Leah's Beanies

BEANIE BABIES

hey're on television, they're in the newspapers,  they've taken over the Internet ... they're even in baseball's Hall of Fame. In some form or another, Beanie Babies have made their way into mainstream American culture. Whether you're a die-hard collector or an innocent bystander who's stumbled onto the craze, Beanie Babies have become very much a part of our lives.

H. Ty Warner introduced the first nine Beanie Babies in 1994, but the story begins long before that. The now self- made millionaire began working in the stuffed animal business after attending college in Michigan. As a salesman for Dakin, he sold stuffed animals to specialty shops. Showing up a Rolls Royce and dressed in a fur coat and top hat, customers couldn't help but listen to his sales pitch. In the early 1980s, he quit his job with Dakin and traveled overseas. Upon returning to the United States several years later, Ty Warner embarked on a journey that's taken him to the top of the toy industry at full speed.

Ty Warner's success began in 1986 when he created a "litter" of Himalayan cats. Almost immediately, collectors fell in love with them. After the business began to boom, Ty Inc. was created and enjoyed continued success with its cuddly, well-made plush animals.

In 1993, Ty Inc. introduced a new plush collection called Attic Treasures and, though no one knew it at the time, the best was yet to come. In late 1993, at trade show in Chicago, Warner introduced an exciting new line geared toward kids - Beanie Babies. The Beanie Babies were beanbag animals that were purposely understuffed, small enough to fit into coat pockets and, most importantly, priced at a "kid-friendly" level.

When Ty Inc. retired three of the early Beanie Babies in 1995, suddenly collectors had to have them...and so the phenomenon began. One of the things that keeps the momentum going today is that the incredibly high demand means that even current Beanie Babies are difficult to find in stores. Warner, who remains the president of the company, does not sell his Beanie Babies to large chain stores.  Instead, he makes them available in small gift and specialty shops. Even these retailers have restrictions on how many of the Beanie Babies they are allowed to order.

Adding to the line's success, in 1997 Beanie Babies began showing up at professional sporting events - baseball first, then basketball, football and hockey. One Beanie Baby gained national attention in 1998 when New York Yankees' pitcher David Wells pitched a rare perfect game. "Valentino" happened to be at the right game at the right time and now he sits proudly beside Wells' cap in baseball's Hall of Fame.

May 9th 1999

Update

New additions to my family.

Roary

Spunky

Total Beanies - 89