RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 When Rationality Meets Passion: On the Financial Performance of Collectibles JF The Journal of Alternative Investments FD Institutional Investor Journals SP jai.2018.1.065 DO 10.3905/jai.2018.1.065 A1 Philippe Masset A1 Jean-Philippe Weisskopf YR 2018 UL https://pm-research.com/content/early/2018/08/22/jai.2018.1.065.abstract AB This article examines prior evidence and proposes an empirical study of the performance of passion investments in comparison with financial and real assets over the past 20 years. Over this period, classic cars and fine wines (but not visual art) display better returns than U.S. equity, fixed income, and real estate. Volatilities are, overall, low but increase once returns are adjusted for the inherent illiquidity on collectible markets. In a CAPM framework, only classic cars yield significant risk-adjusted returns with an annualized alpha of 5%. At the same time, correlations and systematic risk are low for all collectibles. This diversification benefit is confirmed by a 7% portfolio risk reduction following the inclusion of collectibles in a traditional financial portfolio. The authors further document that the inherent segmentation of collectible classes extends the benefits of cross-asset to intra-asset class diversification. Finally, they find that collectibles have performed slightly less well since the Global Financial Crisis.