Hoping to find a Princess Di Beanie Baby this very minute? Don’t hold your breath… you’ll just turn purple.
You have a few, way-limited choices if you must have a Di Beanie NOW, says Becky Phillips, co-author of “Beanie Mania.” You can get lucky and win a raffle or shell out $400. Here’s the deal: When Ty Warner decided his company should make a Beanie in memory of the princess, he knew it would be important for collectors that some of the Beanies be made available within the same year that Diana died. But only limited quantities could be made that fast, meaning there just aren’t many available yet. So only 12 of them are allowed for each store. Many stores are having raffles or auctions with those Beanies- and they’re going for as much as $400. But, as Phillips points out, that goes against the Ty philosophy of making Beanies available to kids at a price kids can afford. So, “after the first of the year, there will be an ample supply of the Beanies,” Phillips says- and they’ll be about $5, as usual.
Wondering what else Warner has up his sleeve for Beanies? Phillips clues us in: “He’ll introduce and retire some in January. And more Teeny Babies will be out in spring or early summer.”
Will Beanies really stick around as collectibles? Phillips says yep. The Beanies’ popularity “is catching hold in England and Canada. And (Warner) keeps coming up with new stuff… and the hunt begins.”
