What People Say
We are both very excited about and proud of the investment options that we offer you - but our opinion needs to be balanced by those of others. So here is a selection of what has been said about investing in rare autographs and Fraser's in the press.
None of my other investments give me the joy that autographs do, because they make me feel that I am holding a piece of history in my hands.
Malcolm Forbes, Forbes Magazine
This is a small company with a big asset: its brand is imbued with an unblemished reputation for expertise and honest dealing.
The Times (London) 8th April 2006
Rare stamps and autographs provide a consistently secure investment opportunity because the market is driven by passion rather than fear and greed.
Moneyextra.com 4 July 2008
They are cheap, ignored, and they are actually in an uptrend. To me, fine collectibles (in many cases) are the last cheap asset class. They haven't been overrun by the big money – yet. But I believe they will in the near future.
Steve Sjuggerud, Daily Wealth 14 May 2007
By including non-correlated asset classes, you can effectively reduce volatility; diversification can assuage the cyclical falls associated with standard asset classes, such as equities or gilts.
Mark Robinson, Investors Chronicle, 7 August 2008
How many companies have been able to announce, in what would normally be their weakest trading quarter, that turnover was up 25% on the same period last year? This was Stanley Gibbons’ announcement on the 29th April - so what has Stanley Gibbons got going for it? Stanley Gibbons’ GB30 Rare Stamp Index and Fraser’s 100 Autograph Index have both outperformed UK property, the Standard & Poors 500, the Dow Jones Index, the FTSE 100 Total Returns Index, the Hang Seng Index, and gold, over a ten year period - and Stanley Gibbons is in the stamps and autographs business!
Harry Norman, Proactive Investors 2 June 2009
Stamp on the misery of the credit crunch and get collecting! With the property market continuing its downward spiral, and equity market turbulence showing little signs of waning, alternative investing is looking increasingly appealing. So if you - like me - revel in the concept of a stable investment which can be admired and appreciated as well, why not explore the world of collectables? Investing in collectables can take the ambitious and adventurous investor far and wide, and provide them with an eye-catching mantel or wall as well as a safe return.
Malar Velaigam Investors Chronicle 7 October 2008
Stamps and other small collectibles that are easily transported, such as vintage toys, are more popular than ever before with investors who see them as a safe haven in the current economic climate.
James Fielding, Daily Express 8 August 2009
Currently personal items, lyrics and instruments associated with the Beatles, Hendrix, Rolling Stones and Elvis are considered the creme de la creme of rock and pop collectables. Buyers are increasing in numbers, but supply of good material is drying up and prices are rising across the board.
Enhanced Online News, 4 November 2009
Shrewdly-chosen memorabilia can offer impressive investment returns. An empty cigar box may not seem that exciting an investment opportunity. But if it has the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s signature neatly signed in blue ink on the inside lid you are talking about a collectible currently valued at £4,750. This example currently on offer from the rarities division of the world famous stamp dealers Stanley Gibbons highlights the ever-growing appeal of high-class memorabilia as an investment at a time when banks are often paying negligible amounts of interest for your money. Over the past decade, the Rarities Index has outperformed both the FTSE 100 and UK House Price Index. You will have no problem finding influential figures praising the virtues of what has been a relatively low-key investment field in the past. For example, Malcolm Forbes of Forbes Magazine has said of high-quality memorabilia items: “In my view, they are the most undervalued areas of collecting, especially when you consider what people are paying for second rate paintings.
If you want an investment that is interesting, shrewdly chosen memorabilia can offer some reasonable awards as well as offering some enjoyment.
John Cranage, Birmingham Post 12 Nov 2009
Other cash cows in the last 50 years include certain autographs and memorabilia. A signed George Harrison photo was worth £175 in 1997, but today it's valued at £2,250, an increase of a 1,185%. Guitars made in the 'golden era' 1950s and 1960s have soared as much as 1,000%.
Olly Morrison, MSN Money, 29 Jan 2010
Collins Stewart Wealth Management believes that stocks quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (‘AIM’), which include the Jersey-based Stanley Gibbons Group, still have further to climb following an impressive 2009. The AIM Index increased by 66% in 2009, significantly outperforming the FTSE 100 and making it one of the best performing markets in Europe.
Jersey Finance 2nd Feb 2010
Investing in alternative assets is more fun and less risky than stocks and bonds. My portfolio of alternative investments-including property, art, antiques, wine and, of course, precious metals-has provided me with more than adequate gains over the past three decades. I've never had to worry about the state of the economy, financial scandals or market fluctuations either. My net worth may rise or fall, but the intrinsic value of my assets remains constant, as they produce an income and/or give me pleasure regardless of their monetary value. Interestingly, prices for the most desirable alternative investments have remained buoyant despite the recession, which supports the view that one should always purchase the best examples one can afford.
Jonathan Self, Country Life 12 Feb 2010
You might not put money on what politicians say. But what they write is a different matter - at least when they're signing their name. The most sought after autographs from former Prime Ministers have been rising in value by an average ten per cent a year over the past decade.
Toby Walne Daily Mail 1st May 2010
At a time when many investments seem as reliable as a flutter at the roulette wheel, these ephemeral mementoes of important people are proving to be not just a fans’ obsession, but also a surprisingly reliable place to invest money. The figures are certainly impressive. On average, the value of collectable signatures sold through dealers is rising by a respectable 10 per cent a year, while the price of the most sought-after autographs has increased almost a thousand fold over the past 10 years. There is now an estimated 200m autograph collectors worldwide, and while many are diehard fans keen to own some detail of their heroes’ lives, a growing number are investors looking for a healthy return.
Feargus O’Sullivan Financial Times 30 September 2010
