5 Rare '90s Beanie Babies & 5 Everyone Had in Their Collection

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at some Beanie Babies that you’ll have to search the ends of the Earth for to find and others that were in practically everybody’s childhood collections.

Super Rare: Sparky the Dalmatian

Not even toys are safe from copyright laws. When Sparky was first introduced to the line in 1996, it seemed fans would have the chance to scoop up the Dalmatian of their dreams. Less than a year later however, he was retired due to having the same name as the long-serving and trademarked National Fire Protection Association mascot. To avoid any pitfalls that may have come with an infringement lawsuit, he was quickly ushered out in favor of Dotty, his replacement. Since he was on the market for such a brief time, only a lucky few were able to get ahold of him. While some originals with his tag and poem are still out there, they’re nowhere near as common as his successor.

Everyone Had: Teenie Beanie Babies

Beginning in 1997, tinier versions of the stuffed animals people knew and loved were included with McDonald’s Happy Meals. The aptly named Teenie Beanie Babies were a hit, so much so that some restaurants couldn’t keep up with demand and sold out. They proved to be popular with both children and adults, with some opting to just buy the toy rather than the meal it came with. Even after the promotion ended, the hype didn’t die down. The fun-sized toys were circulated throughout non-official markets to those who couldn’t get their hands on them in the store. The promotion occurred twice more in the 90s alone, ensuring that lots of fans had at least one in their collections.

Super Rare: Brownie the Bear

Sometimes all it takes is a misprint to turn a standard teddy into a prized jewel. In 1993, Brownie the Bear was rolled out as one of the original Beanie Babies. His time in the spotlight was limited, however, as the manufacturers quickly realized they’d released him with the wrong name. He was retired immediately after, and the correctly-named version, Cubbie, took his place in the line up. Some customers were lucky enough to snag him before retirement, having no idea that they’d just acquired what would become one of the rarest toys the company had made. He’s still a coveted find for collectors and sellers alike, with authentic versions being some of the most valuable of the entire bunch.

Everyone Had: Legs the Frog

Some Beanie Babies in the original drop fared much better than their incorrectly-tagged counterparts. Legs the Frog was part of the brand at the very beginning. He was originally in circulation for three years at the height of the initial craze, allowing fans from all over the globe to purchase him. Some super fans noted how much more available he was compared to others in the line-up, allowing him to hop into plenty of hearts throughout the years. Some subsequent modernized versions have been created and released by Ty since then. Though they may not be the same as the one from the 90s, it’s ensured that multiple generations will be able to add some variation of him to their collections.

Super Rare: Billionaire Bears

What must have seemed like a small gesture for such a big accomplishment ended up being more valuable than anyone could’ve guessed. After Ty achieved one billion dollars in sales in 1998, they thanked their employees with a fitting gift: a classic Beanie Baby bear with a dollar sign embroidered on its chest. They were retired immediately afterward, with just 1,400 being produced. A second Billionaire Bear was created the following year for a similar achievement, and much like its predecessor, it was limited to the employees. Only 475 of the 1999 version were made, making both it and the original extremely hard to come by. Fake versions have been created and sold, making the authentic ones even more coveted.

Everyone Had: Squealer the Pig

Some Beanie Babies were made more rare thanks to an early retirement, while others stuck around so long that they became a mainstay in people’s collections. Squealer the Pig easily falls into the second category. He was released in 1994 along with the rest of the original nine, and soon became a near-permanent fixture in their catalog. He had one of the longest life spans of his counterparts in the first drop, with a shelf life of just over four years. He was eventually discontinued in 1998. His longevity meant that countless customers had the opportunity to find him well before he was made unavailable, and as such impacted his rarity among hardcore enthusiasts and the general public alike.

Super Rare: The End

He signaled the abrupt end to a toy empire— or so everyone thought. In 1999, Ty suddenly revealed that they were retiring every Beanie Baby in the current line up, and released one of their final creations, The End, to prove their point. This black bear was only available for four months before being discontinued, not because the company had vanished, but because they had supposedly changed their minds. They rescinded their decision to shut down, and created the counterpart to their final drop, The Beginning, as a cheeky way of starting a new line. Even after the brand itself was revived, The End remained retired. His comparatively shorter manufacturing span meant that not every fan could have a chance to find him.

Everyone Had: Chocolate the Moose

Though he was one of the first Beanie Babies to be released in 1994, he ended up holding even more significance a year later. His fourth-generation variation came with a new, seemingly small addition: a poem on the inside of his tag. Not only did this usher in a new wave of stuffed animals with verses attached, it made him all the more popular. His groundbreaking status paired with the fact that he was the longest-standing of the initial bunch meant that collectors had plenty of time and incentive to scoop him up before his retirement on New Year’s Eve of 1998. He may be more common, but that doesn’t make him any less iconic.

Super Rare: #1 Bear

If you thought the Billionaire Bears were an incredible gift, just wait until you hear about this. In 1998, Ty was on top of the world. Their success netted them a huge profit, and so its CEO, Ty Warner, decided to give back to those who helped him get to that level of success. At a Christmas party that year, he bestowed upon his employees a signed stuffed animal named #1 Bear. The name correlated with the company’s achievements – but what made it even more interesting was the fact that only 253 were created. With there being so few, it’s impossible for every collector to get ahold of one. Fake versions have also been sold, making an authentic one a true needle in a haystack.

Everyone Had: Patti the Platypus

With a few different variations being out there, it makes sense that she would be one of the most common. Patti first hit the mass market along with the other original Beanie Babies in 1994. However, her true claim to fame is being one of the very first to be introduced and sold by Ty Warner a year prior, making her even more important to super fans. She was retired and re-released in a slightly different color multiple times throughout the 1990s, no doubt making her desirable to collectors who wanted to acquire one of each. That also meant she was consistently available during the height of the phenomena, allowing everyone from connoisseurs to casual customers to take her home with them.

Which rare Beanie Baby would you love to add to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!