Where can I sell my cigar collection?

If you have cigars you no longer want, there are a handful of realistic ways to sell them. Each suits a different kind of seller, and each asks something different of you: time, effort, fees or patience.

Selling to a specialist buyer

A specialist buyer reviews the collection, usually from a list and photos, and makes one offer for what they want. You deal with one party, the sale is private, and you don’t sell box by box.

The trade-off is that a buyer needs a margin, so the offer reflects that. A good buyer will explain how they reached the number and won’t pressure you to accept it.

Auction houses

Some auction houses hold cigar sales. Auctions can work well for rare and highly collectible boxes. They usually charge seller’s fees, sales happen on their calendar, and there’s no guarantee every lot sells or reaches its estimate.

Selling privately to other collectors

Selling to people you know, or through collector communities, can bring a good price for individual boxes. It also takes the most effort: answering questions, proving authenticity, arranging handovers, and dealing with strangers. Rules on selling tobacco privately vary from place to place, so check what applies where you are.

Selling to a cigar store

Some stores will consider buying back stock, but many can’t buy from individuals at all because of how they’re licensed. It’s worth asking, but don’t count on it.

How to choose

• A few rare boxes: an auction or a specialist buyer.
• A whole collection or an inherited humidor: a specialist buyer who can make one offer for the lot.
• Store or business inventory: a buyer of surplus stock. See cigar shop liquidation.

Before you contact anyone

Whoever you sell to, you’ll be asked the same things: what you have, how much of it, what condition it’s in, how it’s been stored and where it is. Our guide on preparing a collection for evaluation walks through it, and how to sell a cigar collection takes you through a sale step by step.