An auction of luxury cigar humidors saw excellent results in Cuba on March 2, paradoxically in a bid to raise funds for the country's public health system.
 Cigars are coveted luxuries for US collectors, after a ban was imposed on Cuban imports by John F Kennedy, whose own humidor is shown above |
According to Prensa Latina, the state news agency, the auction raised $1.1m amid an international cigar festival that was attended by famous names such as actor Danny Glover and tennis star Boris Becker.
Six wooden humidors were sold on the night, each containing between 350 and 550 cigars. Glover was presented with a silver sculpture in recognition of his support for Cuba and his role in the "fight for peace and justice".
American celebrities such as Glover have to travel to Cuba to acquire their coveted smokes due to an import ban imposed on Cuban goods by the US government following the Cuban Missile Crisis. Learn more about the market for Cuban cigars.
