Mickey Mantle vs. the stock market: collectibles that transcend traditional investments

Investing in collectibles can be volatile and incredibly rewarding if you have the right trading card, comic book, or action figure in mint condition. The rise and fall of the Beanie Baby investment bubble from the mid-90s to early 2000s is an example of what can happen when you follow a trend too closely. There were even organized Beanie Baby theft rings.

There is risk in most investments except US savings bonds and US Treasuries. Investing in stocks is risky, but the risks can be measured and reflected in the price because the market can quickly adjust and absorb changing conditions.