Old Puts
I have done research and checking on 5 cent cigars for years now and haven't been able to find any pics, or text on Old Put Cigars. I did see the railroad line named Old Put. I believe it was named after Isreal Putnam, who's nickname was "Old Put". Putnam was a military hero of our country since its beginnings. He fought in the French and Indian War and in the Revolutionary War. He left his field to join the Minute Men at the battles of Concord and Lexington. He joined the Continental Army and was regarded by George Washington as one of his best leaders. Some claim he was the one who said "Don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes" at the Battle of Bunker Hill, not Prescott as widely believed. Who knows for sure. Historian David McCullogh complimented him by saying he was "Tough as any man that ever lived". I can only assume that Old Put 5 cent cigars were named after Putnam, but until something ever shows up on these cigars, we'll never know. As Leon stated, those of us who have collected them or have some in our collections collect them because of their uniqueness or obscurity. Years back, along with the help of many board members, I documented and collected a checklist of the Old Put E98s that the board members either owned or knew of their existence. It can be found in the archives. Here's a scan of one of the few that I own.
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