Alternative asset

An alternative asset is a newer type of asset that has not been traditionally considered part of an investment portfolio. Historically, examples include real estate, commodities, as well as rare coins and stamps, artwork or trading cards. More recently, the term has also come to be used to refer to other institutional asset classes including private equity, venture capital, trading strategy indices, and hedge funds. Due to the nature of these assets, an accurate valuation is sometimes difficult to accomplish.