How to spot counterfeits

[larrysputnik]

Cut one of those suckers open and see what it is that everyone at the convention was puffing on.

If you find worms, make sure they aren't covered in fur.

[Stevieboy]

TJ's brother BJ suggested I add the fakes from earlier today to this section



The flaws on this one are glaring to anyone who has ever bought a genuine box of CCs.

1. The chevron would be on the varnished box
2. The seal would be on the cardboard box the varnished box comes in and not in the box (or on the varnished box!)
3. The cedar insert has a straight cut rather than a half-moon notch
4. The colour grading of the cigars looks all wrong ie from left to right they start dark, get lighter then get dark again.

[Stevieboy]

Whisky spotted the first flaw ie the seal is poorly positioned, the shield on the seal should be bi-sected by the edge of the box -half the seal on the top of the box, half on the front. The other less obvious flaw is the fact that the seal is actually on the varnished box itself. AFAIK all varnished boxes are sold inside a cardboard outer box which has the seal on it. Examples are Partagas 898, La Gloria Cubana Medaille D'or #1, Montecristo Serie D 2005 LE. Habanos being Habanos, you can bet your arse there will be exceptions...

[Ramon]

Both my boxes of Esplendidos, old and new style, have the seal on the box, and of course the Siglo series SLB's have the seal on the box as well. The seal is of course in the wrong position on that box.

As you say Steve, Habanos being Habanos there's always exceptions

[Stevieboy]

Both my boxes of Esplendidos, old and new style, have the seal on the box, and of course the Siglo series SLB's have the seal on the box as well. The seal is of course in the wrong position on that box.

As you say Steve, Habanos being Habanos there's always exceptions

Christ!! How are we the consumer supposed to know what's what with Habanos! My box of Esplendidos has no seal on it, my Siglo VI (25 and 10 box) has it on the left and my Lanceros doesn't have one . These were all sourced from Gesto which as you know Ramon have impeccable credentials !?!?!?!

If there's no standard then counterfeiters can have a field day

[Stevieboy]

AFAIK all varnished boxes are sold inside a cardboard outer box which has the seal on it.

Having just looked at my Cohiba and Trinidad boxes, this is clearly a load of bollox. The Trinis have seals as do some of the Cohibas. Sorry for mis-leading

[Stevieboy]

I just received a PM from CJ who is TJ and BJ's sister (complicated I know).
She's translating for BJ who is conduit to TJ (still with me?)...TJ asked that I post more images of fakery. These are beauties:

[larrysputnik]

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?

[Stevieboy]

but what is the last picture a sign of?

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

[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".

[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!!..

[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..

[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 ...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

[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.