These are exciting times to be an investment-minded collector.

Auctioneer Christie's 2013 figures, released this week, have really caught my eye.

The auction house's sales grew by 16% last year to $7.1bn - that is a new record figure for any auction house.

Furthermore, new buyers accounted for 30% of sales.

"We continue to see a surge in interest across categories and across the globe," says Christie's CEO Steven P Murphy.

Bacon's record-breaking $142m triptych helped boost Christie's revenue in 2013

The results follow the release of rival Sotheby's own figures in December. Its 2013 sales were up 19% on the previous year to $5.2bn.

The two giants are a great barometer for the state of the auction market, particularly the top end of matters.

And I feel there's two things going on here.

·         As confidence slowly returns to the global economy, increasing numbers of buyers now feel they are in a position to buy "luxuries", such as collectibles.

·         High-net worth individuals, whose worth took a nosedive during the financial crisis, are now looking for greater portfolio diversification, and seeking new areas to store and gain wealth - to ensure they don't get stung again.

What does this mean for you?

There's no shame in copying others. Those diversifying into rare, investment-grade collectibles and hedging for the future are, in my opinion, making a sound decision. And that's why I, for what it's worth, feel you can't go wrong in giving us a no-obligation call to discuss whether investing in collectibles might be right for you.

+44 (0)117 933 9500 or info@paulfrasercollectbiles.com

Secondly, if you do decide to diversify into collectibles, the growing value of the sector suggests you are in a good position to make a profit if you hold for my recommended minimum of five years - so long as you choose the right pieces.

These nine items are a great way to get started.

Asia

And if you want to get really cute about it, look for items that will appeal to the Asian market.

In terms of new buyers, no region made greater strides last year than Asia. Sales of Asian art grew by 50% at Sotheby's, while Chinese spending increased by 63% at Christie's.

The rapidly growing wealth of China and Asia as a whole is having a huge impact on the collectibles market. These buyers want to own the best, and they're not afraid of spending significant amounts to get them.

Rare postage stamps is one area that is really booming with Asian buyers at the moment.

You can take a look at our unique Hong Kong postage stamp for sale here.

Thanks for reading,

Paul