A rare stamp collection makes for an unusual alternative investment. Unlike most other tangible stores of value, old stamps will most likely be useless in a post-apocalyptic world. So philatelists must generally be confident in their convictions that civilization won't be beset by an unforeseen blightin the near-term.

That's exactly the type of confidence you want to see in a long-term investment manager. Bill Gross currently owns the Holy Grail of stamp collections, and he is a realist. He has both attended business school at UCLA and augmented his risk management skills at the blackjack tables in Las Vegas.

With his current employer, the Allianz- owned (NYSE: AZ) fund group PIMCO, Gross has built a reputation that can move markets. Today, he manages the company's Total Return Fund , the world's largest bond portfolio:

Expense Ratio

0.46%

Fund Size

$185.7 billion

1-Year Return

18.4%

5-Year Annualized Return

6.8%

10-Year Annualized Return

7.6%

Source: Morningstar. Figures reflect institutional class of shares.

Top Five Holdings As of Oct. 23, 2009

Net Position as % of Net Assets

Government-Related

48%

Mortgage

22%

Investment Grade Credit

17%

International Bonds

6% Continued...