[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Obviously collecting cards is foremost a hobby, yet, many of us have used the assets we've accumulated to pay for important things when the time required it: a wedding, college tuition, some needed home improvements, et al. Time and again, buying the right vintage and, in some cases, modern cards of key players, has proven a good investment.

Over the years, my cards have easily out performed safe haven purchases like gold, silver, even jewelry. Wall Street is up and down on the latest news in the Ukraine or China. Ty Cobb, well, he keeps steady. Michael Jordan... his collectables are resilient - some ups and downs but unquestionably up over the long haul. Price of gas goes up, fraud at a big accounting firm, new political leader... doesn't matter much. Now wild speculation on junk slabs... that's a whole different story, but vintage has never let me down!

Your experience similar?