原文2018年11月刊登在CA杂志

最近在英国雪茄零售商C.Gars公司举办的一场雪茄拍卖会上，一盒1992年发行，装有50支古巴烟草标志雪茄的雪茄盒以25000英镑，折合31860美元的高价被拍卖。

线上拍卖会从11月25日持续到12月2日，有400多批古巴陈年雪茄参与拍卖。比较有特色的拍卖品包括古巴产的大卫杜夫雪茄、登喜路（Dunhill）的陈年雪茄。这两个已经停产的古巴雪茄深受收藏家的追捧。此外还有一些周年纪念雪茄盒，全球限量版，地区限量版的古巴雪茄也引人瞩目。

拍卖活动结束时，1492雪茄盒证实是所有拍卖品中最具价值的一件。这个雪茄盒是古巴哈伯纳斯公司1992年为庆祝哥伦布登录美洲大陆500周年而发布的。当时这款长方形的樱桃木雪茄盒只生产了500个，每盒里面装了50支雪茄，46环径，5.625英寸，每一支雪茄都单独编号。

当时刚发行时，雪茄盒的售价大概是1000美元到2000美元之间，CA杂志在2002年12月做过一次报道，那时雪茄盒的市场价格已经炒到11000美元。今年拍卖的这盒雪茄里，有一支雪茄的茄衣破损比较严重，还有四支雪茄的茄衣轻微损坏。雪茄盒本身没有其他证明文件。

拍卖会上其他畅销的拍卖品，分别有：两盒高希霸世纪6超级珍藏，两盒的拍卖价分别是9450英镑、7550英镑。还有一对高希霸雄伟1966雪茄盒，拍卖价分别是8500英镑、7300英镑。虽然里面的雪茄还不够陈年雪茄的级别，但也是相当罕见了。2016年古巴雪茄节亮相时，雄伟1966雪茄盒只生产了1966个。每个雪茄盒的售价至少在4000美元。2017年，这些雪茄盒陆续通过经销商进入全球市场。有的经销商会先囤积，晚些时候再出售。这表明这些雪茄盒的升值能力可期。

雄伟1966雪茄盒的推出是为了配合高希霸创建50周年的活动。当时哈伯纳斯公司推出了两款限量版产品来纪念这个时刻，另外一款是高希霸50周年。

C.Gars公司的下一次网上拍卖将在2019年3月举办。

A limited-edition humidor filled with extremely rare, 26-year-old Cuban cigars was the top-selling item at an online auction held last week. The Cubatabaco 1492 humidor, filled with 50 cigars of the same name, was sold at an auction hosted by British cigar retailer C.Gars Ltd. for £25,000, or $31,860.

The online auction, which ran from November 25 to December 2, featured more than 400 lots of rare and aged Havana cigars. Among the featured items were aged Cuban Davidoff and Dunhill cigars—two discontinued Cuban brands that are highly sought after by collectors—as well as anniversary humidors, Edición Limitadas and Regional Edition Cuban cigars.

But as the auction concluded Sunday night, the 1492 humidor proved to be the most coveted item of all. The humidor, which was released in 1992 by Habanos S.A. (known then as Cubatabaco), celebrated 500 years since Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba. And to honor the occasion, only 500 of these oblong-shaped cherry wood humidors were ever made. Inside are 50 cigars, also individually numbered, measuring 5 5/8 inches by 46 ring gauge. 

Upon release, the 1492 humidor cost between $1,000 and $2,000, depending on the market. And the last reported appraisal by Cigar Aficionado magazine in December 2002 valued the humidor at about $11,000. This year, the humidor sold for a much higher five-figure premium, despite containing one cigar with substantial wrapper damage and four others with minor wrapper damage, according to C.Gars. There also isn’t any paperwork to accompany the piece. 

Other top-selling lots at the auction were two boxes of Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reservas, which sold for £9,450 ($12,041) and £7,550 ($9,620). A pair of Cohiba Majestuoso 1966 Humidors sold for £8,500 ($10,830) and £7,300 ($9,301). While the cigars inside have not been significantly aged, they are quite rare. Upon debuting at the 2016 Habanos Festival in Cuba, it was announced that only 1,966 humidors would be made (just under 40,000 cigars) and each would cost at least $4,000. Last year, as the humidors began to reach the global market, one Habanos distributor had already sold its humidors before they arrived, while another opted to hold them for sale later on, indicating that the pieces might appreciate in value.

The 1,966 production limit was meant to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Cohiba brand, which launched in 1966. It was one of two limited-edition Cohibas to mark the occasion, along with the even more elusive Cohiba 50th.   

C.Gars Ltd. is scheduled to hold its next online auction in March 2019.