How to spot counterfeits

[daverave999]

Tonight I smoked one of the cigars given to me for Christmas that started this whole journey.

It was bought in Mexico and given to me in cellophane. Sorry about the pictures but my camera is at my girlfriend's flat.

Measurements were 155 mm by what appeared to be 44 or 46 ring gauge (spot the 'deliberate' mistake). It was actually really well rolled. Slightly more filled by the band. Very good burn with the ash reaching nearly two inches before it fell the first time. Good draw too. Band looked like the 2003-2006 band on cubancigarwebsite.com (not embossed; same colour).

I had stored this at 70% RH.

Not having smoked a Monte 2 before I was unable to compare. It was similar to the Diplo 2 I've smoked for the first third, but then all serious taste seemed to peter out. Were it not for where it was bought, the cellophane and the ring gauge, I could have well believed I'd just got a bad stick or Monte 2's were not to my taste.

[Stevieboy]

I was in Nassau in 2000 and I was offered "genuine" Cohiba piramids.All the tourists were buying these things up like crazy and all I could do was watch.
I told the girl in the shop they were fake and she said all their cigars were genuine.

I thought "bollocks to you all" and was subsequently dragged from the shop kicking and screaming like a demented cigar anorak by the missus, before I caused a scene.

LOL!! In 2000????? Brilliant....Glass-topped?

[whisky77]

anorak!

The biggest error with these piramides is that they don't exist as an LE at all. The LEs for 2009 have been decided and the Cohiba Piramide isn't one of them. The counterfeiters must think we're morons. I daresay a lot of tourists will be taken in with them esp. if they don't know much about cigars and they're bringing them back as gifts...poor buggers

I was in Nassau in 2000 and I was offered "genuine" Cohiba piramids.All the tourists were buying these things up like crazy and all I could do was watch.
I told the girl in the shop they were fake and she said all their cigars were genuine.

I thought "bollocks to you all" and was subsequently dragged from the shop kicking and screaming like a demented cigar anorak by the missus, before I caused a scene.

[ACMCC]

As soon as it arrives I'll have a go at taking a pic and post...now will the camera take UV?

[Alex]

Just ordered one myself

[ACMCC]

UV pen on its way...lol, cheers Alex.

[Alex]

Get the CSI season 8 part 1 DVD box set and there's a UV pen-torch inside

Or buy one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ultra-Violet-UV-LED-Light-Keychain-Torch-IN-UK_W0QQitemZ290315736524QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Spor tsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches?hash=item2 90315736524&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

[Ramon]

gotta find a UV bulb

Get the CSI season 8 part 1 DVD box set and there's a UV pen-torch inside

[ACMCC]

it worked.....lol

A little more info....

A hidden UV Image is located centrally and above the serial No. not visible to the naked eye, (1999 on) not tried this yet...gotta find a UV bulb, of a form of the sheild

There,s also some micro printing, not visIble to the naked eye above the large Republica de Cuba which says:

SELLODEGARANTIAREPUBLICADECUBASELLODEGARANTIAREPUB LICADECUBASELLO....

this allso runs across the bottom of ParaTabacos torcidos y picadura.

hope this is useful.

[ACMCC]

sorry ...four squares for the old band, five for the new, a common and easy to spot fault is the type face for the c in cuba, as below:


i'll have to learn how to cut and paste pics in...lol

[Stevieboy]

The biggest error with these piramides is that they don't exist as an LE at all. The LEs for 2009 have been decided and the Cohiba Piramide isn't one of them. The counterfeiters must think we're morons. I daresay a lot of tourists will be taken in with them esp. if they don't know much about cigars and they're bringing them back as gifts...poor buggers

[ACMCC]

sorry, positions might be ok, not had these yet so couldn't be too sure.... the quality of the printing overall is poor though..

[ACMCC]

Wrong positions for both stickers wrong colour for ink on crest seal, too many rows of squares on upper band should be 4 (I think!) plus all the above posts, it not easy on certain things as EL's are being counterfeited before wide release (so I've read) a little info leaking out from the factories perhaps!!..

[Ryan]

The glass top is the first sign, and I can easily spot the problem with the white checkers being too close to the top of the gold rectangle, but what is the last picture a sign of?

That's a rubbish looking warranty seal, very worn and not on straight.
The coat of arms on the seal is not aligned with the edge of the box.
Serial numbers beginning with a "D", such as on that box, have not been used since 2003.

Serial numbers can be useful for verifying boxes, especially the other way round, that is, when a box with an older date stamp, eg. 2000 or 2001, has a newer serial number such as "H" or "I".

[Stevieboy]

but what is the last picture a sign of?

I think it's because it's so worn and wonky looking!?!?