Mickey Mantle vs the Stock Market: Collectibles That Outperform Traditional Investments
Collectibles such as Hot Wheels and rare trading cards have been outperforming some more conventional investments. Should you consider these alternative investments?
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Investing in collectibles can be volatile and incredibly enriching 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 into the 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 U.S. Savings bonds and U.S. Treasuries. Investing in stocks is risky but the risks can be measured and reflected in the price as the market can adjust quickly and absorb changing conditions.
A recent study by Casino.org explored alternative investments with higher annual return rates than the average stock. The study looked at the following factors: Release dates, retail prices, current values, annual return rates, and total growth. I was very surprised by some of the top valued collectible toys and not so surprised by the enduring value of Micky Mantle's 1952 Topps card.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The alternative investments that are outpacing the stock market
The study looked into the unconventional world of alternative investments, analyzing over 85 different collectible products. Their findings show that collectibles such as Hot Wheels and rare trading cards are quietly outperforming traditional investments in annual return on investments (ROIs).
Let's first take a look at the past decade of returns on some of the most common investments, according to Bankrate.com.
- Average annual return on stocks: 12.8%
- Average annual return on international stocks: 4.9%
- Average annual return on bonds: 1.4%
- Average annual return on gold: 3.4%
- Average annual return on real estate: 4.8%
- Average annual return on 1-year CDs: 0.42%
Here’s a look at the top 10 products that have seen the highest total growth in dollar value, turning modest initial investments into remarkable profits.
| Type of asset | Collectible | Original price | Current value/Total growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Cards | 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 SGC Mint+ 9.5 – 1985 Rosen Find – “Finest Known Example!” (1952) | $0.10 | $12,600,000/$12,600,000 |
| Comic Books | Action Comics #1 Kansas City Pedigree (1938) | $0.10 | $6,000,000/$6,000,000 |
| Trading Cards | Stephen Curry Rookie Card #206 signed (2009) | $5.00 | $5,900,000/$5,899,995 |
| Comic Books | Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel, 1962) CGC NM+ 9.6 | $0.12 | $3,600,000/$3,600,000 |
| Comic Books | Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #8 Story Page 25 Black Costume/Venom Original Art (1984) | $1.25 | $3,360,000/$3,359,999 |
| Comic Books | Action Comics #1 Rocket Copy (1938) CGC FN 6.0 | $0.10 | $3,180,000/$3,180,000 |
| Comic Books | Captain America Comics #1 San Francisco Pedigree (1941) CGC NM 9.4 | $0.10 | $3,120,000/$3,120,000 |
| Comic Books | Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 Cover Original Art (1986) | $1.50 | $2,400,000/$2,399,999 |
| Comic Books | Superman #1 (DC, 1939) CGC FN/VF 7.0 | $0.10 | $2,340,000/$2,340,000 |
| Comic Books | Books – Batman #1 (DC, 1940) CGC NM 9.4 | $0.10 | $2,220,000/$2,220,000 |
Here are the top 10 categories with the highest average annual return rates. New to the list: Hot Wheels and Funko Pop! dolls. Old stalwarts of the pre-Ebay collectible market such as trading cards, comic books and action figures continue to deliver.
| Collectible category | Average Annual Return Rates (%) | Most valuable item per category | Release date/Retail price | Today's price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Wheels | 1178.8% | Hot Wheels “Super Treasure Hunt 2023 Datsun Bluebird Wagon 510”: | 2023/$3.00 | $170 |
| Action Figures | 154.7% | Monster High Skullector Elvira Doll | 2023/$65.00 | $299 |
| Funko Pop! | 151.7% | Funko Pop! “Rides One Piece Luffy with Thousand Sunny 2022 CCXP Exclusive Figure #114” | 2022/$15.00 | $531 |
| Sneakers | 52.8% | Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead Bears Orange | 2020/$110.00 | $2,000 |
| Trading Cards | 50.0% | Stephen Curry Rookie Card #206 signed (2009) | 2009/$5.00 | $5.9 million |
| Video Games | 33.1% | Super Mario Wata 9.8 a++ Sealed N64 Nintendo 1996 USA | 1996/$60.00 | $1.56 million |
| Comic Books | 28.6% | Comic Books – Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 Cover Original Art (1986) | 1986/$1.50 | $2.4 million |
| First/Rare Edition Books | 25.3% | J.K..Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (London) Bloomsbury, 1997 First edition in hardcover | 1997/$15.00 | $471,000 |
| LEGO | 24.6% | LEGO Brick Headz Star Wars Captain Phasma Set 41486 | 2017/$10.00 | $87.00 |
I was surprised to see that collectibles such as Hot Wheels are generating increases in value similar to trading cards, and that they are delivering impressive returns.
| Collectible category | Collectible | Annual return rates |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Wheels | Super Treasure Hunt 2023 Datsun Bluebird Wagon 510 | 5566.7% |
| Hot Wheels | Super Treasure Hunt 2023 82 Toyota Supra | 3366.7% |
| Hot Wheels | Super Treasure Hunt 2023 Porsche 935 | 1233.3% |
| Hot Wheels | Super Treasure Hunt 2022 99 Honda Civic Type R (EK9) | 758.3% |
| Funko Pop! | Rides One Piece Luffy with Thousand Sunny 2022 CCXP Exclusive Figure #114 | 451.9% |
| Funko Pop! | Marvel Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Spider-Punk Funko Shop Exclusive Figure #1231 | 366.7% |
| Action Figures | Monster High Skullector Elvira Doll | 360% |
| Action Figures | Mattel Monster High Lagoona Blue Reproduction Doll | 248.5% |
| Action Figures | Mattel Monster High Haunt Couture Draculaura Doll | 158.2% |
| Hot Wheels | Hot Wheels Super Treasure Hunt 2020 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento | 156.6% |
Related Content
-
Dow Leads in Mixed Session on Amgen Earnings: Stock Market TodayThe rest of Wall Street struggled as Advanced Micro Devices earnings caused a chip-stock sell-off.
-
How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Without OverpayingHere’s how to stream the 2026 Winter Olympics live, including low-cost viewing options, Peacock access and ways to catch your favorite athletes and events from anywhere.
-
Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for LessWe'll show you the least expensive ways to stream football's biggest event.
-
How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Without Overpaying
Here’s how to stream the 2026 Winter Olympics live, including low-cost viewing options, Peacock access and ways to catch your favorite athletes and events from anywhere.
-
Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for Less
We'll show you the least expensive ways to stream football's biggest event.
-
The Cost of Leaving Your Money in a Low-Rate AccountWhy parking your cash in low-yield accounts could be costing you, and smarter alternatives that preserve liquidity while boosting returns.
-
This Is How You Can Land a Job You'll Love"Work How You Are Wired" leads job seekers on a journey of self-discovery that could help them snag the job of their dreams.
-
We Inherited $250K: I Want a Second Home, but My Wife Wants to Save for Our Kids' College.He wants a vacation home, but she wants a 529 plan for the kids. Who's right? The experts weigh in.
-
4 Psychological Tricks to Save More in 2026Psychology and money are linked. Learn how you can use this to help you save more throughout 2026.
-
Why Your Home Insurance Might Not Protect You If Someone Else Lives ThereLetting a relative stay in a second home or inherited property can quietly change your insurance coverage and leave you exposed to costly liability claims.
-
My First $1 Million: Retired (at 57) Aerospace Senior Manager, 58, Denver"Making $1 million was never a goal, but maybe it should have been. I simply wanted to be debt-free and never worry about money."
