China: Investors shell out on walnuts
Walnuts were once the toys of the Chinese imperial court. It was widely held that rotating the nuts in the palm of the hand stimulated blood circulation. As a result of this rich cultural heritage they are often viewed as status symbols.
The bigger, older and more symmetrical, the better, says collector Kou Baojun in Beijing, who owns over 30 pairs of walnuts, most of which are over a century old and have taken on a reddish shine from years of polishing in the palm.
"Look how well these have aged. Playing with these kinds of walnuts isn't for ordinary people," Kou said.
The interest in walnuts shown by collectors has lead to some merchants buying entire trees from farmers, in advance of the harvest, to ensure supply.
Walnut investments go up every year. A pair of walnuts at 350 yuan ($55) 10 years ago can sell for 3,500 yuan or even 20,000 or 30,000 yuan, shop owner Hu said.
Source: indianexpress.com
