10 Most Expensive Beanie Babies

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Beanie Babies were a massive hit in the 1990s, but quickly faded into relative obscurity. The once popular children’s toys now draw a different crowd — collectors.

The valuable, limited edition Beanie Babies bubble may have burst, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few still out there worth some big bucks. If you own any of these plush toys stuffed with plastic pellets, you’re probably eager to know if you’re sitting on a small fortune. So, what Beanie Babies are worth money?

Some of the same tiny stuffed animals that once sold for only a few bucks now sell for thousands of dollars on the secondary market. As a rule, Beanie Babies worth the most money are rare versions with slight variations in styling or even ones with unique production errors.

To help you find out if yours is valuable, GOBankingRates compiled a list of the top 10 Beanie Babies that have fetched the highest prices on eBay. Prices will vary by condition, seller and rarity, but here are a few key takeaways: 

• Beanie Babies in limited quantity, complete with Tush Tag, are no longer a craze for collectors. However, rare versions can still generally fetch anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500.
• The original nine Beanie Babies, along with others like Princess the Bear, Brownie the Bear, Valentino, Flash the Dolphin, Legs the Frog, Pinchers the Lobster and Mystic the Unicorn, remain highly valuable today.
• Another sub-trend like McDonald’s Teenie Beanies, which were offered in Happy Meals from 1997 to 2000, have some value if still in the original packaging.

Here are 10 examples of some of the most expensive Beanie Babies and what they could be worth.

Princess Diana Bear (With Errors)

• Selling for $50,000 to $325,000 on eBay

Introduced on Oct. 29, 1997 — and retired on April 13, 1999 — this Beanie Baby was designed to honor the late Princess Diana. This royal purple bear has a purple ribbon tied around its neck and its chest is adorned with an embroidered rose. Some of these can sell for a few thousand, but rare ones with errors can fetch a whopping sum from some collectors.

Valentina the Bear 

• Selling for $19,000 on Etsy

As you might guess, Valentina was born on Valentine’s Day in 1998. The seller claimed that there were errors and oddities on the tags and loop and in the included poem. Undeterred by the exorbitant price, an eager buyer can snatch this item for anywhere from $3,300 to $19,000.

Pinchers the Lobster

• Selling for $15,000 on Etsy

This Ty Beanie Baby, circa 1993, is one of the original nine and quite the rare find. He may pinch and eat his food inch by inch, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth a pretty penny. Versions of this toy can sell anywhere from a few hundred bucks to several thousand, depending on the condition. 

Teddy the Bear, Violet, Old Face

• Selling for $711.89 to $900 on eBay

Teddy the Bear came in a number of colors, including brown, cranberry, jade, magenta and teal, according to Beanipedia. This particular one, a third-generation violet copy sold with a certificate of authenticity from Becky Phillips’ Professional Bean Bag Authentication and Grading Service, brought in a premium price.

Gobbles the Turkey

• Selling for $19,999.20 on Etsy

Gobbles is a cute brown turkey with a yellow beak and red on its head and wings. He was released on Oct. 1, 1997, and was retired on March 31, 1999, which means he had a longer production run than some. Despite that, a seller and a buyer agreed that this Beanie, which had PVC pellets and tag errors, was a collector’s item worth anywhere between $3,000 to $20,000.

Brownie the Bear (With Korean Tags)

• Selling for $1,399.95 on eBay

This Brownie’s rare Korean tags and certificate of authenticity from Becky’s True Blue Beans earned its owner a premium price. The light brown bear has black button eyes, a brown button nose and a tan muzzle. Ty released him without a birthday in March 2005. He was retired about 18 months later.

Peanut the Elephant, Royal Blue

• Selling for $5,000 on Etsy

This authenticated copy of Peanut the Elephant was in mint condition with tags. Peanut came in several different versions, including the royal blue one with peach-colored inner ears. It had a short run — it was introduced on June 3, 1995, and retired on Oct. 2, 1995, because its color was a production error, according to Beaniepedia.

Iggy the Iguana

• Selling for $10,000 on Etsy

Born on Aug. 12, 1997, Iggy the Iguana was released in 1998 and retired on Jan. 1, 1999. Four different versions were created, including tie-dyed without a tongue, tie-dyed with a tongue, pastel with a tongue and blue without a tongue. Even sold as used, these little lizards can fetch thousands of dollars.

Coral Casino Bear

• Selling for $4,399.95 on eBay

Coral Casino Bear can go from $500 to upwards of $5,000 online for Beanie Baby enthusiasts. Not too much information was included about this bear, except that when it is in new condition, authenticated and signed, it can be worth more than a few casino chips.

Patti the Platypus

• Selling for $16,500 on Etsy

One of the original nine Beanie Babies, Patti the Platypus made her debut on Jan. 6, 1993, and was retired on Jan. 5, 1998, swing tags and all. Made with a fuchsia-purple material, she has black-button eyes and her feet and beak are yellow.

Final Take To GO: Collect on Your Investment

Remember to research collectible Ty Warner Beanie Babies that are worth a lot of money by using reputable dealers and authentication services before you flip the toys online. Unscrupulous individuals sometimes post phony listings with exorbitant prices to drive up prices. Overpricing may be part of the reason only a small percentage of the high-price Beanies listed on eBay actually sell.

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