Beanie Babies were a huge hit in the 1990s, but they quickly faded into relative obscurity. The once-popular children’s toys now draw a different crowd — collectors.
If you own any of these toys, you’re probably eager to know if you’re sitting on a small fortune. So, what Beanie Babies are actually 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.
Which Beanie Babies Are Worth the Most in 2023?
How do you know if your Beanie Babies are worth money? To help you figure this out, GOBankingRates compiled a list of the top 15 Beanie Babies that have fetched some of the highest prices on eBay recently.
The prices listed below are sold prices — the amount the buyer paid as opposed to the price at which the seller listed the Beanie.
15. Teddy the Bear, Violet, New Face — $1,000
The Teddy the Bear with an updated face 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.
14. Spot the Dog — $1,070
Spot the Dog — in this case, the version without spots — was on the market from Jan. 3, 1993, to April 13, 1994. He’s a white dog with black on the undersides of his ears, around his left eye, cheek and on his tail.
13. Coral Casino Bear — $1,259
Coral Casino is a pink and coral bear with black eyes and a black button nose. Just 588 were produced, according to Beanipedia — Members of the Coral Casino Beach Club at the Santa Barbara Biltmore Hilton received them as gifts in December 2001.
Ty Warner signed each swing tag, adding to the bears’ value. The buyer of this particular Coral Casino also received a certificate of authenticity from Becky’s True Blue Beans.
12. Peanut Royal Blue — $1,675.99
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.
11. Brownie “Korean” — 1,796.36
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 tan muzzle. TY released him without a birthday in March 2005. He was retired about 18 months later.
10. Chilly the Polar Bear — $1,825
Recently, a first-generation Chilly the Polar Bear in a sealed box with a certificate of authenticity was sold on eBay for $1,825. However, Beaniepedia warns that due to this Beanie Baby’s rarity, counterfeits are out there. To spot a fake, look for coarse or dirty white fabric on the bear and an orange swing tag instead of a red one.
9. Coral Casino Bear — $2,499
Another Coral Casino Bear, this one went for $2,499 — nearly double the price of the other sold listing. Not too much information was included about this bear, except that it was brand new, authenticated and signed.
8. Quackers the Duck — $2,500
Quackers was introduced in April 1994 and retired in January 1998. The version that sold for $2,500 was the more common one with wings, but Ty also made one without wings that was on the market for just over a year.
7. Curly the Bear — $2,999.25
Curly is a brown bear with black button eyes and nose and a red ribbon around his neck. He was born on April 12, 1996, and released two months later. Prior to his 1998 retirement, about 50,000 Curly bears were handed out at sporting events, according to Beanipedia. The owner of the copy sold for nearly $3,000 said it had a number of errors and rarities.
6. Iggy the Iguana — $3,000
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.
While sold in used condition, the listing noted that this rainbow-colored iguana was in wonderful condition when it sold for $3,000.
5. Princess Diana — $3,000
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.
The buyer of this $3,000 Princess Diana Beanie scored a big win with a brand new item.
4. Patti the Platypus, 1993 Edition — $3,000
One of the original nine Beanie Babies, Patti the Platypus made her debut on Jan. 6, 1993, and was retired on Jan. 5, 1998. Made with a fuchsia-purple material, she has black-button eyes and her feet and beak are yellow.
This rare Beanie Baby was sold in used condition for $3,000.
3. Chip Beanie Baby With Teenie Chip — $3,000
Born on Jan. 26, 1996, Chip the Cat was one of the most challenging Beanie Babies to make. Several different colors and more than 20 pieces of materials were needed to create this Beanie, which was retired on March 31, 1999.
Sold in used condition, this listing offered both Chip and Teenie Chip. Despite noting many errors in the listing, this fourth-generation Beanie was purchased for $3,000.
2. Gobbles the Turkey — $3,000
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 $3,000.
1. Valentina the Bear — $3,300
As you might guess, Valentina was born on Valentine’s Day 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 snatched this Valentina up for $3,300.
Good To Know
People often find a trunk of old Beanie Babies and get excited when they see the prices that people have listed examples for online. Sadly, that doesn’t really tell you much about their true value.
A collector’s item is only worth what someone will pay, not what the seller asks. If you have some Beanie Babies to sell, find out what rare examples look like then look for consistent sales in the same price range, not at the outliers.
How Do You Find Out What Your Beanie Babies Are Selling For?
Remember to research collectible Beanie Babies worth 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.
FAQ
- What Beanie Babies are worth the most money?
- Beanie Babies that are worth the most money are those that have a rare production error and are in mint condition. For example, if you have a Batty the Bat with an extra foot, it could be worth almost $125,000.
- What are the five rarest Beanie Babies?
- The five rarest Beanie Babies are among those made in the first generation back in 1993, which include the following: Splash the Killer Whale, Flash the Dolphin, Squealer the Pig, Pinchers the Lobster, Spot the Dog, Legs the Frog, Chocolate the Moose, Brownie the Bear and Patti the Platypus.
Branford Shaw, Jennifer Taylor and Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting for this article.
Information is accurate as of March 25, 2023.