Our daughter was 4 or 5 when Beanie Babies were hot. We bought a lot of them, because we liked them so much. We gave them to her and she promptly cut off the little tag on each of them, making them worthless as collectables.
Shortly after Princess Diana’s tragic death, Ty announced they were going to create a special bear to commemorate her. Suddenly people were paying hundreds of dollars for the bears, even though Ty begged people not to pay scalpers because soon the bears would be widely available for list price. And sure enough, after a short time the market was flooded. Now you can go into pretty much any thrift store and find a purple Princess bear for a few dollars.
They were not really collectables. The manufacturer created a fake shortage, making people think they had exceptional value, and drove prices up. It was all one big scam.
Why bother collecting such junk? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to buy some super glue to fix one of my Gundam models that broke when it gently fell on some carpet.
The big difference between Beanie Babies and Furbies is that kids really liked playing with Beanie Babies (they are absolutely PERFECT in a lot of ways) but parents got weird about it, and Furbies were manufactured to parents more than they were to kids and an awful lot of kids who got them didn’t really know what they were or what to do with them.
I babysat this kid once who brought me over to a pile of Beanie Babies, which she wasn’t allowed to touch, and gestured at it. “That’s my college fund,” she recited. It was… a lot of Beanie Babies.
I hope she was permitted to play with them after the bubble burst.
beb01 8 months ago
Our daughter was 4 or 5 when Beanie Babies were hot. We bought a lot of them, because we liked them so much. We gave them to her and she promptly cut off the little tag on each of them, making them worthless as collectables.
codycab 8 months ago
Time to learn the ways of the toys from long ago, young Jedi.
Ida No 8 months ago
Have you seen their organs?
youtube.Com/watch?v=GYLBjScgb7o
sueb1863 8 months ago
Shortly after Princess Diana’s tragic death, Ty announced they were going to create a special bear to commemorate her. Suddenly people were paying hundreds of dollars for the bears, even though Ty begged people not to pay scalpers because soon the bears would be widely available for list price. And sure enough, after a short time the market was flooded. Now you can go into pretty much any thrift store and find a purple Princess bear for a few dollars.
That’s the collectible market for you.
Anim-84 Premium Member 8 months ago
Went through the Beanie Babies and Furby eras without getting one yet Funkos got me
Amra Leo 8 months ago
I’ve got a few Lion Beanie Babies™, but they’re mine, don’t care what they’re “worth”…
Meg: All Seriousness Aside 8 months ago
Both toys prove there is one born every minute. There are too many people with pet rocks in their heads.
DawnQuinn1 8 months ago
They were not really collectables. The manufacturer created a fake shortage, making people think they had exceptional value, and drove prices up. It was all one big scam.
Decepticomic 8 months ago
Why bother collecting such junk? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to buy some super glue to fix one of my Gundam models that broke when it gently fell on some carpet.
stringer831 8 months ago
I am actually surprised that Dean’s father didn’t address him as “Grasshopper”.
brigidkeely 8 months ago
The big difference between Beanie Babies and Furbies is that kids really liked playing with Beanie Babies (they are absolutely PERFECT in a lot of ways) but parents got weird about it, and Furbies were manufactured to parents more than they were to kids and an awful lot of kids who got them didn’t really know what they were or what to do with them.
I babysat this kid once who brought me over to a pile of Beanie Babies, which she wasn’t allowed to touch, and gestured at it. “That’s my college fund,” she recited. It was… a lot of Beanie Babies.
I hope she was permitted to play with them after the bubble burst.
eddi-TBH 8 months ago
Collecting is somewhere between hobby and financial speculation.