‘Don’t be afraid to take risks’

We’ve all heard the conventional advice that the best investments are in the stock market, save in a 401(k), and buy a house. But the younger generation is starting to look to non-traditional investments like buying a Birkin bag or other collectibles as a surefire way to bring in extra cash.

Influencer and WWE wrestler Logan Paul recently said that going beyond the usual investment can be worth it.

“If you’re young, there are ways to spend and invest your money that may make more sense for you than in a traditional conservative environment like the stock market,” he said Tuesday on Fox Business’ “The Big Money Show.”

And Paul has certainly gone down a non-traditional route to investing: He recently put up for auction a rare Pokémon card he bought in 2022 for $5.3 million. The former WWE United States Champion actually wore the card — which he called “the rarest card in the world” and the “Holy Grail” around his neck during tournaments. The card is a PSA-graded 10 Pikachu Illustrator, and only a few dozen copies exist worldwide. But getting a 10/10 grade from a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is only Paul’s card.

Paul said he plans to auction the card in early 2026 and estimates it will sell for between $7 million and $12 million, which would bank him about $2 million to $7 million. He also argued that collectibles like Pokemon cards have “outperformed” the stock market over the past two decades.

“If you have money, don’t be afraid to take risks, especially if you’re young,” Paul said.

According to global asset management firm AES, collectibles like wine, manuscripts, vintage cars, rare artifacts, and more can yield “reasonable” returns for investors, but they often don’t come with the same long-term gains as investing in stocks.

According to the AES report, between 1900 and 2012, collectibles produced a nominal annual return of 6.4% and a real return of 2.4%.

“Although the return is reasonable, it falls far short of the long-term rewards of investing in the equity market,” wrote AES CEO Sam Instone. But, “that doesn’t mean these collectibles aren’t for certain investors.”

Still, Gen Z men have gone crazy investing in these collectibles, which they argue beat Nvidia stock and the S&P 500. And they may have a point: Pokémon cards have seen the largest long-term increase in value of all card categories. They are up 3,261% over the past 20 years, according to data provided to fatePreston Four from Card Ladder. One-year gains are also up 46%, higher than Nvidia’s 35% jump and the S&P 500’s 17% year-to-date gain.