30/06/2016
11 things you could invest in that isn't gold
Gold, silver and bronze. Even in our younger days, we would learn that gold is a valuable commodity and it would be the one to strive for. During sporting competitions, the sports pedestal would often dictate how well a contestant had done, as the winner of the gold medal would always have the prime spot.
However, now gold no longer has as much importance as it once did. Sure, it is still the token medal to strive for in the sports arena, but besides that, people think twice before investing in gold and rightfully so, as it clearly is not worth as much as it once was. The prime of gold was back in the 1980s when it was worth more than US$2,000 (S$2,709.60) per ounce. As of 22 June 2016, it is only worth US$1,269.80 per ounce.
These days, there are items which Malaysians are already actively purchasing and collecting which unbeknownst to them could actually rake in the moolah in the near future. These items are the ones which would be worth more than gold, solely due to the fact that people are coveting it and are willing to pay a significant amount for it.
Naturally, the rule of thumb would be to invest in things which appreciates over time. Here are 11 things that Malaysians could consider investing in other than the typical gold.
1. Lego
It's hard to believe that the colourful objects that are pretty to look at, and fun to assemble, are actually worth quite a fair bit. That's all the more reason to indulge in our childish side and purchase these play items in bulk. There's a catch though, as obviously not every odd Lego piece would fetch a price.
Some key things to remember is to keep them in a box, and to invest in vintage, collectible Lego sets such as Star Wars. One of the best deals that a Lego set has fetched would be a "Cafe Corner" hotel model which was sold for £89.99 (S$166.92), but as it is no longer produced, scaled up to £2,096 upon purchase.
2. Whiskey
There is a reason some liquor are tagged with the saying "better with age", and even more so if they are rare finds in the first place. In the 2015 investment comparison, gold decreased by 10.44 per cent while the Rare Whiskey Apex 1000 went up by 14.36 per cent. That just goes to show that liquor does carry its own weight in terms of appreciation of value.
To put this into perspective, Sotherby's Hong Kong sold a Macallan, which is a single malt whiskey, for upwards of US$630,000. That alone places a sky-high amount on each and every drop of whiskey from the bottle.
3. Collectible comics
Comic books might sound like an item which would not appreciate over time, as it would eventually age, and not gracefully either. Still, some are willing to put money down on vintage collectibles which are no longer being produced. For instance, a quick search on Ebay would display the whopping amount at which comic books such as the black and white Flash comics are priced at. Collectors of the first Ashcan edition in 1939 of the aforementioned comic would have to fork out US$5 million to own it.
It isn't just the 'hard-to-get-a-hold-of' comics which rake in the big bucks either, as The Walking Dead #1 comic is another prime example of a comic which is valuable in this day and age.
4. Vinyl records
Not many people collect vinyl records anymore, and that is a key reason to why it is worth a lot. For those who have their hands on a piece which a collector is looking out for, they could earn quite a large sum for it.
Auctions are a good place to put these vintage vinyl records up for sale and one can bring home a fair bit from such sales. For instance, soul musician Frank Wilson's Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) vinyl record was auctioned several years ago for £35,000. Hence, it's wise to charge a hefty sum if you do happen to own one.
5. Figurines
A go-to birthday present for the geek-at-heart these days would be any figurine which they have been meaning to get their hands on, whether it is a Star Wars one or a particular anime character. These average toys are actually more than just child's play or something that one could proudly display-they could actually be worth a lot more than it seems.
The key factor would be to keep these figurines in pristine conditions, as unlike comic collectibles, this is what makes them worth their weight in gold. The Hot Wheels Complete Numbered Series Collection is an example of a rare collectible which can easily be priced at US$20,000.
6. Collectible cards
Collectible cards were all the rage in the early 90s when local primary school goers would be seen trading their cards for something of more value. As these are easily accessible, they would not cost much at all, unlike the rare card collectible, which is the Pokemon Pikachu Illustrator Card. It is said to be a rare commodity in the Pokemon land, and is able to bring in US$150,000.
7. Stamps
Stamps are a low cost item to acquire and wouldn't necessarily strike one as a high-value item. However, back in the days, the Malayan-Malaysia stamps circa 1880's-1970's were intricate in its creation and even with some minor imperfections can be priced at about US$1022 - 1168.
These stamps which are sold in a collection set of about 1750 pieces in total, are on auction at Sandafayre, a site which is 'serious about stamps'. Due to their vintage qualities, it is no wonder that the stamps could rake in an amount which could rival the amount of other investments.
8. Board games
Board games are another item which collectible-hungry folks are on the lookout for and not any ol' board game is one which would fetch in a high price. One which is priced at US$1000-2500 is the rare War of the Ring: Collector's Edition board game. One reason as to why it is priced so steep is because the game was only produced in 2 waves of 1000 units each, and it is also painstakingly hand-painted as well.
9. Hermès Birkin bag
It's often seen slung on the arms of Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga and Kim K, but perhaps neither of the four powerhouse celebrities would find the need to auction off their prized Hermès at any point, though it would most certainly bring in a big cheque. While the S&P 500, and gold fluctuated, the bag was one steady investment that saw an average annual increase of 14.2 per cent, over the period of 1980-2015.
10. Chanel bag
The Chanel bag is another bag which could prove to be an investment besides just being a classy fashion staple. The classic Chanel Medium Classic Flap Bag started off at a humble pricetag of USD 220 back in 1955, and since then, its value has only gone uphill from there.
As of 2016, it is valued at US$4,900. For something which has only ever seen an increase in value, it is a safer bet against the ever-fluctuating gold. The bag has also remarkably outperformed housing prices, and in the past six years, and the S&P 500 as well.
11. Vintage Ringgit notes
Go ahead and pester your grandparents for some duit raya this year and perhaps sneakily (and sweetly) ask them for vintage notes instead, because these are the ones which can be sold for even five figure price tags. The older the ringgit note is, the more it would naturally cost to be sold off and one of the pricier ringgits is the 1970-produced One Ringgit, which is sold at RM20,000 (S$6,582) on the online classified-ads website, Mudah.my.
What items would you choose to invest in for a possible rainy tomorrow?
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