A bit like the fidget spinner craze of modern times, Beanie Babies were all the rage in the mid-90s up until 1999. Filled with plastic pellets instead of stuffing like most stuffed animals, Beanie Babies skyrocketed in popularity in 1995 when seemingly everyone wanted one.
The original nine Beanie Babies released were: Legs the Frog, Squealer the Pig, Spot the Dog, Flash the Orca, Splash the Whale, Chocolate the Moose, Patti the Platypus, Brownie the Bear (renamed “Cubbie” later on) and Pinchers the Lobster. While these were the original nine, they’re nowhere near the most expensive. Special edition Beanie Babies have gone on to fetch thousands of dollars. The most expensive one called “Princess,” sells for more than $500,000. Yeah, that’s not a typo.
By the time all was said and done, Beanie Babies were the reason Ty Inc., the company that made them, reached a $1 billion valuation in the late 90s. By the new millennium however, the Beanie Babies fad had ended. Regardless, anyone who grew up in the 90s remembers these and you can still get them to this day although they’re not nearly as sought out as they once were.
While I could not find an actual Beanie Babies commercial from Ty Inc., there is this 1997 McDonald’s commercial for Beanie Babies that were included in their Happy Meals. Enjoy!
