McClelland 40th Now $150 a Tin on eBay

[Chasing Embers]

I have maybe 15 or so tins of 40th, but more Castellos. A man can dream, can't he?

I once traded a Dunhill for Mephisto, and a Castello for Peter Heinrichs Curly Block, so anything is possible.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@chasingembers, back in the day when pipe shows were more about trades than cash, I was involved in many pipe for tobacco deals and vice versa. Heck, back in those days, you could trade anything for anything. I have seen deals at pipe shows for guns, coins and baseball cards just off the top of my head.

 

[Civil War]

And my ex-wife said I was just wasting my money, who's laughing now :rofl:

 

[Chasing Embers]

@chasingembers, back in the day when pipe shows were more about trades than cash

Hadn't been to one since the early '90s, but you're right.

 

[glassjapan]

I'm a big fan of McClelland Virginias. Like most people, when the 40th Anniversary first came out I had to have a few tins. After I finished my first tin I was left feeling a little underwhelmed by it. Quality stuff for sure, but not something I would keep in my regular rotation. The good thing for me is it was easy ignore the swirling attention it was getting the past couple of months, and load up on McCranie's Red Flake/Ribbon, Red and Black, and the Grand Oriental Series instead.

 

[npod]

Anybody know what Franco Coppo's business succession plans are? His wife is Carlo Scotti's daughter, it is a family business and I have never heard of any younger family members involved in the Castello operation.

His daughter is involved now. The management is solid, but the future risk will be the carvers. They are truly a motley crew and darn hard to replace with new millennials.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@npod, well I guess that is good to know

 

[sablebrush52]

I seem to recall someone here saying recently that tobacco could never be considered an investment.

I've said that. Peck has said that. I still believe that. The vintage tobacco market is a new phenomenon and a lot can, and will, happen over the next few years that can change values. Don't count those tins before they have hatched.

 

[brian64]

^You mean the 1000 tubs of Prince Albert I've stowed away may not pay for my retirement after all?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I have 28 or 29 tins of 40th with one open tin. It is superb. But if someone were rich or dumb enough, or both, to offer me $150 a tin for all 28, I'd take it in a heartbeat. That's $4,200 for what I spent around $500 on. That's not going to happen and I'm not going to mess around with eBay, especially selling it one tin at a time. So I'll be smoking 40th for a long time. I might even enjoy it a little more knowing each bowl may be worth around $10 on the open market.

 

[alan73]

Tobacco IS an investment . Peck is full of it, I guarantee at some point he sells some tobacco or his family will for him, when he dies, cause we all know he couldn’t smoke all of his stash in two lifetimes .
If the price of a good is expected to rise or grow over time, then it is an investment . it’s a growth investment as there are no dividends.
Whether it be from higher taxes or whatever, tobacco prices are cheaper today than they will be tomorrow . I’m guessing that any Canadian wish they had bought tobacco 10 years ago . The US will be no different . Harris sure thinks so.
My opinion as a professional investment guy.

 

[beefeater33]

^^ I agree......even if the price of tobacco stays level, you're still ahead of the game. Most likely we will see it sell for 3-5X the original price. I'm not sure if its an investment or a well played gamble, but I think the odds are on our side.......... It's win/win....... smoke and enjoy it, or if you choose, sell it for more than you paid in the future......... ::

 

[Chasing Embers]

Tobacco IS an investment

Only if you can find someone to buy it, and the number of them is dwindling.

 

[sablebrush52]

There are some real unknowns. Wide cellaring is a fairly recent phenomenon, maybe only in the last 20 years. There are literally tons of cellared product sitting on shelves. At the same time, the numbers of pipe smokers are declining, as are sales of pipe tobacco in the US. There are legislative unknowns that could make sales of vintage product more difficult in future.
There's volatility with any collectible. Vintage tobacco may, or may not, be a sucker's bet as an investment, but at the very best it's a highly speculative one. The only sure thing is that it's enjoyable to smoke.

 

[mcitinner1]

@ hoosier I like the way you think man. Who doesn't like the idea of smoking $10 a bowl baccy?

 

[5star]

Well, all ‘investments’ are ultimately speculations.
That includes the cash left in your checking account (which legally is just an unsecured loan to your bank).
Some speculations have a longer history than others.
I wonder what would happen in the pipe tobacco industry if the current administration put a complete halt to the new FDA rules put in under the last administration ? None of what happened was instigated by the legislature. It was done by bureaucrats and can be changed. Removal of that FDA cloud would likely have a significant impact on the pricing of some of these tins.

 

[robcapp]

Seriously, if you seek money and profit, there are far better propositions than fermented and aged vegetal matter sealed in a tin. I don't mean to sound condescending, buy this is akin to kids trading marbles.
So you sold a few tins and made a few bucks.... congrats... fill up your car with gas, go to a movie and buy a large popcorn and soda.
I suggest investing in tobacco because of the happiness and tranquil satisfaction it gives. Legislation will eventually take this pleasure away from you. The joy of what you saved, instead of sold, will last far longer and be far more memorable than the pocket change you made.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yeah, mine aren't going anywhere but the happy wisps of smoke in years to come.

 

[pipesticks]

I suggest investing in tobacco because of the happiness and tranquil satisfaction it gives.

800 to 1000% increase in 2-3 weeks gives many of us happiness and tranquil satisfaction regardless if we sell or not. About the only place you can find gains like that is in options, and most options expire worthless. Kids trading marbles? Yeah, pretty condescending.......

 

[robcapp]

Pipesticks, my point being that unless you're trading decent quality, the net profit in terms of actual dollars is essentially pocket money.

Selling a few tins isn't going to set anyone up for much more than a nice day or night out.