Budget Box Pass

[craig]

You guys should start a seperate pool as to how many posts this thread is going to end up being...4 contestants, 3 actual participants, 130+ posts. This thing could hit 1k with no problem

1k? Half that would be my guess.

Will the pass see August? Maybe not, with a bit of luck.

Will the pass see September? I hope not, but it might be close.

Does it make sense to run a pass in the summer? Nope ...

[mrtr33]

Here are my proposed trades. Looking forward to the comments.

Your P/T's look good to me, considering craig's comments the last few posts. I agree; it looks like you got some great deals!

You guys should start a seperate pool as to how many posts this thread is going to end up being...4 contestants, 3 actual participants, 130+ posts. This thing could hit 1k with no problem

Will the pass see August? Maybe not, with a bit of luck.

Will the pass see September? I hope not, but it might be close.

I don't know - we have EGQ, sarge, big bill. Then there's the Pass Herf (are ya'll really going to do that? - I'd love to come, but I don't think I can make it) Then DG is up. Considering we went through 4 participants in (about) 2.5 weeks, I don't think we'll hit August. Then again, I'm an optimist.

Thanks so much for hosting this, craig. It has been enjoyable and very informative.

[badwhale]

snip
I don't know - we have EGQ, sarge, big bill. Then there's the Pass Herf (are ya'll really going to do that? - I'd love to come, but I don't think I can make it) Then DG is up. Considering we went through 4 participants in (about) 2.5 weeks, I don't think we'll hit August. Then again, I'm an optimist.

Thanks so much for hosting this, craig. It has been enjoyable and very informative.

We're having some scheduling difficulties, as we were anticipating the box arriving at Nates around the 27th or so, but if it pushes to the weekend after the 4th, it may shape up. Anyone / everyone is invited, really.

Might end up being a weeknight gig too. Not sure yet.

Will

[FactoredReality]

We're having some scheduling difficulties, as we were anticipating the box arriving at Nates around the 27th or so, but if it pushes to the weekend after the 4th, it may shape up. Anyone / everyone is invited, really.

Might end up being a weeknight gig too. Not sure yet.

Will

We have a few opportunities that really just depend on when the "football" is in our posession.

While the pass is a great reason to meet up, I don't want to unnecessarily delay the pass. Push come to shove, I'm sure we could find some equally good excuse to meet up and smoke.

I second the open invitation, if your a member and in the area let us know. I'll be comming from the DC area and have plenty of room to haul extra travelers.

Nate

[prophetic_joe]

DC 0103 8555 7497 1619 4335

On the way sir.

[EGQ]

One thing I was thinking about with my proposed takes -- I'm dramatically depleting the ISOM-ness of the pass (5 ISOM takes, 1 ISOM put). I'd like to swap out one of the picks in red below -- I'd like to get a sense of what the pass participants would rather have left --the Mac or the Gurk -- either is fine with me. I will switch that P/T for the one marked in green below, which will result in 3 ISOM takes and 2 ISOM puts. Still a deficit, but not as dramatic. Thankfully, this pass didn’t require ISOM for ISOM as I’ve been wanting to try the JLPs, PLs and Quinteros, just never acted on the urge – and I certainly couldn’t have traded an ISOM for them considering the price differentials with the ones I currently have in the humi. I’m glad this pass was set up this way – thanks again, craig, for running this.

One thing to note: the Mac is a 7.5” tubed cigar that probably comes in a bit over 8” whilst tubed – I suspect it won’t fit in the designated tray, but I’m sure we can figure out a solution.

Comments?

************************************************** ************
Here are my proposed trades. Looking forward to the comments.


Maduro tray:
Take: #6 Oliva O M Torp, $5.59 - Put: #47 AF Hemingway Signature $6.40 (pd)
Take: #38 La Aurora 1495 Churchill, $7.67 - Put: #48 RyJ Belicoso May 2008, $7.59

Triple corta tray:
Take: #9 JLP Conserva, $1.72 - Put #49 Nestor Reserve Maduro Torpedo, $1.86 (pd)
Take: #39 El Titan de Bronze SG Redemption Lancero, $4.20 - Put #50 AF Hemingway Short Story, $4.60 (pd)

Long Stick tray:
Take: #18 Partagas Salomone, ~$20.00 - Put #51 Casa Fuente Double Robusto, $22.00
Take: #19 Por Larranaga Montecarlo, $3.71 - Put #52 Graycliff 1666 Presidente, $3.80 (pd)

Long-Filler tray:
Take #23 Montecristo #4, $5.35 - Put #53 Macanudo Vintage 2000 I, $5.38 (pd)
Take #25 Por Larranaga Petit Corona Cab, $ 4.46 - Put #54 Gurkha Legend Anniversario, $4.58 (CI has them 12 for $55, which is less than I paid)
Take: #44 Ashton VSG Tres Mystique, $8.18 - Put #__ Partags Serie P No. 2 ABR08, $8.23 (pd)

Those marked (pd) are ones I paid less then the going rate.

[craig]

If anyone coming up in the pass is thinking about taking the Macanudo, then please post or PM. The pass should be delivered on Monday, so I'll do the approvals Monday night. If there is no response by then, then I'll suggest that the Mac be dropped.

Is the SP#2 in a dildo tubo? Even without the dildo, the SP#2 may not fit (but I think it will).

<learning mode>
EGQ's comments on "ISOM-ness" reminded me that I originally had a rule on provenance of ISOM puts, but I took it out to reduce space.

Provenance
I may PM on a put for information on provenance. By provenance, I mean, at a minimum:
- sources. This means: a) the primary source - the place that you bought the cigars from, i.e., the place that you can return the cigars to, if there is a problem; and/or b) the secondary source - any other case, e.g., trades and box-splits.
- what was purchased, i.e., full box, fiver, sampler, single, etc.
- if a box purchase, then factory code and box date, a.k.a. box codes
- Cuban warranty seal serial number, importer or domestic Cuban seal(s), etc. Packaging pics are good too.

I will only PM on put cigars that I have heard/read from multiple sources are being faked. (This hasn't been the case with any of the final puts so far. Cohiba's are counterfeited a lot, but I haven't heard of or seen any fakes with the Maduro 5 band - yet.) I may deny such puts if the source cannot be confirmed, or is a source that has been questioned in the past few months - and a couple "trusted sources" have been trashed in the past few months. Please don't be offended if I deny a put for this reason.

That being said, if there is an issue with a taken cigar later, then take it up with the person who made the put. The final list of cigars will show folk's usernames (values will be removed).

FYI, all initial ISOM puts were from boxes purchased from authorized Canadian retailers.

Thinking about provenance reminded me about a gifted smokes, as gifted smokes lose provenance. So, while I'm here:

Putting gifted smokes
A topic of endless debate because it is a matter of principle. Some folks feel very strongly that people who put gifted smokes are asshats. Others feel just as strongly that a gift, once received, is yours, and you can do whatever you like with it. Others will not put gifted smokes themselves, but have no problem if someone that they have gifted a smoke to puts that smoke in a pass.

Like this pass, there is no explicit rule in most passes on gifted smokes. However, no money has been paid for a gifted smoke, so it isn't possible to put a gifted smoke in this pass.
</learning>

[prophetic_joe]

I do suggest dropping the Mac as well. I mean it's a Mac.

[EGQ]

No tube for the Serie P. I figured people would say drop the Mac -- it's a decent $5 smoke, but I would have never paid $13-15 for it...

[cigarsarge]

I say drop the mac...

[craig]

EGQ's p/t:

Take: #6 Oliva O M Torp, $5.59 - Put: #47 AF Hemingway Signature $6.40 (pd)
- current market value (CMV) of the O Mad and AF are $5.59 and $6.50, respectively.
- $6.40 value for the AF used.
So, 0.41 over

Take: #38 La Aurora 1495 Churchill, $7.67 - Put: #48 RyJ Belicoso May 2008, $7.59
- CMV of the La Aurora is $7.75 is higher, so the original put price of $7.67 is used
- CMV of the RyJ is $7.60. $7.60 used because I assume the difference is due to rounding.
So, 0.07 under

Take: #9 JLP Conserva, $1.72 - Put #49 Nestor Reserve Maduro Torpedo, $1.86 (pd)
- Conservas - I had $41.25, $75, $55, $44.02 and $32.16 as prices. $75 dropped, so the average price is $1.72
- Nestor CMV is $2.00. $1.86 used.
So, 0.14 over

Take: #39 El Titan de Bronze SG Redemption Lancero, $4.20 - Put #50 AF Hemingway Short Story, $4.60 (pd)
- ETDB @ 4.20 is the put value. $5.20 is the CMV
- AFSS CMV = $4.96. Paid value of $4.60 is used
So 0.20 over.

Take: #18 Partagas Salomone, ~$20.00 - Put #51 Casa Fuente Double Robusto, $22.00
- From the first two pages of a Yahoo search: 218 179 189 189 210 140Euro 249 225 191 Average price is $20.49
- Put value is CF MSRP from Moki's site: $22
So 1.51 over.

Take: #19 Por Larranaga Montecarlo, $3.71 - Put #52 Graycliff 1666 Presidente, $3.80 (pd)
- I got the same value for the PL
- Graycliff - I picked up 4 prices - 239.95 199 269.95 199.95. I dropped the 269.95, and got $10.65 as an average price. Thus, the paid value is used $3.80
So, 0.09 over

Please put the 1666 in a sandwich baggie or single baggie, etc., and then place it. About a year ago, a bunch of these had beetle issues. I don't know whether one batch of cigars was affected, or one bale of tobacco, or one order sent to one vendor, or what. Better safe than sorry. (Beetles don't eat plastic)

Take #23 Montecristo #4, $5.35 - Put #53 Macanudo Vintage 2000 I, $5.38 (pd)
- p/t withdrawn - Take number assigned to:
Take: #44 Ashton VSG Tres Mystique, $8.18 - Put #_53_ Partags Serie P No. 2 ABR08, $8.23 (pd)
- CMV of the VSG is unchanged at $8.18
- CMV for the SP#2 is $8.59, so put value of $8.23 used
So, 0.05 over.

Take #25 Por Larranaga Petit Corona Cab, $ 4.46 - Put #54 Gurkha Legend Anniversario, $4.58 (CI has them 12 for $55, which is less than I paid)
- CMV of the PLPC is $4.47 ($ 219.00 $ 244.95 $ 201.63 $ 239.00 $ 279.00 $ 230.00 $ 200.75 $ 235.43 $ 218.23 $ 221.01 - with $279 dropped). Like the RyJ, I assume the penny is rounding error.
- Pricing Gurkha can be interesting. MSRP is $120/6 . The aniversario is a size unique to CI (as a wholesaler). CI's normal selling price, and the price at websites that affiliate with CI, is $55/6. However, CI has been blowing them out at JoeCigar for $30/6, and now offers $55/12 as a B1G1. Using the B1G1 price is reasonable, so $4.58
So, 0.11 over.

So, all p/t approved. Thanks for playing! Please post which squares you want, and CigarSarge - the last stop on the westward leg of the pass - is up!

[ashauler]

Nice p/t's EGQ.

[EGQ]

Everything arrived safe and sound yesterday, I'll swap out the P/Ts tonight and get it on its way to sarge (pm sent to confirm info) tomorrow morning.

[cigarsarge]

Ready...Send it.

[craig]

Thought I posted this before, but I guess not:

Enter Ashauler's pass contest! http://www.cigarsmokers.com/t11917-w...e-fun-end.html

[cigarsarge]

I'll post my proposed Puts and takes tomorrow...I'm at work right now so I can't sort em out tonight.

[big bill]

I have Pm Craig to remove me from budget box pass due to illness my mother was put back in hospital in Indiana and I will be going up there to be with her.

[CAJUNBLAZE]

Sorry to hear that big bill, I hope everything gets better for you and your mom.

Rich

[ashauler]

I have Pm Craig to remove me from budget box pass due to illness my mother was put back in hospital in Indiana and I will be going up there to be with her.

Thoughts and prayers coming from Kansas.

[cigarsarge]

Proposed puts and takes

Tray A... Rocky Patel Fusion take...put LFD Cheroot. The LFD Cheroot is a special made cigar that is only available at one cigar store in the US. paid $7 for it.

Tray C...El Rico Habano Torp take...Put Avalon Honey Boy Edwards original release.

Tray D...DP Our Father take...Put Bolivar Gold Medal 07