Hobbies And Interests
Company
Beanie Babies are made by Ty Inc. The company's founder is H. Ty Warner, who began creating the toys after having worked for a manufacturer of stuffed animals.
Original Nine
Beanie Baby production began with nine designs: Chocolate the Moose, Cubbie the Bear, Flash the Dolphin, Legs the Frog, Patti the Platypus, Pinchers the Lobster, Splash the Whale, Spot the Dog and Squealer the Pig, according to the World Collectors Net website.
Collectibility
The toys were initially sold in specialty shops. Because Beanie Babies were constantly retired and new ones introduced, they became popular with collectors. For a time in the late 1990s, collecting the toys became a craze, with some retired beanies selling for thousands of dollars.
Determining Value
The Beanie Baby website lists all the Beanie Babies ever produced, both current and retired. A Beanie Baby collectors' guidebook such as "Ty Beanies Tracker" can be helpful in determining their value. Toys with tags in perfect condition are considered most valuable.
Production
Ty Inc. continues to produce new lines and has also released a larger version of Beanie Babies called Beanie Buddies, according to the website Toni's Collectibles, an authorized Ty retailer. The Baby Ty line is for very young children. Beanie Babies 2.0, tied with an interactive website, were released in 2008.