Whisky and handbags? This combination might sound like a bun fight at a lively local W.I. meeting, but these are just two sectors that are enjoying immense growth in value. According to ongoing Investment Growth research by stock market watchers Knight Frank, handbags have seen a healthy 13 per cent valuation growth over the past 12 months (with a 108 per cent increase in values over the past decade), with rare whisky values growing by five per cent currently, but with an unapparelled 564 per cent climb over the last ten years.
By comparison, over the past year, collector car values have fallen by an average of seven per cent, although they have gained a healthy 194 per cent overall during the last decade, a growth only bettered by rare whisky in the same ten-year time frame.
As for other collectable asset categories, postage stamps have climbed by a useful six per cent over the past 12 months (up 64 per cent over ten years), with art gaining five per cent (up 141 per cent over a decade), collectable coins are up three per cent (up 175 per cent in ten years), watches up by two per cent (up 60 per cent in a decade) and wine up by one per cent (up 120 per cent in ten years).
The average value of collectable furniture has remained static over both the past year and decade, with jewellery dropping by seven per cent in the last year, in line with cars, and coloured diamonds dropping one per cent (though up by 77 per cent in a decade) with general stock market investments also reducing by one per cent in the last year, but up by 141 per cent over the past ten years.