London, December 4 (RHC) -– Cuban cigars continue to be regarded as the best in the world and attract large crowds of expert buyers.

The 2014 annual C. Gars Ltd. London cigar auction at Boisdale Belgravia on Wednesday boasted a catalog bulging with vintage, mature, limited edition and pre-embargo Cuban cigars, the CigarAficionado magazine reports.

The 347 lots attracted heavy interest, with $867,306 raised in total, including fees.

The auction room was packed with potential buyers from the U.S., China, Hong Kong and Europe, and there were many pre-bids, bringing the number of bidders to around 200.

Vintage cigars continue to appear, and the market is clearly extremely strong for the right cigars. Stand out lots were Lot 317, an extremely rare and highly desirable Cubatabaco 1492 humidor, containing 50 numbered Cuban cigars from 1992 described as "in pristine condition and with dark leaf," which sold for an impressive $41,463.

The second highest hammer price was $25,341 (£16,193) for Lot 339, a stunning cabinet of 125 Romeo y Julieta Coronations de Luxe pre-embargo cigars.