2020 ushers in not only the dawn of a new decade but a significant shift in the supply of the naturally colored diamonds with the closing of the iconic Argyle Mine. The one certainty to expect is that investment portfolios are going to be changing; which raises a question, “how are they going to change?” In this article, we’ll share insight highlighting top alternative investment ideas.
Investing in Pink Diamonds
The supply of new pink diamonds will be greatly impacted starting in 2020, as Argyle pink diamonds will no longer be produced.
The Argyle Mine is the fourth largest diamond mine in the world. Despite producing only one tenth of a percent of the world’s diamond supply, it is responsible for over ninety percent (90%) of the world’s pink diamonds. Argyle pink diamonds however are no ordinary stones. They have a unique “bubble gum” hue unmatched by any other in the world.
Their beauty however is not the only reason you should consider investing in these diamonds, especially now…
The Argyle Mine is set to cease operations later this year, meaning that the supply of new stones is now finite. Once the mine closes, the only way of obtaining one would be through the re-sale and auction markets. With supply now finite, and demand soaring as investors are increasingly educated of the potential of colored diamonds as alternative assets, pink diamond prices, especially those from the Argyle Mine are poised to see a significant surge over the near term.
In the last decade alone, pink diamonds have been outperforming all other colored diamond categories in terms of appreciation, setting higher and higher auction prices.
Public actions are not the only ones seeing new record heights. Rio Tinto (owner of the Argyle Mine) stated that the Annual Argyle Tenders have constantly been outperforming previous years, seeing a significant upward rise in value during recent years. This further supports that the demand for pink diamonds is on the rise.
If you are thinking of investing in an Argyle Pink diamond perhaps the time is now...
Investing in Sports Cards
Do you have a passion for sports? Well many collectors do and prices for cards of Hall of Famers have been skyrocketing. High quality PSA graded cards, especially rookie cards, can fetch prices well into the hundreds of thousands. But why?
Most of us have fond memories playing with our collectible cards as kids, showing them off to friends, and carrying them around with us. This has often caused some wear-and-tear on these cards, but little did we know…
Some of these cards are exceptionally rare, with production ranging from only a few hundreds to true “one of a kind.” With demand soaring for classic sports card collectibles we have seen some truly remarkable auction prices in the last few years:
- 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA Mint 9 - $2.88 million
- 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA Near Mint-Mint 8.5 - $810,000
- 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle RC #253 graded PSA Mint 9 - $750,000
- 1996-97 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Michael Jordan (Green) PSA Authentic - $350,100
- 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie Card PSA 10 - $403, 664
- 1969-70 Topps Lew Alcindor Rookie Card PSA 10 - $240,000
Looking at the list above, one might think this is just about classic cards but it’s not. Derek Jeter who will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020 has seen his rookie cards hit 6-figures too.
- 1993 SP Derek Jeter PSA 10 - $101,000
- 1996 Score Certified Gold Derek Jeter PSA 10 - $202,000
Investing in Cars
Cars, especially for enthusiasts, have always been a popular collector’s item for investing. Not only are they a spectacular piece for your garage, but they are among the few alternative investments that you can physically use and enjoy.
When thinking about car investing, most of us immediately think of classic cars, and for good reason. The last decade alone has seen multiple yearly record holders, and as time passes each one of these vehicles will be increasing in rarity and price.
Car investments do not only have to be about classic pieces we grew up loving. There are new cars that would make the ultimate collector’s item. A prime example is Aston Martin’s 2020 “Valkyrie.” Only 150 this new $3.2 million hypercar will ever be made, and 25 track only AMR Pro versions will be available. This means that this car will go quick, and will likely reappear in the re-sale market for a price premium.
Other highly anticipated hypercars of 2020 include the: Koenigsegg Jesko, the Lotus Evija and the Mercedes-AMG Project One.
Owning one of these cars will not only come with bragging rights, exciting track days, or Sunday afternoon drives. Just like classic car value has grown exponentially, these spectacular pieces will too.
Investing in Watches
Watches are another great alternative investment you can physically enjoy, and even wear daily. With more and more investors and collectors jumping on the bandwagon, rare pieces have constantly been setting new records.
The most recent example was the Patek Philippe, a one-of-a-kind wrist watch that sold for an astounding $31 million at a 2019 Christie’s Geneva Charity auction. This made it the most expensive watch ever sold at an auction, essentially dethroning the Rolex Daytona. The Rolex in question was actually once owned by Paul Newman, and was sold in 2017 for $17.7 million.
According to t3.com, some watches to keep an eye out for in 2020 are most definitely the:
- Tudor Heritage Black Bay
- Rolex Submariner
- Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic
- Omega Seamaster 300M
- Panerai Luminor Base
Just like more classical pieces, these watches certainly will hold great re-sell value down the line, and will only appreciate as time passes.
What are your top alternative investment picks for 2020? Do you have any questions? Is there a category you think we should add? Let us know in the comments below. And as always feel free to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for additional insight.
For more reading on colored diamonds, check out the links below:
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