Missing serial number

[Frozen North]

I bought a box of cigars from a very reputable brick and mortar store in Vancouver Canada back in 2015. The label that holds the serial number was covered by a label stating “ CASA CUBANA” with a guarantee of origin on it. I got the top label off. Hoping to see the serial number. There isn’t one on the box. I have never seen this before. Any thoughts on what happened? 

 

[NSXCIGAR]

The bar code and serial portion of the warranty seal missing isn't unusual for various reasons but the entire seal being removed and replaced with another is a bit odd. I'd like to know more about this "Casa Cubana". Are they affiliated with your B & M? What's the rest of the box look like?

[Timothy556]

Just call the phone number 😁

[garbandz]

how about pics of the rest of the box including box code ?

and the cigars.

[Frozen North]

20 minutes ago, Timothy556 said:

Just call the phone number 😁

It’s been 8 years since I bought them. There are no numbers/letters on that label.

[Frozen North]

The box and cigars look legitimate for sure.

[El Presidente]

Who is Casa Cubana?

[Fugu]

17 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Who is Casa Cubana?

Has been a cigar retailer in Montreal. Appears not to be existing anymore.

Box looking dubious.

[Frozen North]

I just called the store I bought them from. They told me that they were their supplier at that time. And they removed the serial numbers and replaced it with their own label.

 

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

Has been a cigar retailer in Montreal. Appears to not existing anymore.

Box looking dubious.

The box looks identical to the other 5 boxes of Trinidads that I have. That is the only box I bought from that store. Which of course is still in business.

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, Frozen North said:

 They told me that they were their supplier at that time. And they removed the serial numbers and replaced it with their own label.

For the love of god why?

Were Casa Cubana ever distributors in Canada? Not to my knowledge. 

 

[Islandboy]

That date stamp looks a little different...but maybe it’s consistent with the period

[Fugu]

This is a grey market supplier you bought it from, obviously (I wonder why the BondRoberts pics...). Yet, that must not mean anything, but...

Exclusive Canada distribution lies in the hand of Havana House (ie Casa Cubana wasn’t a “distributor” as being stated on their label). There are certain red flags. Can we please have a look on top, onto the lid with the Habanos seal.

[Frozen North]

I’m not happy with this issue. The retailer has offered to buy them back for substantially more than I paid for them. I really wanted to sell them on Bond Roberts though.

[MrBirdman]

1 minute ago, Frozen North said:

I’m not happy with this issue. The retailer has offered to buy them back for substantially more than I paid for them. I really wanted to sell them on Bond Roberts though.

Sounds like they wouldn’t have passed muster there anyway. They run a tight ship on authentication. I’d sell them back. 

[El Presidente]

1 minute ago, Fugu said:

This is a grey market supplier you bought it from, obviously (I wonder why the BondRoberts pics...). Yet, that must not mean anything, but...

 

It looks like Bond Roberts Admin rejected the box for listing. Frozen can confirm or otherwise. 

 

[Frozen North]

Pic of lid. 

[Frozen North]

Yes they denied the sale. Due to no serial number. I just thought it was covered by the CASA Cubana label. The retailer has been in business for 20 years. I doubt they’re into Grey Market products.

[Fugu]

4 minutes ago, Frozen North said:

Pic of lid. 

So at least there’s a bit of the seal, not completely missing. Do you perhaps have a close-up of seal and Habanos label?

[Frozen North]

Here you go.

[LordAnubis]

Where did the tax sticker go? In your first pic and second pic there’s a tax sticker. Then in your last pic “of the lid” it’s magically a proper box with full seal and no tax sticker? Sell em back to the shop and hopefully no one here buys them 😂

good job BR for rejecting 👍🏽

[Frozen North]

I took the Casa Cubana label off. Thinking that the serial number had been covered. That’s why you see two different pictures.

[ha_banos]

Have they scraped all the microprint? Sometimes they miss one. Might help.

[Frozen North]

There is no serial number under any part of the label. The retailer has just purchased them back from me. Thank you all for your comments. Thankfully that is the ONLY box I have without the proper pedigree.

[Fugu]

Thanks for providing the additional pics. With the caveat that it’s always difficult to come up with a definitive verdict from remote, both seals seem ok. The problem is, the micro printed serial numbers within the seal wouldn’t appear much before 2012. So there aren’t any in this case for an additional check. The box code is a valid one for the time period (Francisco Donatien). The missing bit of the warranty seal seems most likely occurring due to a grey vendor (or grey supply if you will) obscuring its source.

The only odd thing remaining is the font of the stamp, which isn’t in line with the usual one, and also neither identical with boxes of the same factory code / time period from FD. At least I haven’t seen similar. May be other members are able to add to this.

[ha_banos]

All I can offer is the box codes from my 11 boxes. Nope! Not for sale! Albeit different factory code.