This Article Was Updated On December 7, 2023
Searching for how to date a cigar box? You’ve come to the right place. Cigar boxes are a great way of dating how old they are, and it’s not too difficult to do as long as you know how. There are many factors that go into how cigar boxes age, but we’ll get into those later in this post. For now, let’s just focus on how to tell how old your cigar box is!

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Check The Stamp On The Bottom of The Cigar Box
The easiest way to date a cigar box is by checking the stamp on the bottom of it. There are many different stamps that tell how old your cigar box is, but you’ll want to look for one with how long ago it was made and when the company stopped making them. An example would be “Made in 1954” or “Made in 1988”. The bottom of the cigar box will help you learn about the history of the cigars.
Cigar Box Codes Track Quality Control
When reviewing the cigar box codes you will get a better idea of the overall quality of the cigars. The codes are stamped on the cigar box and often have how long ago it was made, how many cigars in a box of 25 or 50, what type of tobacco is used to make them (if known), how they were stored when not being sold. You will also be able to see if the company discontinued making that line altogether.
Determining the date that a cigar box was made for can help one assess how up-to-speed a factory is. For example, if you know a certain brand codes their cigars in June 1985 and they have consistency problems every five years or so, then looking at the date they use to stamp its boxes will tell you why it’s important to know these footmark acronyms.
The codes on the bottom of your cigar box identify which factory manufactured the cigars. You can search the code on the bottom of your cigar box in order to figure out what factory the cigar was manufactured in. Even if you are looking for the best place to buy cigars online, these cigar boxes will still have a data and the manufacturing history stamped on the bottom of the box.
There are many different cigar sizes and shapes and this will impact the type of cigar box and dating on the box.
How Many Different Cigar Manufacturers Are There?
There are about 150 cigar manufacturers in the world. Some of these companies have been around for centuries, but there are also many new ones that pop up every day! The list below shows how each country is represented.
*Argentina: 19 factories
*Bolivia: 12 factories
*Brazil: 35 factories
*Canada: 11 factories (plus 15 Mexican-made cigars)
*Dominican Republic: 29 cigar brands under different ownership; a total of 103 cigar factory locations across the Dominican Republic as well as two manufacturing facilities in New Jersey and Miami, Florida
*Ecuador: 13 cigar manufactures with their own tobacco farms to ensure freshness and quality control
*Germany/Austria/Switzerland: 27 cigar manufacturers, but many are small makers producing limited quantities each year. The country is one of the most celebrated for its craftsmanship and diversity. One can find anything from big ring gauges to skinny panatellas; all shapes, sizes, tastes and prices.
*Cuba: 12 cigar manufacturers
Which Country Has The Best Cigars?
There are cigar manufacturers all across the world but some of the best cigars come from Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, and other countries in Central and South America. We recommend you try cigars from all around the world to decide what your favorite style and flavor is. We recommend reading our best cigars for beginners guide to help you understand what to look for.
