Churchill Cigar Stub Found in Malta

Winston Churchill was rarely seen without a cigar, and his trips to Malta were no exception. So, it's unsurprising that the tiny nation's history is littered with the stubs of Britain's war-time leader. Just recently, one of them was discovered, attached to the glass frame of a photo of the prime minister.

The cigar was found by Wigi Ebejer, grandson of Gabriel Ebejer, secretary of what is now the San Gabriel Band Club. During WWII, he worked for the Demolition and Clearance Department, which cleaned up around the Clock Tower in Vittoriosa shortly after the war's end. He received the cigar stub from a man remembered as Mr. Nappa, who worked as a cook at the Governor's Palace. Nappa received it from Gabriel Debono, a messenger with business for Churchill. Debono used the smoked cigar as proof of his legitimacy.

There are several of Churchill's "empties" in Malta, and there is a market for them as collectibles. Prices can run from hundreds to thousands of euros.