Yesterday evening we received a couple of requests to write an articles about investing crypto in collectibles. Of course people can trade in their Bitcoins and other altcoins for all kinds of gift cards but problems can arise if you buy from less reputable sellers. So let’s kick this article off with the small items.
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Cards of all kinds.
As Crypto is getting more traction and gains popularity, so it goes for people that are selling their unwanted items on digital currency fora. The easiest way for both parties are small items like trading cards.
We have seen that there is a rise in availability of trading cards like Magic the Gathering, which are being offered at very low prices. There are some things you need to look out for. The rarity, condition, cleanness, etc are the obvious ones but you also need to keep an eye on the rating of the seller. If he or she hasn’t got any ratings or positive feedback you should be very wary.
You are trading digital currency for something that is physical so the shipping costs need to be considered. The best way is to contact the seller. With all kinds of cards it shouldn”t be extremely high (except if you buy in bulk).
Nevertheless, there are other genre cards out there. The recent panini stickers from the World Cup soccer in Brazil are available on certain fora. Though baseball cards are not often found on these crypto fora, we did see some listings during our daily web browsing.
So, to have some security we will give some pointers. First, make contact with the seller. Ask him or her about their product, in this case cards, and about the history a bit. Are these cards from a collection? Have they been played with (like Magic the Gathering and other cards). Also ask if they can make some extra pictures, including the sides of the cards. We had some bad experiences buying cards where the front and back were in excellent condition but the sides were wonky.
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Collecting figurines and statues.
Figurines and statues are another option to invest in. You have statues from Gentle Giant, Kotobukiya, Sideshow, etc. Most of these are limited editions. This means that there are only a certain amount made ( like 250, 750, 2500, etc). So from an investment standpoint, it will definitely generate some returns when you sell it.
For example we bought a Gentle Giant statue, Star Wars animated, Boba Fett. We paid less than 100 euros for it. Now, some 3 months later, that same exact one is 799 euros at the cheapest point. That is quite a good investment in 3 months time.
However, there are some things you need to consider. Search for people that sell their figurines near you. Otherwise you can have some nasty surprises when you see the shipping cost.
Ask about multiple photos from different angles (especially when the figurine has been out of its box. HD photos are a must, because then you can see possible repairs that have been done. Be wary if you see some ad where the figurine/statue has been repainted.
So you need to talk to the seller of the item. Is it new, used, where has it been ( display or not), how much will the shipping cost be, If its possible to get some better photos, etc. Pay attention to their rating. If you found that statue you were looking for for ages and it is being sold by someone who has a lot of negative feedback, you should do additional research.
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Coins as investment.
In previous articles we had explained some aspects for buying coins. We suggest you re read those articles again (link below).
However, with coins, you need to do some extra research. For the beginning coin collector we suggest you begin with Euros. Like the special editions of the 2 euro coin. You can also visit your local numismatic group, as they will gladly give you more information on the coins you want to collect/ invest in.
Most of these special editions are also limited and as such can net a nice little profit in a couple of months.
For more information you can read our other articles or if you want to get extra information contact us via twitter.
http://www.cryptoarticles.com/crypto-news/investing-using-crypto-a-few-pointers
http://www.cryptoarticles.com/guides/2014/2/23/buying-physical-coins-with-bitcoin-risky-business-
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