For many of us, the 90s were an era of great toys: Tamagotchi virtual pets, the Bop It handheld game, and of course, Beanie Babies.
These small, stuffed toys took the world by storm. Odds are if you were a kid (or even an adult) in the 90s, you either had Beanie Babies or wanted Beanie Babies.
The Beanie Baby bubble may have burst, but Beanie Babies are still popular – not because of their value, but because of their design, nostalgia, or simply because they have a special meaning.
Over the years, Ty released many unique Beanie Babies. If you’re looking to add some to your collection, keep reading!
1. Princess the Bear
Princess the Bear is one of the more popular Beanie Babies. It’s not the rarest of Beanie Babies, but it was (and still is) one of the most popular due to who it commemorates.
Released at the height of the Beanie Babies craze in 1997, Princess the Bear was released to commemorate the late Princess Diana, mere months after her death. The purple bear was embroidered with a white rose.
Ty donated profits from sales of the original bear to the Princess of Wales Foundation, which continued the princess’ humanitarian work.
2. Lefty the Donkey and Righty the Elephant
Left the Donkey and Right the Elephant are not one, but two Beanie Babies that represent – you guessed it, the U.S.’ Democratic and Republican political parties. Both were released in 1996 during an election year, in which incumbent President Clinton faced off against Bob Dole.
More recent releases of Lefty and Righty have shown them sporting red, white, and blue colors, along with stars and stripes.
3. Large Wallace and His Squad
Large Wallace and his squad refer to multiple Beanie Babies. Large Wallace is a 15” bear, and his squad consists of smaller bears. Due to the uniqueness of Large Wallace’s size, as well as a limited production run, these are often considered the most expensive Beanie Babies in the world.
Of course, like any collectible, they are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them, so it’s possible you might be able to find one for less than thousands of dollars.
4. Millennium Bear
As the name suggests, Millennium Bear was released on January 1, 1999. The pink/purple bear wears a ribbon and has an image embroidered on his chest. The image is of the earth with the sun rising, and the year 2000 underneath.
Millennium Bear was a common Beanie, so price shouldn’t be an issue. However, some sellers may charge more for errant versions of Millennium Bear. In some cases, the bear’s name was misspelled on the tag.
How Can I Add Beanie Babies to My Collection?
These are just some of the more unique Beanie Babies produced by Ty. You can always keep an eye out for these, or add new Beanie Babies to your collection. After all, it’s your collection, so it should be personal to you.
It’s tempting to go to eBay or a similar auction site for Beanie Babies, but it shouldn’t be your first choice. General auction sites sell anything and everything.
The sellers may not be very knowledgeable about Beanie Babies. Many may claim their Beanie Babies are “rare” but that’s often not the case. Instead, check out dedicated sources to Beanie Babies, like mybeaniebabies.com.
Create Your Own Collection of Beanie Babies
The fad of being a Beanie Baby collector may be over, but Beanie Babies have managed to stand the test of time. Even today, Ty is releasing new Beanie Babies, so you can always add to your collection and personalize it.
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