You know that whenever you see a little cardboard red heart with the letters TY on it, you have found one of the beloved baby Beanies.
These widely popular toys in the ’90s were on everyone’s Christmas list, and you may have even been on the search for the new bear in the store back in the day.
Since their final bear was released in 1999, people have been holding onto their Beanies waiting for the perfect opportunity to sell. Before you offload any that you may have, are you interested in finding out more about their history and current status?
Keep reading to learn about 8 baby Beanie fun facts!
1. Are the Red Tags Important?
The short answer is: yes! These little cardboard tags showed that they were authentic bears as many people tried to sell counterfeit bears.
The reason why you should have kept the tags is they are with 50% less without them!
2. Who Sold the Most Baby Beanies?
Although there is no clear answer to this, as Beanie Babies were sold all over the world, one of the biggest contributors in the 90s was the up-and-coming website eBay!
Beanie Babies made up about 10% of the sales in the early eBay days.
3. How Many Beanie Babies Are There?
77 different types of baby Beanies came in a variety of animals, from bears to lobsters to unicorns. Each of the 77 came with a unique name and poem on its little red tag.
4. Where Were Beanie Babies Sold?
When Ty Warner started selling baby Beanies, he only wanted them sold in small shops. He saw them as a novelty item.
As you know, this didn’t actually happen, as they were eventually sold everywhere and all over the world.
5. How Much Did Beanie Babies Cost?
This is a question that often blows people’s minds when they hear the answer. The average Beanie Baby only cost $5!
Ty Warner wanted them to be inexpensive so kids would be able to use their allowance to buy one.
6. What Made Them Popular?
These inexpensive little plushies became popular because of their unique slumped look and their variety. They became so popular they actually had their own magazine called Mary Beth’s Bean Bag World.
7. What Is the Most Expensive Beanie Baby?
Although that can change from time to time, as the markets change, one of the most expensive bears is the Princess Bear.
This bear was released just after Princess Diana’s death in 1997. It can be sold for more than $200!
8. What Happened to Beanie Babies?
Ty Warner released the final TY Beanie Baby in 1999 because he knew that the market was changing.
Although no new Beanie Babies are made, people still collect them and trade them on eBay, as well as other sites.
Got Beanie Babies?
Do you have a box in the attic full of these little baby Beanies? After reading this list, are you eager to pull them out to see if they still have their little red tag?
It is up to you what you do with your precious toys, but if you want to make some money, you can contact us about your collection to see what it is worth!