Old Half and Half tobacco

[doomsday]

Hello every!
First of all, I want to point out 2 things:

- English is not my first language so I am very sory for all bad spelling

- I registered at this page today and this is my first post that I didn't know if I have to post it here or at beginners questions. Because this is about tobacco, I figured I should post it here.
So now about the tobacco. 1 week ago I purchased pipe tobacco that the previous owner said is very old. I figured it is better to smoke then all new tobaccos that i can find in store today so I bough it. Tobacco is from Burley and Bright - Half and Half 14oz tin. Somewhere on the web I found, that tin is from 1950s. I think that the most important thing is, that it is still original packed. It was never opened. Still sealed. Now I am interested in few things:

- How old really or about this tobacco really is? (is it really from 1950s)

- Because I am very new at smoking pipes(1 month), should I even open it and try it, or should I save it to be "better" smoker?

- Should I save it for more years?

- Is this tobacco even still good if it was closed for so long?

- Older tobacco = better tobacco? Like cigars?

- Is this tin even real or I purchased something fake?

- Should I know something about this? something special, something interesting about it?
Here are some pictures for someone who knows more about this stuff. I hope pictures can be seen.

Thanks for all replys

 

[doomsday]

I don't know how to import pictures correctly, so here are all 5 links to the pictures above.
1.) http://postimg.cc/image/5qn2a8nyp/
2.) http://postimg.cc/image/42al9qmvl/
3.) http://postimg.cc/image/sm9phzmtt/
4.) http://postimg.cc/image/u6xezcor5/
5.) http://postimg.cc/image/ghh4f5mq9/

 

[xrundog]

I had a couple tins of that with the same can. Judging by old ads, I think it's 1930s-40s. If the vacuum seal is still good on the can it's still very smokeable. Problem is, the tobacco flavor flattens quite a lot. People are curious about tobacco like that. But it doesn't usually sell for a lot.

 

[username]

I had a pocket tin from the 50s a couple months ago it was smokable nothing spectacular but still kinda neat.

 

[mcitinner1]

This is the first time I've seen a tin of Half & Half that old, in that color style...very cool! It's half Virginia tobacco, so if the seal is good it would be very smokable, but burley that old may not have a good taste. It might be worth more as a sealed tin, than as something to smoke. You should PM Pipestud and get his opinion.

 

[papipeguy]

That certainly looks like it could be 60 years old. In addition to the Virgina and Burley tobaccos the old H&H had deer tongue. How it would have aged is anyone's guess but todays Half & Half has little resemblance to the tin you have.

 

[doomsday]

Thank you all for the feedback!

 

[judcole]

Cool find - let us know how it tastes.

 

[beastinview]

Cool find, and actually really beautiful pictures. It's the kind of thing that piques my interest.
A lot of my interest in pipes comes from the historical aspect: I know many great men of history smoked pipes. There is something mystical about joining in on that great tradition with so many who came before.
It would be even more interesting to know I was smoking the same tin of tobacco that others had smoked half a century ago. Sure, the taste changes over time, so it would taste different even now, but it would be extremely interesting to me nonetheless.
Let us know how you like it.

 

[doomsday]

Hello,
Thank you for all the feedback.

So since I last posted this, I have more knowledge about all of this, but I still do not believe, I am ready yet.

Thats why, I have not tried tobacco yet, it is still closed. (I vacummed whole thin and put it into darkness on about 18°C.
I will put un update once I try it.
Best regards,

Doom

 

[cortezattic]

Doom, I think it has more collector value than smoking value. At this point in your pipe smoking experience it makes more sense to save it.

 

[doomsday]

Yeah, I totally agree with you Cortez, thats why I am in no rush at all, if it waited for so long, it can wait for few more years
I got some tin-s on Ebay, showing same looking tin that is confirmed from 1926. So must be around that time as well. Because 1950s tin has already 2 colors (green and black) while mine has green and green.

 

[mso489]

I'd either keep it sealed as an artifact, a conversation piece, or overprice it and try to resell it for tobacco money on recent blends. I go with the (quietly suggested) opinion that this would be smokeable, maybe okay, but nothing special. It's gone beyond aged, and now it is just a question of whether it is preserved. Half-and-Half in its current iteration, I find a little edgy and harsh for its kind of blend, compared to mostly burley CH, PA, or comparable burley/Virginia blends. These historical tins I think would be more flat.