10 of the Most Valuable Beanie Babies That Could Be Hiding in Your Attic

Kids who collected (and resisted ripping the tags off of) Beanie Babies in the 1990s were promised a massive return on their investment when they grew up. Decades later, the majority of these Ty toys aren’t worth much more money today than when they first hit shelves at the height of Beanie mania. But that doesn’t mean you should throw away the toys in your attic without giving them a second look.

While they’re hard to come by, there are a few rare Beanie Babies out there—like Princess the Bear and the original nine toys—that can still earn you a small fortune on eBay. Here are some of most valuable stuffed collectibles to look for.

1. Princess the Bear // Value: Up to $25,000

The purple Princess Diana bear Beanie Baby quickly become iconic when Ty released it in 1997. A special edition created to raise money for The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund following Princess Diana’s death, it frequently ranks among the most expensive vintage Beanie Babies on eBay today.

The bears have sold for around $25,000 through the auction site—though the true value of the item varies depending on what your bear is made of. Most Princess Beanie Babies that people bought in the 1990s were made with polyethylene (PE) pellets, and those are essentially worthless today. The much rarer bears stuffed with polyvinylchloride (PVC) pellets are more valuable.

2. Patti the Platypus // Value: Up to $12,000

If you started buying Beanie Babies before they were cool, check your stash for Patti the Platypus, an early Beanie Baby that’s a collector’s item now. The fuchsia toy has sold for around $12,000 in multiple eBay auctions, making it one of the more valuable items on this list. In addition to being one of the nine original Beanie Babies released in 1993, it’s notable for being named after Patricia Roche, who went on to become the head of Ty Europe.

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3. Valentino the Bear // Value: Up to $10,000

Valentino the Bear is one of the most valuable of the Beanie Baby toys. If you own a rare version with an error, you may be sitting on thousands of dollars. Valentino Beanie Babies with every error (brown nose instead of black, white star on the tag instead of yellow, PVC pellets, and multiple typos on the tag) can sell for around $10,000 on eBay.

4. Snort the Red Bull // Value: Up to $5000

In 1997, Ty quietly replaced their red bull named Tabasco with a red bull named Snort to avoid copyright infringement. Today, pristine versions of the Beanie bull can sell for around $5000 at online auctions.

5. Pinchers the Lobster // Value: Up to $5000

Like Patti the Platypus, Pinchers was one of the nine original Beanie Babies that debuted in 1993. A perfect specimen might be worth a few thousand dollars, with at least one selling for $5000 on eBay. If you find one in your attic at home, take a close look at the tag. When it was first sold, the bright-red lobster Beanie Baby was mistakenly labeled “Punchers.” The error was quickly resolved, making toys with the typo especially valuable.

6. Peace the Bear // Value: Up to $5000

The Peace the Bear Beanie Baby is unique for several reasons: It was the first Beanie Baby with an embroidered emblem; it had many tag variations during its run; and its tie-dye pattern meant that no two bears were identical. Peace bears with rare features can sell for up to $5000 on eBay.

7. Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant // Value: Up to $5000

Peanut the baby-blue elephant is the Beanie Baby that helped catapult the brand to prominence, but it wasn’t the first version of the toy that Ty made. Peanut was originally royal blue; after a few months of poor sales, the company changed the color to a lighter shade, and its popularity skyrocketed. Today the royal-blue Peanut is in a much different position—it’s one of the most sought-after Beanie Babies around. Some royal blue Peanuts have attracted bids of $4000 to $5000 on eBay.

8. Quackers the Duck // Value: Up to $1800

You don’t need be an expert appraiser to spot Quackers’s most famous variation. The first version of the yellow duck Beanie Baby released in 1994 came without wings. The toy was quickly updated to have wings, and the original remains hard to find. Some collectors are willing to bid up to $1800 on a rare wingless Quackers.

9. Chilly the Polar Bear // Value: Up to $1650

Chilly the Polar Bear was introduced in 1994 and retired less than two years later. The toy was produced with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation Ty tags, and its rarity means it’s highly sought after. Mint condition bears with silky, white fur can fetch up to $1650 on eBay. Look out for Chilly’s with coarse or yellowish coats—you may be dealing with a counterfeit.

10. Iggy the Iguana // Value: Up to $1600

Iggy the Iguana went through many design iterations during its run, making the toy extra valuable to Beanie Baby obsessives today. Some Iggys have a tongue sticking out, while others do not; some are neon rainbow in color, while others are dark blue; some have a tag attached to the foot, and others have one attached to the spine. With so many potential combinations of characteristics, Iggy has become a favorite of collectors, with some variations auctioning for $1600.

A version of this story ran in 2019; it has been updated for 2023.