Buying
Reading a box code
Factory codes and date stamps help establish provenance, especially on Cubans and documented secondary lots.
Box codes vary by country and era. On many Habanos boxes, factory and month/year stamps help date production; New World makers may use batch stickers, tax seals, or internal lot numbers instead. Codes are evidence, not a guarantee of smoking quality. A well-stored older box can outsmoke a poorly kept newer one. On Captaincy marketplace lots, photos of codes, seals, and receipts are part of the documentation set buyers should expect.