5 Collectibles That Make Interesting Investment Alternatives

Let us get one thing straight, buying collectibles is as risky, if not more so than buying stock. The big difference is that it’s far easier to love your big box of sealed Star Wars figures from the 80s than it is AMZN stock. Even if one has helped you escape the noose of a mortgage.

The big issue with collectibles is that, what you buy now needs time to mature. Yet, unlike bonds that give you profit over time and a guaranteed return-on-investment at the end, a collectible that costs hundreds now might be worth pennies in 10-years. And even less in 30-years.

However, putting all that negativity to one side, buying collectibles remains an interesting investment alternative simply because you don’t know what will increase in value and by how much. It’s like gambling in stocks, with one difference, you get to physically hold an item once you’ve splashed the cash.

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So here’s 5 investment alternatives that have stood the test of time so far… Yet be warned, this is not financial advice. So always do your due diligence.

#5. Childhood Toys

• Toys from the 80s have been hot for a while. The reason: 30-somethings with disposable income.
• Hot toys to watch from the 80s include Micro Machines and Transformers. These can range from $10 to $300.
• In 2015, a Boba Fett bounty hunter figure from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back sold at auction for more than $27,000.

#4. Vinyl Records

• The price of first pressings has been rising for a while.
• As an avid collector, I can testify that some records have ridiculously increased in value. For example, the pressing I’ve been tracking for Eddie Hazel’s ‘Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs‘ has gone from $50 to $370 in one year.
• Obviously, not all vinyl records have moonshot in value but in-demand pressings get rarer each day. So as they are snapped up by collectors, it leaves those for sale going only one way in value. Upwards.

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#3. Modern-Day Pop-Culture Memorabilia

• If old-school vinyl isn’t your thing, why not start collecting hard-to-find pop-culture memorabilia?
• For instance, a setlist written by Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain sold for nearly $9,000 at auction in 2015. Another example is that a signed With The Beatles album sold for over $36,000.
• If music isn’t your thing, why not look at movie memorabilia? The key is to identify what fans will remember in 20-years time. A good example of this is the Sach Baron Cohen Borat suit which sold for over $5,000 and will likely be worth much more in the future.

#2. Vintage Watches

• One of the new crazes amongst tech millionaires and big-earners is collecting vintage watches.
• Brands like Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe are hot commodities. For example, in 2017 a 1982 Rolex Submariner was $13,000, it is now $23,000 and above.
• Vintage watches have even been called a “quintessential blue chip” investment by one collector.

#1 Vintage Fashion

• Like watches, vintage fashion, including handbags, purses, shoes, and accessories are top billing amongst collectors.
• Items from brands including Mary Quant, Biba, and Hermès are only increasing in value. Plus, anything that’s from the 40s to 60s and era-defining is in demand right now.
• It’s not just vintage however, era-defining modern fashion can set outrageous prices. For example, a Hermès Birkin made in 2014 was sold at auction for $200,000.

With each of the five above collectibles, it is easy to fall in love with what you’re buying. Just remember, if you’re buying as an investment, it is no safer than buying a stock. Plus, if you truly fall in love with it, the likelihood of ever selling it super-low.

Let us know what you are collecting on social media now.