Vintage RJ Reynolds Prince Albert Tin and Tobacco

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Swede

Swede

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Today at antique store, I spotted this tin which had a tag saying an unopened pouch. Bought this for $7.99, and tobacco is indeed still sealed, but the tin wasn't. I'm debating whether to smoke it or save. A search shows Middleton began producing PA from 1987 on, so this is at least 36 odd years old. Check out the Dr. Grabow offer on the paper wrap.
Got an old Kaywoodie Super Grain there too.
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Not sure how well those tins kept oxygen back then any way but if there is no mold and dried out it might be worth giving the ole re-hydro to it.

Now more importantly on to the Dr. Grabow coupon offer if you only had four more :) A Westbrook for two dollars, what a deal. Congrats on the Kaywoodie find! Give us a posting before and after cleaning.
 
I doubt this is a Middleton product! Look at the address on the tin. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco., Winston-Salem, N. C. 27102. I have two like this. Do yours have a bar code printed on the side opposite the address? I don't remember when barcodes first came out! My two tins are fully sealed and have an Alabama $.05 tax stamp on the bottom.
FWIW, I'm from Winston-Salem, attended R.J. Reynolds Senior High School, and worked for RJR packing and moving finished cigarettes! FTRPLT
 
That wrapping doesn't hold the moisture so what you have is dried out. If you carefully and slowly rehydrate it, use distilled water, and little of it. Sometimes, the blends come back to life and sometimes not. You opened it, so you might as well give it a try.
 
JimInks said:
That wrapping doesn't hold the moisture so what you have is dried out. If you carefully and slowly rehydrate it, use distilled water, and little of it. Sometimes, the blends come back to life and sometimes not. You opened it, so you might as well give it a try.
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Thanks Jim, I'm going to rehydrate and smoke some. I wish the tin had been sealed when I bought it. This will be the oldest tobacco I've ever smoked.
 
I don't think PA was put into those tins as late as 1987. My great grandfather smoked PA and the only tins like that of his were all prior to 1963. Some years after that it was the same shape/packaging, but made from cardboard. Kinda similar to a pack of cheap cigars.

Nice find you made. I lived in Winston for 18 years. Nice to see some old PA found. Hope you can salvage it. The new stuff is awful. Wish I could taste what great grandad enjoyed.

Give future details on how it tastes!
 
cwbristow said:
I don't think PA was put into those tins as late as 1987. My great grandfather smoked PA and the only tins like that of his were all prior to 1963. Some years after that it was the same shape/packaging, but made from cardboard. Kinda similar to a pack of cheap cigars.

Nice find you made. I lived in Winston for 18 years. Nice to see some old PA found. Hope you can salvage it. The new stuff is awful. Wish I could taste what great grandad enjoyed.

Give future details on how it tastes!
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Wow, thanks for that information. I'm interested to see how it compares to the previous USA made and now Dominican Republic made PA. I will update on that.
 
cwbristow said:
I don't think PA was put into those tins as late as 1987. My great grandfather smoked PA and the only tins like that of his were all prior to 1963. Some years after that it was the same shape/packaging, but made from cardboard. Kinda similar to a pack of cheap cigars.

Nice find you made. I lived in Winston for 18 years. Nice to see some old PA found. Hope you can salvage it. The new stuff is awful. Wish I could taste what great grandad enjoyed.

Give future details on how it tastes!
Click to expand...
The last time I remember seeing PA in a tin was the late 1970s, possibly '80-'81. Not sure after that as I wasn't paying attention. I was getting my tobacco almost solely from The Tinderbox as of 1978.
 
cwbristow said:
I don't think PA was put into those tins as late as 1987. My great grandfather smoked PA and the only tins like that of his were all prior to 1963. Some years after that it was the same shape/packaging, but made from cardboard. Kinda similar to a pack of cheap cigars.

Nice find you made. I lived in Winston for 18 years. Nice to see some old PA found. Hope you can salvage it. The new stuff is awful. Wish I could taste what great grandad enjoyed.

Give future details on how it tastes!
Click to expand...
Thought I'd post a picture of the other packaging that I found in a small town grocery store. I'm smoking out of one of the pouches. This was processed in the USA.
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Every time someone mentions Prince Albert I can't help but remember the old phone trick: Do you have Prince Albert in the can? The Princess will be over to bail him out! (Can't believe we thought that was funny :rolleyes:.)
 
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