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Investing in rare stamps requires a high degree of expertise and can be very risky for the novice. Rare stamps are among the most portable of tangible investments, take up little space but require careful storage as condition is one of the most important factors in determining the value of a stamp

The current wave of smartwatches, like any new technology, will probably be outdated by the time you’ve finished reading this article. But certain classic watches not only tell the time, they increase in value with it.

There has been increased interest in nearly all luxury asset classes in recent years, but one reason the watch market is currently so buoyant is because it is driven by accessibility of information, and the fact that people can educate themselves quite quickly, leading to buyers being more confident about what they’re purchasing.

Traditionally the watches that hold their value are Rolex and Patek and other companies like Omega, Heuer, and IWC can retain some sort of value.

Patek Philippe watches have done particularly well in recent years, and are seen as the most collectable and investable on the market. A 1933 Patek Philippe Supercomplication pocket watch broke records in 2014, selling for 23.2m Swiss francs (£19m). A one-of-its-kind Patek wristwatch went for a cool 7.3m Swiss francs at a charity auction last year.

While these are obviously exceptional items, there is a good reason for buying watches classed as antique. Her Majesties Revenue and Customs (HMRC) rules mean that personal possessions judged to have a lifespan of less than 50 years – which may include some watches – are exempt from capital gains tax.

If your budget is rather smaller, there are still watch models that are likely to keep their value even if they won’t deliver a substantial return over time.

The Rolex Submariner and Daytona are solid purchases. They have the added advantage of not needing to be locked up in a safe – you can actually wear them. Certain Breitling and Omega watches are also good stores of value.

The value of bitcoins goes up, and then it comes back down. The press is all over the story. Pundits and market watchers all have their opinion and voice it loudly across the airwaves and the Internet.

Bitcoin has taken us all on quite a roller-coaster ride. Only time will tell whether this cryptocurrency, which has been controversial since its introduction in 2008, will continue booming or if the bubble will burst and prompt more people to short-sell Bitcoin.

One thing is certain: Bitcoin’s meteoric rise has attracted a lot of attention. People may not understand the technology or philosophy behind Bitcoin, but they do see stories of early adopters and savvy investors who turned a few thousand bucks into millions when Bitcoin’s value increased.

And they want to be one of them.

Unfortunately, that puts them in a position—along with veteran investors—to be victims of opportunistic con-artists and hackers who perpetrate Bitcoin scams. One of the benefits of cryptocurrency is that it’s unregulated by the government and very private. But that also makes it ripe for fraud.

Here are the top five Bitcoin scams you need to look out for:

Bitcoin Scam 1: Fake Bitcoin Exchanges
In 2017, South Korean financial authorities and the local Bitcoin community exposed one of the most insidious Bitcoin scams: a fake exchange called BitKRX. It presented itself as part of the largest trading platform in the country and took people’s money. To avoid this, you should stick with popular, well-known Bitcoin exchanges and Bitcoin forums so you get news of fakes quickly.

Bitcoin Scam 2: Ponzi Schemes
Bernie Madoff is perhaps the most well-known Ponzi schemer. He did it with mainstream investments. But the principle of a pyramid scheme, in which you take money from new investors to pay previous investors, can be applied to Bitcoin scams. MiningMax, one such scheme, brought in $200 million before 14 fraudsters were arrested. As you can imagine, the investors never got any returns on their Bitcoin investments.

Bitcoin Scam 3: Fake Cryptocurrencies
A common scam is to present a new cryptocurrency as an alternative to Bitcoin. The idea is that it’s too late to cash in on Bitcoin and that you need to invest in one of these up-and-coming cryptocurrencies. My Big Coin was shut down for this reason. The fraudsters behind My Big Coin took $6 million from customers to invest in the fake cryptocurrency and then redirected the funds into their personal bank accounts.

Bitcoin Scam 4: Old School Scams
If somebody emailed or called and said they were from the IRS and that you owed back taxes that had to be paid immediately, would you send them money? Many people do. Instead of having the victim wire money via Western Union or transfer funds to a bank account, con artists are contacting victims and demanding that victims transfer bitcoins. The best way to avoid this scam is to be skeptical of phone calls or emails that say they’re from a government agency. Legitimate authorities wouldn’t contact you that way, and they won’t ask for bitcoins.

Bitcoin Scam 5: Malware
Malware has long been a way for hackers to get passwords needed to access computer networks or steal credit card and bank account numbers. Now they’re using it to conduct another one of the most common Bitcoin scams. If your Bitcoin wallet is connected to the Internet, they can use malware to get access and drain your funds if you’re not protecting yourself from malware.

You can download malware by clicking links in your email. You can also download it from websites and social media. There might be a post, for example, where someone claims a certain program allows you to mine bitcoins for free. Download it, and you get malware.

If you’re not sure of a website or email’s legitimacy, contact the company involved directly. If you can’t find the company’s contact information easily on social media or on its website, that’s a red flag.

Don’t Fall Victim to Bitcoin Scams
Bitcoin is a volatile enough investment as it is. Don’t increase your chances of losing money by falling prey to these Bitcoin scams. Stay alert for potential fraudsters and trust your instincts. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is

As time progresses and the years go by, certain cars start to see a rise in value and become vintage, collectible items that can make great investments.

Unlike the average used car that will depreciate in value with time, these vehicles can appreciate as they get older. Reasons for this vary but often a major factor is supply and demand, with some cars being more desirable than others.

People remember cars and vehicles from their younger years in life and in later life they have the funds available to purchase them, creating a demand. If the supply of the vehicles is limited, then the vehicles start to spike in price as they are bought up, creating a scarcity in supply.

There are many cars that have the potential to increase in value.