Birkin bags—those high-end totes from designer Hermès—have proved to be a stellar investment as well as a status symbol. From 1980 through 2015, the bags increased in value by an average of 14% annually, according to Baghunter.com, an online platform for buying and selling luxury handbags. You'll have to ante up to speculate in this market. Recently, an Electric Bleu crocodile Birkin bag carried a $94,500 price tag on Baghunter.
Here's how Birkins stack up against other investments:
--Standard & Poor's 500-stock index. The broad market barometer returned 11% a year on average over the same period.
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--Gold (price per ounce). The volatile metal returned an average 2%.
--Rare collectible cars. The Top Index, compiled by the Historic Automobile Group International, includes the 1950s-era Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe and the mid 2000s Porsche Carrera GT. The index kept pace with Birkins, increasing by an average of 14% annually.
Annual inflation over the period was just over 3%.
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