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Baby beanies may look like average stuffed animals, but did you know they’re the most popular collectibles that can be sold to potential buyers for thousands of dollars?
Even though baby beanies were on the marketplace much earlier, they gained collectible status in the 1990s due to all the rage surrounding them. If you’re a ’90s baby, it’s possible that you have at least one beanie baby collecting dust in the cabinets, but selling this toy bear is a good idea, especially if it’s in mint condition.
Back in the day, people were so occupied with purchasing these toys that there wasn’t much idea regarding their selling prices, especially their value to beanie baby collectors.
But all that’s clear now – you can easily sell a valuable beanie from your collection to make extra cash. Let’s look at some sites where you earn money by selling your beanie babies. Read on!
What Are Beanie Babies?
Beanie Babies were once incredibly popular toys that had a collectible status due to the rich history and storyline behind every beanie baby. In the 1990s, each beanie baby was created by Ty Inc. to resemble a real-life character or animal, and although they’ve declined in popularity, they remain a symbol of nostalgia.
However, the release of the Beanie Baby documentary titled ‘Beanie Mania’ in 2021 surged the popularity of these toys once again. So, now might be a good time for selling beanie babies.
If you want to sell beanie babies, you might want to learn about the different beanie baby versions (including the year of sale) since they have different values and selling prices. For your convenience, here’s a list of the best-selling and most sought-after beanies babies and how much money you can expect buyers to pay:
- Patti the Platypus ($25,000)
- Hippity, Hoppity, And Floppity The Bunnies ($30,000)
- Valentino The Bear ($42,300)
- Piccadilly Attic ($125,000)
- Jolly Walrus ($75,000)
- Batty ($125,000)
- Lefty the Donkey, Righty the Elephant ($50,000)
- Bubbles (can be sold for up to six figures)
- Princess the Bear ($500,000 – inspired by Princess Diana)
- Large Wallace and His Squad ($600,000)
Where to Sell Beanie Babies Online
Since the onset of various online marketplaces, it’s become quite easy to sell beanie babies to genuine collectors who value these toys. Such wide exposure to collectors ensures you get the top dollar by having multiple buyers interested in your beanie baby. Try selling your beanies babies on one website in this list to get the best price:
1. eBay
When selling any collectible, eBay is your best bet since it allows you to sell beanie babies worldwide and auction them to the highest bidder. You can sell your beanie babies in one of two ways – flat price listing or simple auction.
And while selling beanie babies in auctions can get you a higher price compared to flat-price listing, it ultimately depends on whether the product is in good condition.
Before setting up a post listing a beanie baby, do your research and check the market to see how much similar items are selling for. Bear in mind that while sellers can ask for an exorbitant price, the ones that are actually selling may be a few dollars. So, ensure you ask for a fair price that buyers are willing to pay.
2. Etsy
Even though Etsy is an online platform that primarily sells handcrafted items, many collectors prefer Etsy due to the ‘nostalgia’ factor it emanates. So, it’s quite easy to find genuine buyers for selling beanie babies for cash.
However, most beanie babies on Etsy are sold for a few dollars, but if you could get your hands on a rare, valuable beanie, earning thousands of dollars is a piece of cake.
3. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace
While there’s no guarantee you’ll get what your beanie babies are worth, Craigslist identifies local collectors interested in the product. This way, you can sell your beanie babies locally without paying shipping charges.
Another underrated market for selling your beanie babies is Facebook Group and Marketplace, where you can create connections and meet potential buyers. Often, you’ll find genuine collectors who want to purchase your entire beanie baby collection for good cash if they’re in mint condition. Moreover, Facebook often provides free delivery locally.
4. Sell2BBNovelties
Since the beanie baby toys are essentially collectibles, you’ll have greater sales, higher search result ranking, and lead generation through a collectible retailer. Sell2BBNovelties is a good platform for selling collectibles, and beanie babies are one of their top selling products.
Here, you’ll have two ways to sell beanie babies – you can either sell beanie babies individually or sell a whole collection at a flat price. However, this site puts extra focus on the condition of the beanie babies, including the heart-shaped paper hang tags.
If a beanie baby is used, has a bad odor, or shows signs of discoloration, you’ll not get the price based on the worth of the product, no matter how rare it is.
5. Sell Beanie Babies Near You
If you’d rather not pay shipping and sell beanie babies locally, you can totally do that. Search for some antique stores since beanie babies are technically considered to be vintage toys. But remember that you’ll get a lower price than selling online – but if you’re willing to sell an entire collection, this option may be viable.
Things To Consider While Selling Beanie Babies
Like selling any other product, you must consider certain aspects of the beanie baby before you sell it around the world. Let’s look at some of them:
1. Condition
To ensure you get a good value out of your beanie babies, there must be a sufficient focus on their condition. In the market, the condition of a beanie baby is the main factor that’ll affect the selling price, and a huge aspect to consider is whether the original hang tag is still attached.
As a rule of thumb, a beanie baby that’s in pristine condition and has never been played with since it was released will fetch a higher price. And compared to that, one that has been very much loved will likely sell for a few dollars.
2. Rarity
Of course, the rare your beanie babies are, the higher value they have in the market – but there are various factors that contribute to this rarity.
For example, if the particular beanie baby was produced in limited quantities, chances are buyers will find them more valuable. Moreover, the first generation of most stuffed toys (especially ones that are collectible) is usually more valuable. So, if you have any beanie babies produced in 1993, selling them at a high price is a good call.
Another thing that can contribute to a beanie baby’s rarity is whether it is retired. If a collection of beanie babies is retired from the online store, then they’re no longer available on the market. This significantly increases its demand among collectors.
3. Provenance
Many collectors pay extra attention to where a beanie baby is purchased and whether it has any certification of authenticity. A beanie baby purchased from an authorized retailer has a higher worth in the market than one bought second-hand or via online platforms.
Moreover, if you have beanie babies with a significant history of ownership, you may hit the jackpot. For example, beanie babies known to be owned by famous people will sell for thousands of dollars.
4. Location of Sale
The value of a beanie baby also increases based on its sales location. The ones sold in primary markets, such as company stores, are more sought-after than those sold at garage sales (secondary market).
Such a factor usually determines whether the beanie babies are in good condition with their stitches and original hang tags in place.
5. Desirability
This is a key factor to consider, especially when you’re about to set a price on a website. Some beanie babies are more popular than others due to their looks and backstory. So, if you have a popular beanie baby on your hand, you can easily make good cash out of it.
Moreover, certain versions and styles of beanie babies are more sought-after due to their rarity, so ensure you know if you’re selling a special item to avoid losing out on money.
To Sum Up
From now on, before you get rid of a beanie baby, ask yourself – how much can I profit from selling it? If you find that your beanie babies are in mint condition and come from a popular set, there’s a high chance of making good money.
Moreover, many people know what limited edition beanie babies are worth, so purchasing from online platforms and reselling them has become a kind of side hustle. But you must understand that selling beanie babies won’t give you a consistent stream of income, and we recommend doing this only if you’re sure to get a fair price.
See you next time!
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