Types
The original nine Beanie Babies are worth the most. The newer the Beanie Baby, the less it is worth. However, special edition or limited edition Beanie Babies are worth more as well, especially when there was a shortage or limited production of a particular animal.
Retired
Check to see if the Beanie Baby you have has been retired. The retired Beanie Babies are valued higher, since they are no longer in production. Combine that with a limited edition Beanie Baby and the value goes up tremendously.
Flaws
If your Beanie Baby has any type of flaw from the production line, this increases the value as well. Flaws can be anything from the Ty company changing the color or name of a Beanie Baby to changes made to the body of the Beanie Baby.
Condition
The condition of your Beanie Baby is important. A Beanie Baby that has all of its tags--with those tags in perfect shape--is valued higher than one without. Beanie Babies that are perfect in color and shape, showing no tears or discoloration, will be worth more, too.
Considerations
There is a limit to what people will actually pay for any Beanie Baby. Although the value of the Beanie Baby may be higher, the extremely rare Beanie Babies in mint condition have a realistic worth of around $3,000. Take into consideration your market and consider selling to a true collector who will recognize the value and cost of the stuffed toys.