Help identifying cc

[Jrfoxx]

So, i have 2 of these that were gifted to me and I was told that they are 1998 Punch Super Selection no.2's.

Several people have questioned it, so i did some investigating on cubancigareebsite.com, and the 5.5 inch length and 42rg, as well as having a pre 2009 band, doesn't match up with either of the Super Selections.

So now I have no idea what it really is.
Unfortunately can't figure out who I got it from searching my pm's to ask about it.

Anyone able to identify it?

Its also slightly box pressed if that helps

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[Havanaaddict]

Well now with this info "it's a 98' Punch Corona

 

[Vintagecigarstore.com]

I agree that the stats you presented do not match the listed info on the cuban cigar website, however; your box pressed condition may help explain some of the discrepancies. When I compared your info to 2 websites, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_(cigar) and https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/punch, I found similar information; no banded 5.5 inch with a 42 ring. Both websites DO have a banded vitolas that have 5-5/8 inch x 42 dimensions that was in production prior to 2009, when the "A" band was discontinued. As a vintage dealer I see the box pressed effect (in different degrees) on cigars stored in full dress boxes for extended periods, ten years or more. The expansion of all cigars in the box by humidity or other factors causes them to press against each other including the top, bottom and sides. These dimension changes may also effect the length by a 1/16 of an inch on the cap and foot, overall equaling 1/8 inch. I suspect your specimen was a 1990's or before Punch Corona, dress box stored and originally 5-5/8 X 42; now shrunk or pressed down to your 5.5 inch. Time and conditions would contribute to the degrees of deformity you see. I know these factors exist and can find no box pressed production Punch cigar with your 5.5 descriptions. I have inserted a few photos of the box press effect on cigars that were originally round. Notice on the Larranaga that there is a pointed ridge that runs the length of the cigar (above the "c" in Cuba) which formed when the cigar could no longer expand against the lid or its neighbors; it expanded into the void between the cigars below it on the bottom row. I see a brother has posted 1998 specifically but without the box (barring a special release reference) I am curious how it was narrowed to that year. Hope this helps...good luck!

 

[magste]

Depending on how correct your measurements are (they do tend to vary a fraction anyway) it could be a Punch Coronas, or (less likely) Royal Coronations.

 

[Jrfoxx]

I agree that the stats you presented do not match the listed info on the cuban cigar website, however; your box pressed condition may help explain some of the discrepancies. When I compared your info to 2 websites, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_(cigar) and https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/punch, I found similar information; no banded 5.5 inch with a 42 ring. Both websites DO have a banded vitolas that have 5-5/8 inch x 42 dimensions that was in production prior to 2009, when the "A" band was discontinued. As a vintage dealer I see the box pressed effect (in different degrees) on cigars stored in full dress boxes for extended periods, ten years or more. The expansion of all cigars in the box by humidity or other factors causes them to press against each other including the top, bottom and sides. These dimension changes may also effect the length by a 1/16 of an inch on the cap and foot, overall equaling 1/8 inch. I suspect your specimen was a 1990's or before Punch Corona, dress box stored and originally 5-5/8 X 42; now shrunk or pressed down to your 5.5 inch. Time and conditions would contribute to the degrees of deformity you see. I know these factors exist and can find no box pressed production Punch cigar with your 5.5 descriptions. I have inserted a few photos of the box press effect on cigars that were originally round. Notice on the Larranaga that there is a pointed ridge that runs the length of the cigar (above the "c" in Cuba) which formed when the cigar could no longer expand against the lid or its neighbors; it expanded into the void between the cigars below it on the bottom row. I see a brother has posted 1998 specifically but without the box (barring a special release reference) I am curious how it was narrowed to that year. Hope this helps...good luck!

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View attachment 161382

Thanks for the great info.

Several people on other forums also suggested that it's a coronas, and looking on cubancigarwebsite.com, everything matches up, so I think everyone is correct that it's actually a pre-2009 Punch Corona.

I should have known to just pm You and ask, as I would definitely consider you a reliable source for this kind of thing.

I was pretty confident it wasn't made as a box pressed, as it's not very pronounced, so seemed likely it just happened over years of storage with other Cigars pressing against it.

I too have seen that before after only a few years

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[Jrfoxx]

Depending on how correct your measurements are (they do tend to vary a fraction anyway) it could be a Punch Coronas, or (less likely) Royal Coronations.

Length was measured by simply putting it side by side with known cc's for comparison.
I'm pretty confident that 5.5 inch, give or take a small fraction is correct, and the rg was measured using the Cigar Aficionado app that can measure rg's, so I'm pretty confident on that too

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[Jrfoxx]

I have changed the entry in my humidor inventory app to list it as a coronas, as enough knowledgeable people have identified it as such, and I have confidence that everyone is correct

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[Jrfoxx]

Not sure how the mix up happened when the generous gifter pm'd me the details on what he sent.

Could have intended to send 2 Super Selections and just grabbed the wrong sticks, or was misinformed himself.

Now I'm unsure on the box date because of the mix up, but i will have to just live with that as I'm unaware of any way to date it, other than it being pre-2009 at a minimum as different packaging had different dates for discontinuation, and i have no idea what type of box it came in, but the last was discontinued in 2009.

@Vintagecigarstore.com

Any ideas on date based on what year they stopped having cellophane?

1998 is the date I was told by the person who gave them to me, so that's what I am currently going by.

I don't see any info online about that and it should help date it

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[Havanaaddict]

Any ideas on date based on what year they stopped having cellophane?

1998 is the date I was told by the person who gave them to me, so that's what I am currently going by.

I don't see any info online about that and it should help date it

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Since c1992 the use of cellophane sleeving has been restricted to machine-made cigars, which were discontinued by Habanos c2002/2003. Cellophane is now used only for ICT machine-made Puritos.

So since the Punch Coronas are a Hand Made cigar it would have never been put in cellophane!

 

[Jrfoxx]

Since c1992 the use of cellophane sleeving has been restricted to machine-made cigars, which were discontinued by Habanos c2002/2003. Cellophane is now used only for ICT machine-made Puritos.

So since the Punch Coronas are a Hand Made cigar it would have never been put in cellophane!

Interesting discrepancy from the pictures the Vintage Cigar expert on another forum showed, with some with cellophane.

Maybe it was ss2's in the pictures. I can't seem to find the post again.

Ok, found his post, as it was actually in this thread and I had been looking elsewhere.

The pictures are not of Punch Coronas, but of other Cigars showing natural box pressing of Cigars over time



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[Havanaaddict]

I took a few pictures of a 98' Punch Corona I doubt it will help as it is almost imposable to date a cigar down to a specific year. A time frame is possible by like box stamps a Cubatobaco leaf is 1985 to 1994.
Here you go:

 

[Jrfoxx]

I took a few pictures of a 98' Punch Corona I doubt it will help as it is almost imposable to date a cigar down to a specific year. A time frame is possible by like box stamps a Cubatobaco leaf is 1985 to 1994.
Here you go:
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Nice, thanks.
I have no idea where the gifter got the date from

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[Havanaaddict]

The only Punch in cello I know of are Machine Made
Belvederes

Exquisitos

Palmas Reales

Souvenir de luxe

 

[Jrfoxx]

The only Punch in cello I know of are Machine Made
Belvederes
View attachment 161637
Exquisitos
View attachment 161638
Palmas Reales
View attachment 161639
Souvenir de luxe
View attachment 161640

Yeah, his pictures and post were about something else entirely so it was just my bad memory thinking that the Coronas ever had cellophane

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[Havanaaddict]

Hey I hope you don't take my post as me trying to bust your balls! I just get excited when I talk about vintage cigars, and If can learn or help anyone with what I have learned over the past 20 years! I have been very lucky to have been gifted some amazing cigars over the years. Hunting down vintage cigars over the years has been the almost as fun as smoking them Almost!

 

[Jrfoxx]

Hey I hope you don't take my post as me trying to bust your balls! I just get excited when I talk about vintage cigars, and If can learn or help anyone with what I have learned over the past 20 years! I have been very lucky to have been gifted some amazing cigars over the years. Hunting down vintage cigars over the years has been the almost as fun as smoking them Almost!

No problem. I didn't take it in a negative way at all.

I always enjoy learning something new about my cigar obsession.

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