McClelland 40th Now $150 a Tin on eBay

[lasttango]

"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."
"...than the pocket change you made."
That pocket change would go a long way in helping a working class bastard like myself make it to Greece or Southern Italy for vacation this summer...
I wish I had the ability to turn 20 cans of fermented vegetal matter from $18 each into #80+
As much as I love McClleland's, if any of you wealthy and intelligent wall street investors or venture capitalists... or eTrade barons... want to pay a huge mark up and send a brother and his new wife to Europe in July, let me know. I have 20-30 cans...

 

[robcapp]

Do what you gotta do, my man. It's yours to do with what you will.

I don't begrudge anyone selling off what they have. I was trying to encourage people to keep what they've got... to build their cellars while they can.

Oh, and I come from a working class family and been a working class bastard for 27 years...

 

[Chasing Embers]

Same here, coming up on 31 years.

 

[smittyd]

This is madness!!!!

 

[cohibajoe]

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.

Perfect...^^^ I with you on this ^^^

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yeah, it's just more fun knowing that no one can have what's in your cellar.

 

[alan73]

This isn’t pocket change , for some of us. If you have the luck or good fortune to be young and be able to buy a lifetimes supply of tobacco, the profit or future savings can be very large. I’m not talking about flipping it either, it’s acting as a classic inflation hedge within my portfolio .
I will enjoy my cellar for 30 years. The replacement cost of what I have is already rising dramatically.
As for legislating away my tobacco , good luck with that one. Black market tobacco would exist, guaranteed. Just try to get rid of it, demand remains or actually increases, ala prohibition and the war on drugs .

 

[mawnansmiff]

"It would be interesting to know what McClelland's world popularity is. Was it primarily a US phenomenon?"
Duane, while I can only speak for myself, I was made aware of McClelland's blends through reading about them on this forum and through a very kindly member I have been able to buy some tins and bulk blends which I enjoyed to a certain extent. I have another package winging its way to me as I write and another few blends due in my next delivery, all of which will be cellared so no, McClelland's blends are not just known of in the States.
And for what it's worth, no UK outlet stocked any McClelland tobaccos, or any American blends as far as I'm aware which is really sad.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[crashthegrey]

It's funny, there were guys selling 40th for $50 at the pipe show this weekend. Stand up dudes.

 

[sablebrush52]

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.

One could only wish. Revising or rescinding the FDA Deeming rules requires Congressional action. But if that did happen, blenders could create new blends once more. There were some exciting blends and projects that got shelved because of the Rules.
We might even see some enterprising chap willing to produce some premium blends with aged and fermented tobacco, like McClelland was doing. He would face the same problems McClelland faced in the last few years, finding the quality of leaf. Tobacco was a subsidized industry and those subsidies and price supports have been discontinued. Less tobacco is farmed and the more labor intensive and costly methods of harvesting and processing appear to be going away.
Maybe if smokers were willing to pay for the quality, someone would fill in that niche. So instead of $10 for a 50gram tin, you pay $20. That pays for the extra time, labor, and expense to harvest and produce fine tobaccos in a traditional manner. The tins that McClelland shipped a couple of weeks ago held tobaccos that they had processed and matured for years prior to tinning. Think of McClelland product as long cellared product before it hits the shelves. That's a big investment in time and money before the manufacturer sees any profit.
Whether the prices on these tins would be affected is anyone's guess, because they're out of production. But if there were alternates that were seen to be as good, yeah, the prices would plummet as demand went elsewhere. Still there are always true believers who will accept no substitute, like people paying hundreds of dollars for washed out faded old latakia blends with famous labels.

 

[sablebrush52]

It's funny, there were guys selling 40th for $50 at the pipe show this weekend. Stand up dudes.

Nice when that happens. They're making a significant profit, but in this environment, not gouging.

 

[rhoadsie]

At the same time, the numbers of pipe smokers are declining, as are sales of pipe tobacco in the US.

Not sure that statement is entirely correct...citations?
http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-smoking-lifestyle/age-and-pipe-smoking/
https://newsatjama.jama.com/2012/08/03/as-cigarette-smoking-declines-pipe-tobacco-use-soars/

 

[Chasing Embers]

Both of those surveys were done a couple of years ago. What do the numbers look like now? Seeing much fewer people at B&Ms over the past two or three years.

 

[cigrmaster]

I look at my cellar and see tons of aged tobacco to smoke. Will it go up in value, I believe it will. Do I look at is as an investment, not really. It only becomes an investment when it gets sold and I have no plans on selling tobacco. When I am gone then my kids can sell it for whatever it is worth. If I sold every tin I had for a big profit, it would not alter my lifestyle in any way.

If I were younger and wanted to finance part of my cellar or buy new pipes, I would be flipping for sure. I totally understand why people want to make money while the getting is good.

 

[rhoadsie]

Both of those surveys were done a couple of years ago.

Yep, agreed. Need new citations to support the prior statement.
In God we trust, everyone else bring data... :D

 

[robcapp]

I think one of the biggest hurdles that will come in future, besides the obvious FDA and growers producing less will be restriction of trade across borders and the difficulty in doing business.

When it becomes a crime to send tobacco in the mail... when trade by Internet is prohibited.... and the payment processors say no to tobacco... This will be the equivalent of a massive trade embargo. Will people still find a way to get stuff - of course they will - but it will carry the price tags that most illicit and difficult to obtain things do. You'll be glad you prepared accordingly.
It may sound extreme...but trust me, it's coming.
Harris is set for Armageddon, and I'm taking his lead. And if we're wrong, we will have a great tobacco to enjoy. As one member wrote above, it'll be nice smoking rare and expensive tobacco, that would have otherwise been beyond your financial means at its future value.

 

[philobeddoe]

We are still in the Wild West days of the Internet. There are many more laws and restrictions coming and sooner than many would think. Before too long, online sales of tobacco; and ammunition for that matter, will be prohibited. I imagine that they will be massively taxed Federally first, then shortly after, prohibited all together, so that any sales will need to be face to face so that id’s can be checked (and registered in the case of ammunition). Buy what you can afford to now, these ARE the halcyon days!

 

[robcapp]

Philobeddoe, you articulated my thoughts perfectly!

Folk are underestimating what troubles lie ahead.

 

[gkr1]

In God we trust, everyone else bring data... :D

HaHa so true, everyone could be Cliff Clavin, but not you! At least you posted some data from 2 years ago, which to me it shows there is an upward trend in young smokers! It is also evident if you get away from old school forums and tap in to the social media outlets!

As one member wrote above, it'll be nice smoking rare and expensive tobacco, that would have otherwise been beyond your financial means at its future value.

Also true, but the "future" should be changed to now! Just opened a $100 tin! Ha!

 

[sablebrush52]

Not sure that statement is entirely correct...citations?

It was in a post on another forum with cited figures for tobaccco sales over the past 7-8 years that I read a couple of months ago. I looked for it but couldn't find it and I don't have a lot time to spend searching. I think I remember the name of the poster and I'll contact him to see if he can provide me the link. It was pretty illuminating.