How to Start a Cigar Collection
Cigar collecting is becoming big business, as large auction houses like Christie's have begun to devote entire auctions to vintage cigar collections. Amassing a private collection is a great way to acquire and age your favorite cigars while making a potentially valuable investment.
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Instructions
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Choose Cigars for Your Collection
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Choose your cigars by type, brand, country of origin or scarcity. Start your collection with high-quality, hand-rolled cigars. While vintage cigars may sell for thousands on the auction block, you can add good cigars to your collection for just a few dollars apiece.
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Find the cigars you really want. Consult cigar guides, blogs and message boards. Read cigar reviews and rankings at websites like CigarCyclopedia.com, which also lists a cigar almanac and specialty cigars (see Resources below).
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Start your search by checking out the market for the cigars you want. You can do a lot of the research online, but you should also compare prices at local retailers.
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Shop for your cigars in person. Find a local cigar store with a walk-in humidor and knowledgeable staff to answer your questions.
Maintain Your Cigar Collection
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Store your cigars in a seasoned, cedar-lined humidor. If you're mixing several brands of cigars in your humidor, leave your cigars in their cellophane wrappers.
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Keep a log of cigars you've added to your collection so you can refer to it when making additions.
Find and Collect Cuban Cigars Legally
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Collect vintage Cuban cigars through dealers, auctions and cigar stores.
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Be prepared to pay a lot for an authentic vintage Cuban cigar. This luxury item can be extremely expensive.
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Tips & Warnings
When you buy one box of cigars to smoke, buy another to keep for your collection.
It is illegal to buy Cuban cigars in the United States. However, Americans can legally buy Cuban cigars that left Cuba before 1962. Some brokers like REON.com in San Diego specialize in vintage Cuban cigars (see Resources below).
Don't buy the bulk of your cigars online when you start your cigar collection unless you're buying hard-to-find cigars or you know the dealer. When you buy cigars in person, you can inspect the merchandise. Don't buy cigars if they feel dried out or wet, or if the cellophane is cloudy.
