What do former NBA star Michael Jordan, Rush Limbaugh, Sidney Frank, and the Tobacconist of Greenwich have in common: they have all laid hands on Marvin’s Mystery Box, the limited edition Elie Bleu humidor. This coveted humidor brought in over $1.8 million at a charity event in 2005 when it sold as a triple lot of humidors to Jordan, Limbaugh, and Frank. Now, the very humidor purchased by Sidney Frank that record-breaking night in April is currently at the Tobacconist of Greenwich, awaiting auction.
The legendary humidor already enjoyed the unofficial title of crowning jewel of the annual Night to Remember charity auction, hosted at the Four Seasons restaurant. Held for over 20 years now, Night to Remember is hosted by the editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado magazine Marvin Shanken, with all proceed going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Marvin’s Mystery Box was the capstone of Night’s auction in 2005, brought out after 18 other items were featured; items that included a collection of 693 Fuente-made cigars that included every Fuente Fuente Opus X, a trip for 10 on 141-foot luxury yacht in the Caribbean, and a chest filled with 100 bottles of rare wine. Yet even amidst this stunning lineup, Marvin’s Mystery box was held until the very end as befitting its station, after the Paradis Cognac was poured and the dinner cigars were lit.
The cedar-lined sycamore humidor, trimmed in ebony and inlayed with yellow sycamore is filled with unknown treasures and adorned with genuine Cuban cigar bands. It stands as the only non-cigar object that the Cuban government has allowed to be decorated in such a way. While the contents of the Mystery Box have never been divulged, it has been strongly hinted that it contains a trove of genuine Havanas.
The bidding started that night at a reasonable $50,000 and was headed toward a respectable mid $100,000 sale in Sidney Frank’s favor until Michael Jordan intervened. Well known for his appreciation of high-end cigars, Jordan and his tablemate, Rush Limbaugh, soon drove the price to the high $200,000’s as they played off each other in a three way bidding war. Shanken, recognizing the historic implications of the auction when the bidding hit $270,000, offered the trio a deal: he would triple the lot if each man agreed to pay $300,000 for a box. The total amount was then doubled by financer and cancer survivor Michal Milken, bringing the total sale to $1.8 million.
Now, the chance to walk the same historic paths as the men who inspired greatness in spirits, sports and politics is at hand. The bidding for Marvin’s Mystery Box will take place at a date to be announced in 2022, with an opening bid of $300,000. Interested parties should go to our auction below. Sign up for our newsletter to receive information about this auction.
Link to article detailing the historic auction can be found here.
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to place your bid before July 28, 2022 8:00pm.