If you want a collectible that will increase in value and pay for your child's college education, Beanie Babies are not for you.
If you want a collectible that appeals to the kid in you, that are cute, cuddly, relatively inexpensive, and getting easier to find and more affordable, then welcome to Beanie Babies collecting.
I ignored Beanie Babies for years, and I could now kick myself. I would buy a few for the kids but did not know all the styles or what was available. It wasn't until the McDonald's teenie beanies of 1998 that I started going stark raving bonkers over beanie babies.
I had gotten a set of 1997 teenies for my daughter. So 1998 was no different. But I now had coworkers who were also getting sets for their kids. We helped each other out, and had fun in getting the whole set. The thrill of the hunt became addictive. So we moved on to the regular sized Beanie Babies. We would go over our lunch hours in search of the elusive new release.
I searched the Web looking for information a details and discovered a TON of sites devoted to these cute collectible toys. Other crazies like me!!! The fun intensified as I searched, read, and printed information about my new obsession. I created my own Beanie Baby guide with a loose leaf binder, page protectors to hold the stuff printed from the various web pages, including checklists, and a cute original artwork by my lovely daughter inserted into the front cover. I have changed notebooks to a larger one, but I still have that same original Beanie Babies artwork gracing the front cover.
I started searching auctions and trading posts for Beanies I missed and needed. I met wonderful people with those trades and purchases. I joined various Beanie lists to converse with other crazies like myself. I have my one favorite, which has a particularly funny and creative group of crazies, and that can be counted on for a daily smile. I subscribed to various newsletters, and get my daily fix of Beanie news.
Now that the prices for the older beanies are coming down, I figure that soon I may be able to afford to add some to my collection. I check auctions periodically to see what the current prices are. I don't call my favorite beanie stores to check for new arrivals. The fun is getting out and hunting, and talking with other collectors who might be there or just shooting the breeze with the employees, if they aren't busy. What I do miss somewhat are the lines for the new releases. I had some of the best times talking with other collectors in person, hearing hints and tips about some of the retailers and when they put out their shipments, and just having company in the hunt.
When Ty announced their retirment at the end of 1999, the demand decreased dramatically. I had Beanie hunting withdrawal until the next ones came out in March of 2000. I actually managed to obtain newbies the same month they were announced (a totally new experience for me). And a lot of the people I had once seen in Beanie lines were now on to other collectibles, and they didn't know Beanies had been revived.
Do I collect Beanie Babies for their value? Nope. I collect for the fun of collecting. The thrill of finding the new ones is better than any drug, and just as addicting. I collect for the interaction with other collectors who can understand my obsession. I collect them because I can afford them. I collect them because I can get so much information about them from the Internet. And, most importantly, I collect them because I like them.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: Beanie babies are affordable, small, understuffed, bean filled toys that are enjoyed by children and adults as a toy and/or collectible, that can bring great pleasure to the receiver. Disadvantages: Collecting can become addicting, but is that really so bad?
alcan 08.04.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Beanie Babies
Mar 12th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
