A humble cigar box has a surprising number of parts

Fits the inside lid of the cigar box. Standard size is 6″x9″.

Placed on the outside of the cigar box. Standard size is 4″x4″. 

A covering placed on top of the cigars to protect them from the lid. Average size 5″x8″. Usually less ornate than the inner label.

A label covering the outside of the cigar box. Usually has the appearance of wood and used on cardboard boxes to give the appearance of a wood box. Average 5″x8″

Used to cover the exterior and allows shopkeeper to see what is in the box when on a shelf.

Placed on the edges of the box to cover the exposed wood.

Glued to the lid and front of the box to cover the nail and prevent tampering.

A legal notification about the contents of the product. Usually found on the bottom of the box.

Label that went on the front of the box to keep the top sheet in place

Label that went over the back of the box to keep the top sheet in place

These labels were given to salespeople to make their orders. Many times found in salesman sample books

Label used to verify the colors prior to going to print.

Publisher Proof. Final color proof with publishers OK.

Label showing different colors used to print the final label. Often part of a book which shows each color used and finished label.

Multipage book containing Salesman Sample Labels

Label that has part of the paper cut away.  Generally removed from scrapbooks.

Label with area for photos to be added.

Label with blank area for custom title.

Instead of individual labels, this wrap covered the entire box.  Box wraps are not covered in this guide 

Cigar bands are not covered in this price guide.  There are hundreds of thousands of different bands.  They generally quite inexpensive to collect.

Label used to cover the outside of bulk cigars sold in tins. Generally 4″ x 18″ Can Labels are not covered in this guide

Can tops cover the tin that stored the cigar labels. Can Tops are not covered in this guide.

Boxes are as varied as cigar labels. Many of the images on boxes are the only time you will see the image! Boxes are sought after by collectors but take a lot of space to store properly. Boxes are not covered in this guide.

Once you get bit by the cigar label bug you will see there are all types of collectibles associated with the hobby. The many pieces of ephemera include, photos, documents, fan pulls, advertisements, trade cards and much more.

Many Cigar Labels are are heavily embossed with real 24K gold leaf or bronze. Silver embossed labels are the most rare.
Most labels produced in the USA are bronze gilded while European labels have 24K gold. Most modern printing is neither embossed nor gilded.

All Cigar Art Labels produced from 1880 – 1920 have distinct stipple dots in a random patter.

Early 1870’s Cigar Art Labels have distinct crayon marks rather than stippling and these labels are not embossed.

Photomechanical or modem off-set printed labels have only 4 colors and are rarely embossed. Fine, uniform dots.

Gilding is embossed on top of the artwork. In the USA bronze is generally used. Printed on clay paper

24K gold gilding is generally found on European labels.   A simple way to recognize a European label is by the DEP code on the front of the label.

Label is produced with offset printing. A standardized dot pattern can be seen when magnified. Generally no guilding and on printed lighter weight paper.

The most rare of the embossed labels. Silver guided labels are made in the USA.

The earliest labels were either black and white, or hand colored with crayons.

On the left is Stone Litho.  Notice the large, random dot pattern.  On the right is a photomechanical label.  Notice the tight, uniform dot pattern.