Beanie Babies

I am a 90s child as well. I owned the Ultimate Beanie Baby Collector's Edition (cerca 2000, I believe), the Beanie Baby Binder (complete with statistics on each and every Beanie Baby ever produced)... and most of the Beanie Babies on the planet. My grandmother lived within walking distance of a Beanie Baby Barn shop and always had a new one for me whenever I came to visit.

I still own most of them to this day; they collect dust in boxes in the 'junk room.' I'm not sure why I keep them... nostalgia? Perhaps they'll skyrocket again, and I'll make a killing on the Beanie Baby market.

I can tell you, though, that I remember playing 'Pretend' with them every day at an after-school daycare up until the 5th grade, probably.

Aww, no, you've got me reminiscing.

-D

I worked at an antiques auction house for two years while I was going to college in Gainesville, FL. The auctioneer, David, refused to sell collections of Beanie Babies because they were a mass produced item and, in general, they had a dubious status within the antiques and collectibles milieu. The fact that they no longer have any value is a common thing to happen with collectibles, especially when they are still in production. A famous example is Hummel figurines. There was a time when these little figurines would command a hefty price, no matter the model, year of production or condition. The Goebel company which produces Hummels is still in business and still produces the little figurines. When the parent company became aware that the little dolls were becoming a commodity, they bought up huge collections and stashed them away. When the figurines peaked in price, Goebel unloaded their collections onto the market, thus devaluing the rosy cheeked cherubs to near worthlessness. This happened while I was working at the auction house. More than once we had to explain the tragic news to sweet little old ladies who had collected the figurines their entire lives and thought they would be able to retire on the proceeds from the sale of their collection that this was not going to happen.

The antiques and collectibles market is very volatile and subject to vogue. The item which commands a whopping price today cannot even be given away tomorrow. That’s just the way it works. My auctioneer mentor taught me two very valuable lessons when it comes to collecting antiques or pretty much anything.

1) Learn everything you can about the stuff you collect.

2) Collect things that you like. You might be stuck with them.

I wish I still had some of the old Cracker Jack toy surprises. Some were quite clever. Nowadays you have to shell out big bucks for any of those old toys.

I lived on candy cigarettes, wax lips, and sugar daddies. My mom would have my hair permed, and we'd have lots of floral outfits that made us look like walking carpets...

Those were the good, old days. I can't help but miss the '90s.

I just happened to stumble upon this by chance, and I'm a huuge flea market person. I've probably been to the one you went to lol.
My father owns a antique toy buisness, ranging for the 1930's to the 1980's, and I have great fun accompanying him to the flea markets. I collect rock n roll memorbeila. Maybe one day all of my cd's, records, and posters will be worth loads