Collectibles Prove to Be a Solid Asset Class for Investors
Anyone with a passion for certain collectibles and the patience to wait for values to grow could see some strong returns.


Your youthful passion may just help fund your retirement: Collectibles, sometimes misperceived as passion projects for slightly eccentric investors, have morphed into an increasingly solid asset class in their own right.
For those willing to invest the time — and more than a few dollars – in a category that appeals to them, collectibles are offering a new generation of investors an exciting place to put their money to work. And while watches, wines and baseball cards shouldn’t replace your IRA, those with the right mindset, time horizon and sufficient passion for the items being collected should find themselves with strong returns as well.
The values of sports memorabilia, vintage automobiles, luxury watches and even collectible handbags have all seen strong growth over the last several years, even as other markets have stuttered or fallen.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Spurred on by stuck-at-home Americans flush with idle cash, values in the collectibles market surged coming out of the pandemic, as some collectors rediscovered an old hobby, and others stumbled onto a new one.
Even as the market has slowed somewhat, the value of certain luxury collectibles have still seen a year-over-year growth of 7%, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, while other more niche items — like collectible Lego sets — have seen increases of up to 11%, according to a study published in the Research in International Business and Finance journal.
Those gains are better than real estate and gold over the same time period.
But before using recent performance as a justification for buying yourself a $20,000 watch, here’s what some experts have to say about the collectibles market, where it’s going and what’s worth the price tag.
Nostalgia rules
Things that remind us of childhood are fetching remarkable prices at auction, whether its Rocky Balboa’s boxing gloves or the old muscle car you admired in the parking lot of your high school.
“Those high school students are now in their 50s and have the expendable income to buy the muscle car they had always wanted, and are not afraid to pay for it,” said Joe Sabatini, president of exotic car show organizer Festivals of Speed.
As a new generation becomes the power spenders, demand in the marketplace shifts. Certain cars from the ’80s are now able to fetch up to $200,000 — valuations that had been previously associated exclusively with cars from the ’60s.
Following the trend line of nostalgia, Sabatini has a guess for what class of vehicle will pop off next: vintage Japanese cars.
Keep liquidity in mind
One key to investing wisely in collectibles: liquidity. Unlike market-traded assets that can be turned into cash quickly, most categories of collectibles take significantly more time to transact. In addition, to maximize profit, sellers need to be able to authenticate and properly market their assets — both of which require preparation and advance notice.
“It's important that potential investors don't earmark more money than they should to an asset class like sports collectibles,” said Brian Dwyer, president of Robert Edward Auctions. “Certain pieces have an inherent illiquidity to them, and if they have to be sold in a rush, it can be disastrous for the investor.”
That means investments in collectibles should be understood as providing long-term returns. For items like art and car collectibles, things like ownership lineage and provenance can drive up values significantly. Generally speaking, the holding period for collectibles should be thought of in multiple years, not months.
Correlated to the economy — contraction ahead?
For investors new to the world of collectibles, one note of caution: Like most parts of the economy, the collectibles market isn’t immune to the impacts of rising interest rates. Most experts in the space expect some degree of pullback over the next year as soaring interest rates slow demand and auction houses cool from their post-pandemic booms.
According to collectibles research group Altan Insights, the quantity of six- and seven-figure auction sales fell between 30% and 36% year-over-year, respectively.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there won’t be continued demand for certain items. While last year’s record-breaking sale of a vintage 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card may have been a high point for the market, a proven asset like a Mickey Mantle card will continue to pay off. In general, the market for vintage sports memorabilia has proven resilient: Six-figure sales for vintage sports memorabilia were up 14% year-over-year, even while overall six-figure sales were down 30%.
Where to begin
Because collectibles markets have been strong ahead of the recent economic stutter-steps, buyers need to exercise extra caution when wading in. Working through trusted sellers is important, especially when purchasing big-ticket items, but buyers should also be cognizant of various market forces at play.
Ron Varney of Fine Art Advisors, for instance, cautions buyers in the art market right now. “High valuations have opened the doors for more artwork to come into the market,” he said, “and a lot of that isn’t what we would consider ‘investment-grade.’”
Fundamentally, collectors finding success are those with a true interest — whether it be in art, sports, wine or any other focused area. Investors who have a passion for their collection are not only more incentivized to hold on to their goods, but they are also going to be less likely to get swept up in speculative hype.
The best downside protection of all may come from the psychic income a collector gets from owning something they love deeply. Said Festival of Speed’s Sabatini regarding a client who watched a Ferrari they purchased grow to a multimillion-dollar valuation: “I don’t think those owners purchased the car as an investment. It was just a pure love of what the car was.”
Collectibles aren’t an asset class suited to every investor, but those with a passion for a particular class of items and patient funds to invest can find the category offers strong returns in the form of both dollars and happiness.
Related Content
- Big Money Is Chasing Sports Collectibles: Investing Opportunity or Market Top?
- Collectible Vintage Photos Emerge as Investable Asset Class
- How to Help Your Kids Profit From Their Collectibles
- Invest Like the Rich: Are Direct Investments Right for You?
- Three Investments That Put Your Money to Work With Less Risk
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Tom Ruggie, ChFC®, CFP®, founded Destiny Family Office, a Destiny Wealth Partners firm, to help clients manage the increasing complexities inherent in their business and personal lives. He has identified three key areas where his firm can make a significant difference: presenting a compelling sphere of investments, including alternative, direct and co-investment opportunities; creating a special emphasis on high-end collectors whose collections signify significant alternative investments; and strengthening the firm’s private trust capabilities. Ruggie has become one of the most respected financial advisers in the industry, receiving national recognition and rankings including: 7x Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (including 2024; #1 N Florida), InvestmentNews Awards RIA Team of the Year (2024), Forbes Top 250 RIA Firms (2023), Forbes Finance Council since 2016, 12x Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors (including 2024), InvestmentNews Top 75 Fastest-Growing Fee-Only RIAs (2023), 12x Financial Advisor Magazine America’s Top RIAs (including 2024), 3x Family Wealth Report Awards Finalist (2024), USA Today Best Financial Advisory Firms (2023).
-
Stock Market Today: Have We Seen the Bottom for Stocks?
Solid first-quarter earnings suggest fundamentals remain solid, and recent price action is encouraging too.
By David Dittman
-
Is the GOP Secretly Planning to Raise Taxes on the Rich?
Tax Reform As high-stakes tax reform talks resume on Capitol Hill, questions are swirling about what Republicans and President Trump will do.
By Kelley R. Taylor
-
Social Security Is Taxable, But There Are Workarounds
If you're strategic about your retirement account withdrawals, you can potentially minimize the taxes you'll pay on your Social Security benefits.
By Todd Talbot, CFP®, NSSA, CTS™
-
Serious Medical Diagnosis? Four Financial Steps to Take
A serious medical diagnosis calls for updates of your financial, health care and estate plans as well as open conversations with those who'll fulfill your wishes.
By Thomas C. West, CLU®, ChFC®, AIF®
-
To Stay on Track for Retirement, Consider Doing This
Writing down your retirement and income plan in an investment policy statement can help you resist letting a bear market upend your retirement.
By Matt Green, Investment Adviser Representative
-
How to Make Changing Interest Rates Work for Your Retirement
Higher (or lower) rates can be painful in some ways and helpful in others. The key is being prepared to take advantage of the situation.
By Phil Cooper
-
Within Five Years of Retirement? Five Things to Do Now
If you're retiring in the next five years, your to-do list should contain some financial planning and, according to current retirees, a few life goals, too.
By Evan T. Beach, CFP®, AWMA®
-
The Home Stretch: Seven Essential Steps for Pre-Retirees
The decade before retirement is the home stretch in the race to quit work — but there are crucial financial decisions to make before you reach the finish line.
By Mike Dullaghan, AIF®
-
Three Options for Retirees With Concentrated Stock Positions
If a significant chunk of your portfolio is tied up in a single stock, you'll need to make sure it won't disrupt your retirement and legacy goals. Here's how.
By Evan T. Beach, CFP®, AWMA®
-
Four Reasons It May Be Time to Shop for New Insurance
You may be unhappy with your insurance for any number of reasons, so once you've decided to shop, what is appropriate (or inappropriate) timing?
By Karl Susman, CPCU, LUTCF, CIC, CSFP, CFS, CPIA, AAI-M, PLCS