Description:
This is extremely rare. „Tobacco Filter King Size“ cigarette pack, specially made Sierra Leone market, as indicated by a clear inscription above the name – “Made for sale in Sierra Leone”. The packaging design is simple yet expressive: brightly red background with a contrasting white and black circle logo depicting a stylized cigarette and the inscription TOBACCO.
The minimalist design and simple layout are typical of smaller regional African manufacturers working under local licensing agreements with larger tobacco companies. At the time, in the 1970s and 1980s, this type of packaging was intended for both local sales and export to surrounding countries (Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria).
The inscription is visible on the side of the package “Filter” and “King Size Cigarettes”, suggesting that it was an attempt to compete with international brands such as Rothmans or Benson & Hedges.
This specimen is distinguished by the fact that Cigarette packs from Sierra Leone are extremely rare on the collector's market, because the country has never had a large tobacco industry, and most of the production was destroyed during the civil war of the 1990s.
Value assessment:
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Collectible value: Very high due to geographical origin and extremely low number of surviving specimens. African tobacco market specimens, especially from Sierra Leone, are considered a unique segment in the international tobacco collections market.
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Condition assessment: Good – the packaging is intact, the cellophane is authentic, although age spots and surface oxidation spots are visible in places, which is common for examples stored in tropical climates.
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Historical data and popularity: Between 1980 and 1990, Sierra Leone's tobacco imports and production were overseen by the Sierra Leone Tobacco Company, a regional arm of BAT. Tabaca was one of several local brands that stood out for its national origin designation.