Timecare: Why Alternative Commodities Are Helping Savers Beat the Banks

With a record 200-plus bank accounts offering a miserly 0.1% interest or less,
UK savers are seeking out less conventional ways of building a nest egg,
according to conservation storage expert Timecare.
LONDON--(Business Wire)--
Denise Troughton from Timecare explains: "It`s little wonder people are looking
for a better return on their investment than the few pennies a year they`ll get
from a high street bank. Alternative commodities, such as art, fine wines,
coins, stamps, rare books and pop culture memorabilia all have potential to
appreciate in value over time.

"One simple question will always apply no matter what the item - just how rare
is it? Unique items, such as an original painting or first edition of a classic
piece of literature, are sure to appreciate in value due to their limited
availability. The second major factor, which is harder to judge, is that there
will be a continued demand for an item over the long term.

"Always collect something you have an interest in - it will make your experience
enriching both personally and financially. Having a complete understanding of
how to assess value of an item is much easier if you have a wealth of background
knowledge to draw upon. Knowing release dates and characteristic markings or
abnormalities of a product will help you to get the most for your money."

If you`re thinking about investing in collectables, here are some top tips from
Timecare on the various areas you might consider:

Coins

Coins can be worth much more than their face value, as was demonstrated recently
when the Royal Mint misprinted a 20p piece. The error, which meant thousands of
coins were issued without a date, meant that sellers were soon asking as much as
£20,000 on eBay. Coins collected can be ancient gold, silver and bronze dating
from as early as 650BC right through to new issues from the present day. A
grading system is used, with top prices being paid for near-flawless coins which
have never entered circulation.

Contemporary Art

While prices for unique works are beyond the reach of all but the super-rich,
limited edition prints are financially and widely accessible making it possible
to acquire pieces by major artists for reasonable prices. For example, Damien
Hurst`s early prints can now fetch £15,000 or higher when sold - a substantial
profit on the original price. In recent years, prints by Banksy and other urban
artists have proven equally lucrative.

When it comes to collecting art, buying pieces you like and enjoy looking at is
an important start - that way you`ll never regret your purchase and it will
bring years of pleasure and enjoyment. If you`re collecting for investment, then
familiarise yourself as much as possible with the background of artists you`re
drawn to. Do they have a theme or thought process to their work? Has this
evolved consistently over the years? Are they critically acclaimed and exhibited
regularly? Artists with a degree of complexity and persistent `vision` are
generally more likely to gain steadily in appreciation and price.

Stamps

We`ve all heard of the famous `Penny Black`. Recently one of these rare stamps
sold for £250,000 - making stamp collecting a lucrative investment. The rare
stamp market has historically returned 10% per annum, and there are currently
estimated to be over 48 million stamp collectors worldwide, making it a fertile
market for buying and selling stamps.

Like the equity markets the rare stamp market even has its own index, the SG100
Index, which measures the performance of the 100 most popular and traded stamps
across the world. One stamp trader, Stanley Gibbons, even promises investors
guaranteed minimum returns which beat the current Bank of England base rate.

Rare Books

Rare books are not only wonderful to read and great to look at, they can also be
a good investment. A mint copy of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino
Royale, now sells for approximately £25,000. The books worth the most are first
editions and will come with their original dust jacket intact. First editions
tend to be small print runs, perhaps just a few hundred copies, making them
rarer and therefore more desirable.

You don`t need to spend thousands to kick start your collection however, as
keeping a keen eye can unearth hidden gems. A book collector from Norfolk
recently discovered a first edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s
Stone in a second-hand book store in Dereham priced at just 99p. He snapped it
up and sold it at auction for several thousand pounds.

Pop Culture Memorabilia

It`s generally thought that the reason for the dramatic rise in pop memorabilia
prices and poster prices is because many new collectors want items that remind
them of their childhood, and would prefer to pay top money for an item that
means something to them. As a result items like 18th century porcelain,
religious paintings and other traditional antiques are failing to really achieve
prices that reflect their value - simply because these items do not connect with
today`s buyers.

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. Provenance is
essential - all auction houses check out the provenance of items and if it turns
out that the piece is not as described you are entitled to get your money back.

Protect Your Investment

Whatever you choose to collect, a fundamental requirement of it providing future
returns is ensuring it remains in excellent condition. A basic understanding of
conservation principles combined with correct storage techniques will keep your
collection preserved perfectly.

Denise Troughton from Timecare explains: "Items deteriorate as a result of the
quality of the materials used and because of environmental and chemical changes
that take place in the materials over time and in changing environmental
conditions. Similar to professional conservators, you should try to protect your
personal collection from harmful external factors as best you can. In order to
help preserve the items that you wish to keep it is essential that you use good
quality storage materials.

"Always use acid free archival paper and boxes to wrap, cover and box your
collection. Storage in archival products will help prevent damage and
deterioration, slowing the aging process and adding years of life to the items
you value. If an acidic product comes into contact with paper, photos, textiles
or other similar items, the destructive acid can migrate, causing permanent
damage and decay."

Timecare offers a wide variety of acid and lignin free storage and ringbinder
boxes for long term storage of your heirlooms. These products are the same
quality used in museums and archives and provide a storage solution, which
protects against the harmful effects of light, moisture, temperature
fluctuations, pests, pollution and handling.

For more information on the whole range of Timecare products available, visit
www.timecare.co.uk.

Haslimann Taylor PR
David Kuczora
0121 355 3446
david@haslimanntaylor.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009