A contents consultant was recently asked to help establish the value of a cigar collection. To be clear, this was not just any collection. It was thought to be of the Cuban variety, and therefore this project had several interesting implications.

Widely considered the best in the world, Cuban cigars command top dollar. Although recent crops of Cuban cigars are readily available throughout Europe, Canada and in other areas around the globe, much to the dismay of American aficionados, they have been long banned in the United States.

An Embargo BeginsUnderstanding why this precious commodity is illegal in the U.S. requires revisiting a troubling time in American history. The 1950s are among several decades of sustained tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, commonly referred to as the "Cold War." With the tension of the Cold War as a backdrop, an armed revolution occurred in Cuba, just about 90 miles from the coast of Florida. The pro U.S. leader was displaced by a communist leader. That new leader was Fidel Castro, and the year was 1959.