Bot value

An unused 1855 5-cent stamp featuring Queen Isabella II's face that, according to Daily Knowledge is valued at $9,650 (P545,000), is coveted by philatelists.

Meanwhile, a French couple with a collection of tribal wood carvings from different countries has reaped profits from the auction of their artworks at Christie's Paris in October.

Among the Beatrice and Patrick Caput statues that got a higher-than-expected bid was a 3-foot-tall Ifugao carving called bulul, a seated rice deity, from the Philippines.

The bulul was estimated to fetch from 200,000 to 300,000 euros, but was bought for 630,000 euros or the equivalent of more than P36 million. Adding to its value was the fact that it previously belonged to William Gambuk Beyer, son of Henry Otley Beyer who is considered the "Father of Philippine Anthropology," according to Headtopics.

Moreover, the wood carving is an important piece of Filipino cultural heritage, according to University of the Philippines anthropologist Dr. Nestor Castro.

Toy collectors also capitalize on vintage pieces like Derrick Ko, 47.

Ko put up his Retro Toy Museum in Roxas District of Quezon City, where collectors like him can source their desired playthings made before the 1990s.

Ko is a big fan of the Voltes 5 TV cartoon series that was popular among children in the early 1980s. The show inspired numerous kinds of merchandise, from lunchboxes and school supplies to stickers and t-shirts, which Ko bought at the height of the Japanese anime character's popularity. He now sells these at many times their original price.

The collector recalls selling a small Voltes V robot toy to comedian Michael V for P15,000, according to TV show "iJuander."

A more expensive Voltes V toy in Ko's collection is a bigger version of the P15,000 that Michael V bought. The still unpacked toy is worth P20,000, Ko told iJuander.

That toy is really worth the investment as Ko bought it in Divisoria, Manila for only P150.