A little bit of cigar history: Cigar Tokens

[El Presidente]

Cigar tokens, often made of metal, paper, or other materials, have an interesting history tied to the retail practices of cigar shops, especially in the United States. These tokens were used as a form of advertising, a customer loyalty program, and even a method of circumventing certain tax laws.

Origins and Purpose

Cigar tokens likely emerged in the late 19th to early 20th century when cigars were a popular form of tobacco consumption. Retailers, particularly smaller shops, used these tokens to encourage repeat business and customer loyalty. A customer purchasing cigars would receive a token or a series of tokens that could be redeemed later for a free cigar or a discount on future purchases.

 

Cigar tokens often carried a specific value, like a "5¢ Cigar" or "10¢ Cigar," indicating what the bearer could redeem them for. They were also used in promotions, such as giving away a token with the purchase of a certain amount of cigars or as part of a "buy 10, get 1 free" type of deal.

Some tokens were specific to a brand or a shop, while others were more generic and could be used at multiple retailers. In some cases, they were used to promote certain cigar brands, making them an early form of brand loyalty programs.

 

Cigar tokens played a role in the economic ecosystem of tobacco sales. They were a means of building customer loyalty before the advent of modern marketing and retail strategies. They also have historical value today, with collectors seeking out rare and unique tokens as part of numismatic collections.

In some regions, cigar tokens were also used to bypass certain tax regulations. By issuing a token instead of directly selling a discounted product, retailers could sometimes avoid certain tax implications, though this was not a widespread or officially sanctioned practice.

 

The use of cigar tokens began to decline in the mid-20th century as retail practices evolved and new marketing strategies, such as mass advertising and modern loyalty programs, became more prevalent. Additionally, changes in tobacco regulations and the decrease in cigar smoking led to a reduced need for such tokens.