The beanbag collectable has exploded!
Many companies have designed and manufactured their own line of
beanbag collectibles. Nobody knows for sure who the first original
beanbag creator was, but one thing's for sure: it's catching on
like wildfire.
Beanie Babies are still the number one Bean Bag collectible, but
others are not far behind. Manufactures across the world are desperately
trying to match the Beanie Baby craze. Some of the most popular
collectible bean bag toys are as follows:
What are Beanie Babies?
Beanie Babies are soft collectible bean bag toys, designed
and manufactured by Ty, Inc. out of Oakbrook, IL.
Ty's official website is www.ty.com
here you will find special announcements from Ty, pictures and
information on styles of the following plush toys:
Beanie Babies, Plush, Pillow Pals and Attics.
Ty's Beanie Babies have character and style; each is designed
with a poem and a birthdate.
Beanie Baby prices range from $5.00 to $5,200.00 - depending on
style and age of retirement.
To date, Ty has offered 151 different styles into the Beanie Baby
line. Many of these styles have retired and were either limited
or hard to find. There are 67current styles available and 84 retired.
Keep yourself current; visit the following Beanie Baby websites.
These sites are the top Beanie websites on the Internet. Many
of these sites offer an array of Ty information, along with pictures,
contest, articles, news flashes and more.
http://www.bbbclub.com/index.html
http://www.ctoys.com/news/
www.beaniephiles.com
www.beaniemom.com
http://www.beaniemonium.com
I conducted an on-line questionnaire. Collectors were asked to
respond to the questions below.
Why Ty?
Betty, 39, from California said the following
All Ty. Have one chipmunk from Wildlife Artists Inc., which
I think is
as cute as Ty.
Please explain why you choose to collect these brands.
Cute, retain value, plenty of other collectors to trade with
In your collecting experience, what brands are easier or harder
to find?
Haven't looked much for anything besides Ty, but I really
don't have
much trouble finding most of those between local stores, Internet
stores, and trading.
Does price play a factor in what brands you collect? If so,
how?
No. All the brands I have seen start inexpensive; I just don't
go for
the high-priced Ty.
Kimberly age 39 NC
Brand choice & why:
I collect only TY Beanie Babies, love the older retirees best
because of scarcity and rarely ever buy duplicates with the
exception of some of the bears. I like TY's diversity, variety
and especially his release/retire method of operation.
Price - Not an issue and does not affect choice
My name is Andrea, and I live in San Jose, CA. I am 17 years old.
The only
beanbags I truly collect are the original Ty Beanie Babies, although
I do have
a few made by other companies. I chose to collect Ty because they
are fun to
collect! They are the original deal, and are of high quality for
your money
too. I just enjoy building my collection. In my experience, Ty
can be both
the easiest and hardest to find! I mean, many stores to carry
Ty products,
but because of the fever for Beanies, the most hard-to-find styles
(the only
ones I need!) are never there. But if you were looking for Spinner,
I could
name a dozen stores that have only him (poor thing!).
Price doesn't affect my choice to buy Ty, as I want the original
and best
quality Beanies I can buy for retail price. I am still a smart
shopper, of
course, and usually do not buy Beanies for over retail price unless
the asking
price is a good one for the Beanie (because of retirement or HTF
status).
And, of course, the way Beanies (unlike most 'wannabean' brands)
increase in
value is nice!
Danielle 13, lives in IL
1) I collect TY Beanie Babies ONLY. I do have a few Bean Sprouts
and
Floppy Friends, but I do not collect them.
2) I choose to collect TY Beanie Babies because they are so cute.
I
also like them because they are in-expensive and it's fun to see
how
many you can get.
3) The easiest brand to find is definitely TY. However, the ones
you
see are usually the same ones over and over again. So I guess
I would
have to say that TY Beanie Babies are also the hardest brand to
find.
I hope that makes sense.
4) No, price is not a factor. But I don't buy Beanies from places
that
sell them for inflated prices. I usually don't spend more than
$7 on
any Beanie, but there have been (and probably will be more)
exceptions.
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Disney Bean Bag Characters.
October 1997 Disney released it's first bean bag characters.
The lineup was impressive and included some of the following;
Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and of course Mickey,
Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto; Dopey and Grumpy, Flounder and
Sabastian (The Little Mermaid) Lucky and Jewell from (101 Dalmations);
Marie (The Aristocats); and Baby Pegasus (Hercules)
Disney was overwhelmed with the widespread of demand for their
product. Disney Stores across the county had entered into a collectible
frenzy. "Disney had a Hit!"
Disney's Bean Bag Characters do not have poems or birthdates,
but Disney does retire selected pieces. Disney also offers "Limited
Editions" that are made for selected times of the year. These
pieces are in limited quantities and sell fast. Some examples
are as follows;
Spirit of Mickey 1998, Easter Pooh 1998, Valentine Pooh 1998,
Mickey & Minnie Holiday 1997
To keep current on Disney's entire product line, visit the following
websites.
http://www.thefirstimpression.com/disney/current.htm#Donald's
http://www.2.disney.com/DisneyInteractive/index.html?GL=L
- Great site for kids!
http://store.disney.com
- The Disney store Online.
http://www.disney.com/shop/
- Disney Pooh Bean Bag.
My name is Debbie and I am 12 years old, from New York.
I collect Ty beanie babies and am starting to get into Disney
Mini Bean Bags.
The reason I collect Ty is they are high quality toys, very cute
and needless to say they are popular. So popular that collecting
them is beginning to be a burden. But I collect them because beanie
hunting
is so much fun.
I collect the Disney Beanie Babies because they are very detailed,
cute and I have a thing for Winnie the Pooh. Also, I got
Minnie and fell in love with Disney Beanies. The Disney's are
harder too
collect because I have very few Disney stores around me and I
don't have a catalog. I am not a full force Disney collector like
I am with beanie babies but I enjoy them. To me, even though Disney's
are far less
plentiful, Beanie Babies are much harder to find. If I wanted
a Disney Bean Bag more than life it's self, I could order it from
the online store. Ty doesn't do that. Price does not play a part
in my collecting
experience. Current Tys and Disney's are 6 dollars and HTFs are
in the 20-dollar price range. I have all the Currents though and
so I have stepped down from beanie baby hunting temporarily and
am getting into Disney's.
Gabi, age 14, Pennsylvania
I collect any Ty Beanie Babies, and some Disney, mostly only ones
I like such as
Eeyore.
I collect Ty because they are so cute, and they are so much fun
to
collect, Disney because I like the few ones I get. (We don't live
anywhere near a Disney store.)
Ty is definitely the hardest to find, I have never been in a Disney
store
that was completely out of beanies.
Price really doesn't effect what beanies I collect; though knowing
that
I can sell my _____ beanie for $1,000 doesn't stop me from buying
more!!
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Puffkins.
What are Puffkins?
Swibco manufactures Puffkins.
Puffkins are round soft, cuddly bean bag animals. They are approx.
4 1/4" high and have no arms, and are filled with PVC pellets.
Puffkins also come in a variety of keychains, which are just as
popular.
Although Puffkins do not resemble Beanie Babies, they do have
a lot of similar qualities; some are as follows;
Puffkins identifying tags are heart shaped. Their tags also contain
poems written specifically for that character and include birthdates.
Puffkins offers three types of generation tags. Puffkins also
have an assortment of variations and misprints.
Puffkins are offered in a large array of assortments and contain
a line of current and retired pieces.
Puffkins also offers Limited Edition pieces, for specific times
of the year.
To stay current on your favorite Puffkin, visit the following
links.
http://expage.com/page/whatarepuffkins
- What are Puffkins
http://www.negia.net/~dcage/current.html
- Meet the Puffkins
http://www.swibco.com - Puffkins
Home Page
Marsha 27, Ohio
I collect Puffkins because they are easier to find and most affordable.
The secondary market has not yet taken over, which allows collectors
to enjoy their products.
I also collect the Puffkins key chains. My kids hang them from
their backpacks.
David 14, IL
Puffkins are great! As a kid you do not get teased for carrying
Puffkins to school. Many of my friends collect and we share information.
My teachers even like Puffkins.
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Grateful Dead
These bears are most popular with Grateful Dead Fans and
bear collectors.
What are Grateful Dead Bean Bag Bears?
These bears represent a rock group and contain information
from various rock concerts.
The first edition of the bears includes 3 tidied versions, 2 animal
versions and the rest are solid, with eleven different styles
available. Each bear is approx. 7.5" long and carries information
on a tag around its neck. The tags are full colored, laminated
and contain information with the bears name, birthdate and favorite
tour. The bears sell for $7.95 each or $9.95 for retired pieces.
The second edition of these bears will be offered sometime in
October 1998.
www.liquidblue.com
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Meanies
Idea Factory, Inc manufactures Meanie Bean Bag characters.
What are Meanies?
Meanies are bean bag characters, which have been designed
to spark the interest of the older crowd, between the ages of
12 and up.
Meanies are mutant characters, which poke fun at various topics,
including celebrities.
Meanies are offered in three categories.
The Infamous Category includes variations of the following
celebrities.
Meanie series # 1 and # 2 offer 12 different styles per category.
Meanie styles do contain poems and the Idea Company also retires
pieces. Some of the retired pieces sell for as much as $60.00
Meanies are also offered as key chains.
For more details on this product, check out the Meanie website.
www.meanies.com
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NASCAR Racers
The Jones Group out of Hendersonville, TN are the creators
of Nascar Racers.
The sport of Nascar is the most growing popular sport around.
What are NASCAR Racers?
These Bean Bag toys are 7" velvety velour plush races.
There colors are vivid and the cars have hang tags as well as
tush tags. Nascar Racers have autographs of the car driver on
the outside, and car statics on the inside. NASCAR and the drivers
authenticate these cars. Currently there are 30 different styles
to choose from, with additional styles being added.
Some of the drivers associated with Nascar Racers are as follows;
For more information on NASCAR and NASCAR Racers, visit the
following websites.
http://www.1-web-bazaar-plaza.com/lineup/index.html
www.nascar.com
http://www.musiccitymotorsports.com/beanie_racers.htm
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The following represents responses from collectors of various
brands.
Carolyn 44 years old North Carolina
Collect:
Ty Beanies-I am obsessed most with these. I just really like them.
They are my favorites. Hard to find in the small town I live in
and sell out too quickly in the neighboring city.
Grateful Dead Beanies-These are cute also, and the colors are
awesome.
Only know two places in a nearby city that sells them. Fairly
hard to
find.
Puffkins-We collect these mostly for my daughter. We have about
45.
Very easy to find in neighboring city.
The Grateful Dead bears are the most expensive,($9-$10) but there
aren't
as many of them as there are Ty beanies, and if you buy a complete
set they
usually knock 20% off.
Ty Beanies are fairly affordable ($5-$7)
Puffkins ($6)
I feel that these three brands of collectibles are affordable.
But I
couldn't afford to collect anything else.
Hi
I collect Ty beanie babies, NASCAR beanies, Computer beanies a
couple
disney beanies and Precious Moments Tender Tails
I collect the Tender Tails and the prettier Ty beanie babies for
my 19
month old daughter. Yes she loves them and I let her play with
them (the
tags have been remove and stored for the future).
My six year old little boy loves the NASCAR beanies and the reptiles,
bugs,
fish, forest and farm animals from Ty's collection.
The computer beanies are for my husband who is a computer wizard.
And I collect all of Ty's beanies and attic treasures.
Nascar is superhard to find in West Texas right now, I have to
get all of
them off the internet. The current Ty beanies are easy to find,
but the
new beanies are non-existent here. Attic treasures were very easy
to find
until about two months ago, now they are almost impossible to
find. The
computer beanies never made it to West Texas (Midland/Odessa)
so I had to
buy them off the internet also.
Janna, 13, California
I collect Ty beanie babies and some Disney beanies if they appeal
to me.
I collect them because they are adorable, and I can afford them
on my
allowance, which is probably the reason they became so collectable
in
the first place.
Ty beanies have always been the hardest to find. 75% of the current
styles they make I can find easily at retail, it is the other
25% that
make collecting them a challenge without shelling out mucho moola,
which
I haven't the funds to spend on a beanie baby (although I do now
and
then when I get gift money.) Disney beanies are for the most part
easy
to find, at least around here.
Price is a bigger factor in which beanies I get, not whether or
not I
collect them. For better or for worse, I do, and rising prices
probably
won't stop me. If the item is desirable enough, I will work for
the
money. If it isn't then I'll move on to the next thing. I've never
(yet!
don't want to jinx myself!) had any horrible beanie collecting
experiences, and I've never witnessed a beanie torn out of a child's
hands, although I can't say collecting has been too easy for me.
Overall, this is a great hobby because of the relatively small
price,
styles available at small cost, and nonviolent "cuteness"
of the beanies
themselves. There's my prospective...
Janna
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The following responses represent collectors that only collect
a variety of plush animal beanbags.
My first name is Pam and I'm from California.
I collect plush lions because I've always loved them. Any brand
as long
as it's cute. I also collect Puffkins, Disney and Beanies but
not in the
serious way some people do. I get the ones I like and if I run
across
some that are rare I'll pick them up to trade or sell.
The Disney is hardest to find because they aren't sold everywhere.
Puffkins are easy to find at the malls and you never know with
beanies.
Some months they are all over, other times you can't find any.
Price is a factor. I like to treat myself with a small something.
I
won't pay more than $10.00 for a small stuffed animal for myself.
I did
spend $25 on Magic though as a birthday present for my niece.
Hope that helps!
Pam
First name: Robin age 46 state Florida. I collect the older retired
and some of the new retired. I have some of the current. I try
to stick with the bears mostly. Peace is one of my favorites.
I find the bears hardest to find in the stores. I buy them from
the second market mostly. The common older currents are the easiest
to find in stores. Price does play a part in what I buy, so I
try to buy what really appeals to me. I will pay more for a bear
but I try to stick to the 5-6.00 price for currents. Thanks :-)
Hi!
I'm Beth. I live in Rhode Island. I'm 29 years old.
Favorite: Ty beanies and plush dogs,cats, and birds.
why? beanies are affordable(most of the time!) and my kids love
them! We
have alot of fun collecting as a family. We can have an assortment
of pets
without all the physical maintenance of real creatures! (We do
have real
pets, but only one each. The veterinarian bills are costly!)
Beanie Babies and Bean Bag animals or characters will always
capture the hearts of millions. Ty, Inc. is the originator of
the world famous Beanie Babies, and has rejuvenated collectors
of all ages to journey back into their childhood. Beanie Babies
offer style and definition. Although other brands are just as
popular, don't confuse them with the original Ty Beanie Baby.
This article was written by
Janie E. Daniels
Copyright registered
August 17, l998
