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Long time lurker. First time poster. I'm registering as I'd love some brothers to take a look at the below link. It's the first box I've ever had serious questions of authenticity on in my own stash (seen plenty of terrible ones on the golf course, of course). Purchased from an online European/Swiss outfit that has gold-clad reputation, but not a LCDH. https://imgur.com/a/hMAjH Ignore the RyJ box in some of the shots (which is obviously legit, beyond any question). I'm talking about the Upmann LCDH box. Seen probably 25+ CC boxes in my life, and I've never seen one without the date/factory code. Stamp clearly not here on this one. Not smudged off or blurred. Never there. Hologram on the box seal also has less "pop" than is normal, but it looks like it might be scuffed up a bit, which may explain it. Serial number verifies to the correct box. Seal is microprinted with correct serial. Cigars themselves look fine (caps, bands). Maybe one cap that's off-normal and maybe one foot cut at an angle, but within the margin of error from what I've seen. Most of this I'd say is Cuba being Cuba. But I've never seen a box without even an effort on a factory/date stamp. What says the board? I make a habit of not taking a single puff of suspected fakes (who knows what's in there). I'm leaning toward fine here, but could be talked out of it. [Posted this first to another forum, but this is what finally got me to register here. I didn't see any rule against cross posting, but please let me know if I missed that]

Hi All, Would really appreciate some expertise here! A friend of mine went to Cuba over Thanksgiving and brought back 3 boxes of Cohiba Siglo VIs that he said he purchased for $50 each. He's saying that he went to Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas where the Cohibas were rolled and in the factory they told people you can buy boxes with or without the seal, which I find bogus to begin with. He didn't buy them IN the factory, but from "a guy with a good connection." I know that's a red flag in itself but he's been arguing with me for days now swearing that they're real with 100% certainty, yet the guy doesn't really know anything about cigars. The cost is really what shocks me as I know those boxes cost around $500-$600...does anyone know if $50 is BS if purchased in Cuba or are they still very expensive there? He tried to make the argument that people are very poor in Cuba so that's why goods are so cheap there, but when have cigars ever been a poor man's hobby in the last decade at least? He also said that "all the international hotels sell them for $100, so $50 isn't that far fetched." I've been to Nicaragua a few times and cigars there are even MORE expensive than they are in the states because of the taxes, which refutes the argument he makes about the country being corrupt and not well regulated...I don't think Nicaragua is further ahead than Cuba and if it is, not by a huge margin. Can anyone tell with 100% certainty by looking at the photos that these are real or fake? If you could explain why that would also be very helpful. Thanks so much all!