Final answer:
Valuable goods are assets ranging from finances, stocks, records, to commodities. Information is often considered the most critical commodity in a post-industrial society. Tangible assets like art and collectibles can provide returns but are not always reliable investments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Valuable goods are items of value that individuals or firms own and can include a wide range of assets. Among these, one can consider finances, such as liquid assets or cash, and stocks, which are shares of ownership in a company.
Additionally, records, which are important documents relating to one's personal or business affairs, and commodities, which are basic goods used in commerce that are interchangeable with other goods of the same type, are also valuable goods.
When it comes to the most important commodity in a postindustrial society, many argue that it is information due to its role in knowledge-based economies.
Commodity money, such as gold and salt, serve as a store of value and medium of exchange besides their utility in other uses. Tangible assets like a house, land, art, and collectibles like jewelry or fine wine can also be valuable goods.
These items may generate returns either through usage or sale at a potentially higher price in the future. However, it is important to note that returns from collectibles are not always reliable and should not be expected to exceed average returns over a long period.