobacco company involved with the purchase of J Frankau in the 1930s. Some info here: http://www.cigars.co.uk/trade-site/about-us/history/

Bering has been around for a long time, and I believe JR Cigars owns them now. You should be able to find quite a bit about the brand searching around.

The Cubans look like typical Romeo De Luxe No 1 or 2 but they could be Romeo No 1 or Romeo No 2. which were machine-made until 2002, at which time the De Luxes were cut. Both introduced Pre-Rev: https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/romeo-y-julieta

The Punch is a pre-2002 hand-made Coronations. This HM version was cut and the former machine-made version became hand made in 2002: https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/punch

[Circles]

Awesome info, many thanks! TBH I had done some searches before posting but found very limited info. I found Freeman's connection and also the factory had moved from London to Bristol I believe and I thought I read it was about to be demolished. Maybe not.

[Smallclub]

The Romeo and the Punch are machine made. They're probably good if they have been kept properly but I wouldn't smoke them and keep them as collection items/conversation pieces etc.

TMK, Falstaff and Bering were very common cigars, I don't think they have any special “value”…

[Circles]

I knew it, you all rock. So much knowledge on this forum and I am grateful for it.

No plans to smoke them, like you I, too, thought it would be great to keep them.

Edit: I have a spare empty Punch tubo as the one pictured for anyone that wants it on the forum.

[NSXCIGAR]

2 minutes ago, Smallclub said:

The Romeo and the Punch are machine made.

Don't the HM versions state "hand-made" on them IIRC? The CCW pics don't show the alternate versions between the RyJ DL and the Punch Coronation MM/HM. Also, not sure when the plastic cap was an option on the Coronations--I'm assuming this was a later feature, but the OP says the owner last smoked in the late 70s...

[Circles]

I had checked and can confirm neither had Hand Made written on them. The Punch has a plastic blue cap, the RyJ aluminium.

[Smallclub]

22 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Don't the HM versions state "hand-made" on them IIRC?

No. By chance I managed to find a bag full of tubos from the early 2000's (Partagas, RyJ, Punch) and can't find the mention.

[Circles]

2 more photos if it helps. This time with the cigars included.

[Philc2001]

Punch Coronation is still in production I believe, and the Romeo too (can't see in the picture but I'd guess No 2 or 3). I'd say they are hand made based on age. I don't think they got into MM until mid or late 70s. In tubes they probably kept better that non tubed, but the seals on aluminum tubes are not very good, so chances are the cigars are not smokable unless they were kept in a humidor at the right RH. But it is a wonderful gesture. I'd say a steak dinner at a decent restaurant is fair.

--- EDIT---
Based on photos you just added, they are No 2. Very nice. I'd let them sit in your humi for 3-6 months with caps off and then try one. Nothing to lose. However, just a fair warning these old habanos were a different breed, they will be rather bold I bet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Circles]

They absolutely are, I have recent ones at home. These ones might be as old as 50 years, he couldn't remember when he got them but he confirmed at least 40. He hasn't smoked for 55 years.

 

[NSXCIGAR]

1 hour ago, Smallclub said:

No. By chance I managed to find a bag full of tubos from the early 2000's (Partagas, RyJ, Punch) and can't find the mention.

Right. So the Romeo Nos. 1/2/3 would have been strictly MM and the Romeo Nos 1/2/3 de Luxe would have been strictly HM. But CCW doesn't show the de Luxe tubes with the word "De Luxe"--they look identical to the Romeo Nos 1/2/3, so it's likely only the box indicated "De Luxe" and/or "hand-made".

The Punch Coronations is the same, since both the MM and HM versions existed simultaneously with CCW apparently indicating that the MM version became the HM version after 2002 with the previously HM version being cut. The tube pictured on CCW for the HM that was cut doesn't say "hand-made". The question is, then, how would one differentiate between the MM or HM version prior to 2002? If not indicated on the tubes, it must have only been stated on the box, which we don't have here. 

So it appears there's no way to know whether the OP's cigars are the HM Romeo 1/2/3 de Luxe or the MM Romeo 1/2/3, nor is there any way to know whether the Punch Coronations is the HM or MM version. The tubes were identical and one would have to see the packaging. 

1 hour ago, Philc2001 said:

Punch Coronation is still in production I believe, and the Romeo too (can't see in the picture but I'd guess No 2 or 3). I'd say they are hand made based on age. I don't think they got into MM until mid or late 70s.

According to CCW the Romeo Nos. 1/2/3 were always MM post-Rev. The Romeo 1/2/3 de Luxe were always HM. In 2002, the HM de Luxe was cut and the MM Romeo 1/2/3 promoted to HM. An odd way to go about it, but that's the chronology. 

As I described above, the formerly MM Coronations are still in production, having been promoted to HM from MM in 2002. The original HM Coronations was cut. And if the tubes were identical and never stated "hand-made" the only way to differentiate would have been the box where it most definitely would have stated "hand-made" or nothing if it were MM. 

 

[foursite12]

FWIW, I smoked a few Berings in early 80s and they were not a bad el cheapo Tampa cigar but probably no premium value dollar wise.

[cigcars]

    All I know is that my mouth is watering looking at all these!  

[cigaraholic]

Mine too! 

 

[teamrandr]

That Punch looks to be in very good shape to me.  The color to me indicates decent storage conditions.  Please smoke it!!!!!

[JohnInCleveland]

Count me in the group that says smoke em, once they're brought up to good condition.  Unsmoked cigars make a boring conversation piece, I'd rather keep the tube and talk about the experience.  You only live once.

[NSXCIGAR]

I agree, the cigars look to be in very good physical condition. The Punch looks like it could have been made yesterday. I'd smoke it right up as along as it's been in ideal storage conditions for 60 days. It could prove to be a monumental cigar, especially after 40+ years in a tube which slows the aging process a bit but produces better long-term results. There's no way I could resist smoking it.

[Circles]

I called Frank today and he assures me they are more than 50 years old. He tells me minimum 50 but most likely 55. I told him I was thinking of keeping them for another 50 in his honour and he laughed. Told me to light them up.

What's the story behind the NC? I've tried really hard but I'm getting nothing relating to those cigars from that era. I might offer the Falstaff to H&F as a gift if they wish to add it to their museum.

[LandCruiser]

That Punch looks delicious.... smoke that thing ASAP! 

[teamrandr]

5 hours ago, Circles said:

I called Frank today and he assures me they are more than 50 years old. He tells me minimum 50 but most likely 55. I told him I was thinking of keeping them for another 50 in his honour and he laughed. Told me to light them up.

What's the story behind the NC? I've tried really hard but I'm getting nothing relating to those cigars from that era. I might offer the Falstaff to H&F as a gift if they wish to add it to their museum.

Honestly  I think the best gift you can give this gentleman  in return is to smoke them!!!!  For 50 years old they are very nice.