A discarded box of old cigars destined for the bin lit up a Newark saleroom when it sold for more than £8,000.
After the sale, at Hansons Auctioneers in Northgate on April 11, the stunned Nottinghamshire vendor said she was “completely astonished”.
The haul of Havanas, some of which were the same brand smoked by Winston Churchill, was discovered at a routine house valuation in Clifton.
One lot, including with two boxes of Romeo Y Julieta – the wartime leader’s favourite puff – had been expected to sell for £100-£200 but fetched £1,700.
Hansons Newark’s saleroom manager, Simon Witts. said: “The cigars came to light during a house visit. The client was going to dispose of them before I stopped her. When I rang her with the results she was delighted and completely astonished.”
In total nine lots of sealed boxed cigars, with a pre-sale guide price of £1,100-£2,400, sold for £8,110 – with the majority going to the same trade buyer in London.
A sealed box of Manuel Lopez Punch coronas, expected to make £150-£300 sold for £800 with another sealed box of Romeo Y Julieta, with a guide price of £100-£200, fetching £650.
Romeo Y Julieta, which dates back to 1875, rose to fame after cigar-loving Churchill visited the country in 1946 and became a fan of the brand.
Some 80 years later global demand for high-end cigars is booming – much of it fuelled by Asia – with rare, aged and discontinued brands highly sought after.
Simon Witts continued: “All the cigars in the sale dated from before 1960 – a period known as the “golden age” of Cuban cigars. These were the years before Fidel Castro came to power and nationalised the industry, leading to the decline of highly-skilled family cigar businesses, like Manuel Lopez, with their skilled growers and rollers.”
President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 trade embargo with the island, including banning Cuban cigars, inevitably increased demand which has continued to rise.
During WWII Churchill was inseparable from his Cuban cigars (principally Romeo y Julieta), often smoking eight-10 daily.
He famously described them as essential to his routine, saying: “Smoking cigars is like falling in love. First, you are attracted by its shape; you stay for its flavour, and you must always remember never, never to let the flame go out!”
Simon continued: “The great result is a reminder that you should think twice before you throw anything away because, like this vendor, you could be sitting on an auction windfall.”
Hansons’ team of experts holds regular valuation days at The Auction Room, 17 Northgate, Newark, NG24 1EX. For more details call 01636 605905 or just pop in.
Auction Details
Auction: Newark Special April Auction of Gold, Silver Jewellery & Watches
Auction date: 11th April 2026 | 10am
Location: Hansons’ Newark Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
