In the early part of the 19th century, cigars were shipped in barrels in the United States. This method was used to ship inexpensive cigars. Approximately 2,500 stogies could be stored in a barrel. Famous American writer and humorist Mark Twain, who was fond of smoking cheap cigars, said that when he first started smoking cigars, he paid four dollars for a barrel filled with stogies. Now that’s a lot of bang for the buck! If you’re looking to purchase some great cigars without putting your wallet over a barrel, visit our More Bang for the Buck page.