While house prices and shares can rocket and tumble, one way to keep your money relatively safe and steady is to invest in antiques or collectibles.

But with such a vast range of antique goods on the market, where does someone with a couple of hundred pounds to invest start to get the best gains? The advice from the Antique Collectors' Club, which publishes books and magazines advising people what to buy and how to avoid the pitfalls, is only to buy quality and what you actually like. The club advises buying something you actually want to use, like a dining-room table or chair, side tables or a chest of drawers. Other items to consider are silver, metalwork, candlesticks, porcelain or Wedgewood.

Or look at books and prints, ceramics, clocks and watches, glass or jewellery.

Auction house, Christies, said from its lower-priced sales, pop and film memorabilia, teddy bears, cameras and cricket, tennis and golfing gear were all currently selling well. Recent sales include a violin for more than £900,000 sterling (€1.4 million) a camera for in excess of £60,000 and a Steiff teddy bear topping £100,000.

Of course, the smaller investor can not expect to see their belongings go under the hammer for that price. And at least while the investment sits gathering dust, you will have something nice to look at.

Once you have decided what sort of antiques or collectibles to spend the hard-earned cash on - whether it be pretty or useful - the ACC advises going through a professional to buy it.

And after years of storage, polishing and appreciation, when the time comes to part with an antique, uppermost in the owner's mind will probably be how much it will fetch. A local auctioneer or dealer will give a valuation, but be prepared to pay a fee. Antique buying is a long, long-term hobby and the most important thing people need to invest in their collection is time.