If you are new to Cigar Box Label Collecting, the task of finding information and knowing where to start can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Acquiring a cigar box label is easier than ever. Every day, on-line dealer sites and on-line auction sites sell hundreds of cigar box labels and many people can even run across cigar labels at antique stores, estate sales, and garage sales. Collectors can choose between literally tens of thousands of label titles at a variety of prices. Information is everywhere – type in’ cigar box label’ on ‘Google’ and you will get dozens of cigar label sites. They include: cigar box label books, price guides, forums, blogs, and ‘You-Tube’ videos, all available for the curious collector.
There also exists two cigar box label lists (Indexes) that can be helpful: the Instone100 and the Cigar Label 500.
The oldest most respected index is the Instone 100. This list has been around for over 10 years, and is a compilation of very desirable and highly sought-after cigar label art representing a diverse sampling of themes. This index is updated annually for price changes and can be used as a tool to track future price movements. It is a product of years of research, surveys, and discussions with other dealers and collectors. The list includes images like: Andy Gump, Cupids Web, Croaker, Club House, and Round-up.
The newest index is the Cigar Label (CL) 500. Developed by a group of 20 or so veteran collectors (called The Group), the CL-500 has been their labor of love for the past six years. The The CL- 500 is composed of many highly sought after cigar labels that didn’t get onto the original instone100 list. This list contain images that veteran cigar label enthusiasts enjoy having in their collection. Cigar Labels on the list include: Covered wagon, Big wolf, Bank Note, General Hartranft, Kleine’s Buzzer, La Boda, Nebraska girl, Speculator, Pony post ,and Yankees just to name a few. This list is a diverse mixture of Inners and Outers, in a reasonable price ranges, and a variety of themes. A few of the Cigar Labels on the list include: Covered wagon, Big wolf, Nebraska girl, Speculator, and Pony Post.
Both lists can be found at http://www.instoneinc.com.
So now you know where to start. The next question is -How do you know if you are getting a good deal? Both the Instone100 and CL-500 have been thoroughly researched for the latest list prices. This is the price any collector should be able to acquire these labels for in the average condition.
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