10 iconic investments you can literally put under the tree

I have been a collector all my life. It’s a bug that I caught from my dad who admittedly had finer tastes, but also more means to service them, than I do. Whilst his focus was wine, coins, art, and silk carpets from exotic countries (yep, really), my focus has been sports trading cards, autographed memorabilia, model cars, pens, watches, and Lego. The one passion we share is cars – real size ones, not models.

In both cases, however, we didn’t collect these things because we thought they would go up in value. We collected them because we love them and have a real passion for what they represent.

Of course, a happy byproduct of anything collectible and rare is that if you look after it, and keep it for long enough, invariably it will increase in value over time. It also helps to have a mother who doesn’t throw out your stuff when you move out of home – as my grandmother unfortunately did to my dad.

Included in that ‘cleansing’ was a full set of post-World War II aeroplane trading cards. I don’t think my dad ever got over it, despite his unending love for his mum. Fortunately, my mum packed all my collectibles into boxes and stuffed them in the attic. Rediscovering it all in my thirties was like 10 Christmases at once, and sharing it with my boys has been a real treat.

But enough about me. This wire, as the title suggests, is about 10 iconic investments you can literally put under the tree. Of course, if anyone has any stories of passions that have turned into investments, or rediscoveries of long-lost treasures, we’d love to hear them in the comments.

1. Lego

It’s amazing to think that the little, plastic, interconnecting bricks have spawned a $16 billion empire for the Christiansen family – making it the most valuable toy company in the world. And whilst you can’t buy Lego shares (the company is privately owned), you can, of course, buy the sets.

These days, there is an entire ecosystem dedicated to tracking the value of Lego, and facilitating the transacting of vintage and rare sets and minifigs. For anyone who had Lego as a child and has it tucked away somewhere, it might be worth digging it out of storage.

A 1978 Castle, model number 375-2, for example, which cost $71.99 when it was released, is now worth a cool $15,725 according to website BrickEconomy – good for a 21,745% increase, or an annual growth of 12.4%.

Meanwhile, a 2013 San Diego Comic-Con Spider-Man minifigure – given to 350 attendees at the event – is valued at $25,707 today. Unbelievable.

So, if gifting Lego to the kids or grandkids this Christmas, it might be worth gently reminding them not to lose any pieces, and to keep the instructions and boxes (they will be worth more in future if they do).

And whilst brand-new-in-box (BNIB) vintage sets command the highest value these days, it defeats the purpose if they never get built!

2. Trading cards

Another fun hobby from my childhood that has turned into a massive business is sports and Pokémon trading cards. Once again, an entire industry has sprung up around the cards, including grading of cards from companies like PSA and Beckett, and shows on Netflix such as King of Collectibles, which often features rare trading cards.

When I was a kid, my passion was AFL football and NBA basketball trading cards, and I still have boxes of them tucked away in the garage.

The pinnacle then was a 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card. I coveted this card in my younger days and whilst I never got anywhere near it, I did buy an authorised reprint of the card when it was released ten years later (the actual card is pictured below). These days, a perfect PSA 10 MJ rookie card will set you back a handsome $340,000. Think that’s ridiculous? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

A 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for US$12.6 million in August 2022, whilst the most expensive Pokémon card recently hit the news when social media influencer Logan Paul bought the rare piece. The Pikachu card was initially designed as a prize for those who entered CoroCoro Magazine’s art competition. It sold for US$5,275,000.

The great thing about these cards is that, more often than not, they were pulled from packs of cards that would have been bought for a handful of dollars at the local newsagent or hobby store. Good luck!

3. Wine

Wine is an obvious one but it comes with an important caveat if you’re buying it as an investment – you can’t drink it! It also needs to be stored appropriately, in a temperature range of 11-14 degrees Celsius according to the internet (apologies to any wine afficionados if that’s incorrect).

Whilst I don’t claim to know much about wine collecting, I do know that when it comes to Australian wines, Penfolds Grange is right up there with the most desirable. The current release, 2020, will set you back $1000 for a bottle – so perhaps this is a gift that you only give to your partner or a very special person in your life.

By way of comparison, a bottle from 1981, the year I was born, would set you back $1899 these days. According to the website Vinovest, the best vintages are 1952, 1955, 1971, 1986, 1990, 1991, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. Important to know, given it is generally accepted that most releases do not drink at their best until at least 12 to 15 years after vintage, according to Wickmans Fine Wine and Whisky Auctions. Meanwhile, the best vintages can age for 20 to 50+ years. That sounds more like a long-term temptation than investment if you’re a wine lover!

4. Art

This category is incredibly subjective. My father loved nature and collected iconically Australian bird prints by John Gould. These hand-coloured lithographs depict the vast and stunning Australian ornithology, including Parrots, Cockatoos, Emus and many more. He also collected artworks by Aboriginal artists.

For anyone considering artwork as a gift, perhaps the best advice is to select subject matter that resonates with the receiver. Otherwise, I'm afraid you’re on your own.

5. Jewellery

Another one that is quite subjective but it’s always worth remembering that diamonds are forever and, according to Marilyn Monroe, a girl’s best friend;

“Men grow cold, as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end
But square-cut or pear-shaped
These rocks don’t lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.

Unsurprisingly, classic pieces from famous jewellery houses such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co, and Chanel are the most sought-after but also ridiculously priced. The iconic Cartier Love Bracelet for example, first released in 1969 and priced at $250, today starts at $7,750 – that’s a lot of love.

6. Coins

The Franklin Mint started producing collectibles in 1964, when the company was founded. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Mint produced proof and uncirculated coin sets for many countries, including Panama and island states. One of their most popular series was the International Society of Postmasters official commemorative issue, which included stamps and postmarks from the countries featured on the sets.

I am fortunate to have inherited one of these sets over the journey (pictured below).

Other famous mints include the Royal Canadian Mint, the United States Mint, the Swiss Mint, the Austrian Mint, and, of course, the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. 

These days, there are coins for just about everything and every occasion. The rarer, the better, with uncirculated and proof sets commanding top dollar. One of my favourite pieces of all time is the 2023 AC/DC 50-cent uncirculated coin – rock on!

7. Watches

My grandfather’s pocket watch sparked my love of watches. When my dad gifted it to me, it was not in working order, but it has since been restored and is one of the most important physical objects I possess. The sentimental value far outweighs any monetary value.

Another very subjective asset class, driven by individual taste – or tastes as the case may be. I have seven watches in my collection and I’m sure I’m not the only one enduring such an affliction – much to the chagrin of my wife, who rightly points out, “You can only wear one at a time!” Once again, if you’re thinking about gifting someone a watch for Christmas (or any other time, for that matter), make sure you have a handle on what they like and what they don’t.

Today's most collectible watch brands include Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. And whilst those brands could set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars, there are also collectible watches at more reasonable prices. One such example is the Swatch Moonswatch – a collaboration between Swatch and Omega, leveraging the latter’s iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch, which will set you back $11,550 for a new one.

If you’ve walked past the Swatch store in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall (or any other city) in recent years and seen people lining up, this is likely what they were waiting for. 

While the retail price is around $435, they are only released periodically in limited quantities, and they can already fetch $600 plus on the secondary market.

8. Records

For all the development in audio since vinyl records – cassettes, CDs, MP3s, streaming services – the black discs still hold a special place in people’s hearts. As well they should, given they still produce the best and rawest sound quality – at least in this writer’s opinion.

Vinyl is a lossless format, meaning it captures the entire analog wave and doesn't compress the sound. It is argued that vinyl provides a more authentic listening experience because it reproduces music as it was intended – a sentiment I agree with wholeheartedly.

Fortunately, most vinyl records from famous artists from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – think Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, etc – are still obtainable at reasonable prices. Where things escalate, as always, is in the limited edition box sets and LPs.

Remember, if you are considering putting records under the tree for someone, make sure they have a record player!

9. Comics

Another category born many decades ago, that has enjoyed a renaissance. The proliferation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DC Universe (DCU) – yep, all those superhero movies - featuring iconic characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Spiderman from the former, and Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman from the latter, has seen a surge in demand for the comics that set the whole industry in motion.

These days, a high-grade Action Comics #1 (Superman's first appearance) from 1938 will set you back around US$6 million, whilst an Amazing Fantasy #15 from 1962, featuring the first appearance of our web-slinging-friendly-neighbourhood Spiderman, would be north of US$3.6 million – not bad for something that cost 10c when it first came out. Remember, keeping things in good condition and for a long time is often the key!

10. Stamps

Who didn’t have a stamp collection when they were a kid? At one stage or another, most of us probably did. I remember getting bags of them from the market, still attached to ripped envelopes, and then having to soak them, carefully remove them from the paper, and dry them out. The final step, of course, was neatly arranging them into a display folder. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d love to see the kids of today put down their iPads and get into this sort of stuff – although I don’t like my chances.

One of the most expensive Australian stamps is the 1855 “Inverted Swan Stamp”. It is an error stamp which, as the name suggests, saw the swan printed upside down. It is considered one of the world’s first inverted stamps, which anyone who has seen the movie Brewster’s Millions starring the late Richard Prior will understand the importance of.

According to the website findyourstampsvlaue.com, before the error was detected, 388 stamps entered into circulation. Today, only 15 are known to exist. The value? A punchy $290,000. Now, off to the garage to rummage through your collection!

Honourable mentions

Countless other categories could have made the list, including Royal Doulton figurines, Waterford Crytal sculptures, and autographed memorabilia, to name but a few. 

Someone on the Livewire team also suggested it was worth giving a shout-out to those who participated in the Beanie Baby craze of the 1990s. Beanie Baby soft toys were stuffed with plastic pellets (“beans”) rather than conventional stuffing and rose in popularity due to their cutesy name, limited availability, and the illusion of scarcity. The highest price ever paid for a Beanie Baby was $500,000 for the Princess Bear.

Unfortunately, these days, that same Beanie Baby would fetch around $20,000 at best. Ouch!

So remember, when considering collectibles, make sure you love them first, look after them, and if they happen to go up in value – great. Like any investment, there are no guarantees and, as always, don’t chase fads. I’ve never seen one end well. 

Don't forget to join in the fun by downloading your Livewire Christmas bingo card for your chance to win!

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