#1 #12 Brownie The Bear With Korean Tags ($1,399.95)
Brownie the Bear first debuted in June 1993, but the Beanie Baby was short-lived under that name. Production errors and typos led Ty to retire the plush and reissue it as Cubbie, as detailed by Beaniepedia.
More than 30 years later, the original Brownie the Bear ranks as the 12th most valuable Beanie Baby ever produced by Ty Inc., but only under very specific conditions.
Collectors primarily chase versions with the rare “Brownie” name tag, which have sold for as much as $1,399.95 on eBay.
© Photo: passwordresetsucks / reddit
#2 #11 Brownie and Deep Fuchsia Patti ($2,500)
With their wide boba-style eyes, soft purple bodies, and bright yellow legs and beaks, Brownie and Deep Fuchsia Patti rank as the 11th most expensive Beanie Babies in the collecting world.
Beanie Baby expert Karen Boeker told PEOPLE that she has seen examples sell for “as low as $400 and as high as $2,500.”
The plush is part of the coveted “Original 9” Beanie Babies and was officially introduced in November 1993 during the exclusive Gatlinburg Show in Tennessee, a debut that helped cement its status among early collectors.
© Photo: Michelle Johnson Nikolay / Facebook
#3 #10 Royal Blue Peanut The Elephant Beanie ($4,000)
Royal Blue Peanut the Elephant earned the nickname “king of the bears” and is widely credited with kickstarting the Beanie Baby craze.
BuzzFeed reports that the royal-blue version debuted on June 3, 1995, before Ty quickly swapped the color to a lighter baby blue just months later.
Because of that brief production window, the deep royal blue Peanut has become one of the hobby’s most sought-after pieces.
Today, the ultra-rare version can fetch prices of up to $4,000 on the resale market, as collectors compete for one of the toys that helped launch a cultural phenomenon.
© Photo: YogurtclosetFar9368 / reddit
#4 #9 Jake The Mallard ($5,000)
Jake the Mallard made headlines in 2021 after selling for $5,000, securing its place as the 9th most expensive Beanie Baby on record. The duck-themed plush debuted in 1998 and was retired just a year later, as documented by Beaniepedia.
While Jake the Mallard is not especially rare on its own, versions with manufacturing mistakes tend to attract far more attention from collectors. Those production quirks can significantly increase resale value, turning an otherwise common Beanie into a standout find.
© Photo: Facebook marketplace
#5 #8 Hope The Bear ($5,700)
Hope the Bear sits firmly near the top of the collector hierarchy, with buyers regularly paying well above average to secure one. That demand places it as the 8th most expensive Beanie Baby still tracked today.
Beaniepedia notes that Hope the Bear had an unusually short lifespan, with both its release and retirement happening in 1999. Its value later jumped into the spotlight when one example sold on eBay for $5,700 (via Newsweek).
© Photo: bridgeonebay / Instagram
#6 #7 “#1” Bear Beanie ($6,000)
With its bright red fur, black button-like eyes and nose, and bold white “#1” stitched across its chest, the #1 Bear Beanie is instantly recognizable among collectors.
The plush was signed by Ty founder Warner and distributed exclusively to company representatives on December 12, 1998.
That limited release is what drives its value today, with only 253 known examples and prices ranging from roughly $2,500 to $6,000.
© Photo: bbtoystore / Instagram
#7 #6 Claude The Crab ($9,000)
Claude the Crab first hit the market in May 1997, but only a very specific version has earned serious collector attention. Error-filled editions rank as the 6th most expensive Beanie Baby ever documented.
Parade explains that value hinges almost entirely on the tag. Versions missing the star or showing other production oddities can sell for as much as $9,000, while standard Claude the Crab Beanies remain relatively easy to find and far less desirable.
© Photo: tybeaniebabiesforsaleuk / Instagram
#8 #5 Valentino The Bear ($10,000)
Valentino the Bear stands out for its white plush body, red satin ribbon, and stitched heart, details that have helped make it one of the most recognizable Valentine-themed Beanie Babies.
Released in 1995 and retired three years later, Valentino has developed a strong secondary market. Certain rare variations have sold for up to $10,000 on eBay, depending on condition and specific production details.
© Photo: perfectmark1973 / reddit
#9 #4 Chef Robuchon Bear ($12,000)
Chef Robuchon Bear entered the market on August 9, 2006, and quickly became one of the most exclusive Beanie Babies ever produced.
Created in tribute to celebrated French chef Joël Robuchon, the plush routinely sells for $8,000 to $12,000.
Scarcity plays the biggest role in its value. Roughly 200 Chef Robuchon Bears were distributed to select guests during the opening of L’Atelier at the New York Four Seasons Hotel, a limited release that continues to drive intense collector demand.
© Photo: Karen Boeker / Facebook
#10 #3 McDonald’s Teenie Beanie Baby Mini Erin The Bear ($14,500)
What started as a free McDonald’s Happy Meal toy has since become one of the most surprising high-value Beanie Baby collectibles.
During the 1997 promotion, McDonald’s produced roughly 100 million Teenie Beanie Babies, a rollout that overwhelmed restaurants with constant inquiries about availability. At the height of the frenzy, stores were fielding “15 to 20, sometimes 25 calls every half-hour,” as recalled by the New York Post.
Value today hinges on mistakes. Rare production errors turned certain McDonald’s Beanies into eBay standouts, including one Mini Erin the Bear that sold for $14,500 while still sealed in its original packaging.
© Photo: needfulthings2021 / Instagram
#11 #2 Curly The Bear ($14,999)
Curly the Bear may look unassuming at first, but it has earned a reputation as one of the most valuable Beanie Babies ever sold. The plush currently holds the distinction of being the second-most-expensive Beanie Baby on record.
Released in 1996 and finished with a signature red ribbon, Curly’s value comes down to small but critical details.
One example sold on eBay for $14,999, driven largely by mismatched tag dates and typographical errors in the poem that set it apart from standard versions.
© Photo: DallonsCheezWhiz / reddit
#12 #1 Princess The Bear ($1 Million)
Princess the Bear stands as the most expensive Beanie Baby ever sold. The commemorative plush was released in December 1997 following Princess Diana’s death and was intentionally limited, with just 12 toys allocated to each store, as reported by PEOPLE.
Despite its later value, the bear originally sold for only $5 to $7, a price point that made it widely accessible at the time. Antiques appraiser Lori Verderame told the outlet that “in 1997, it was the toy to get.”
Verderame also pointed to the emotional pull behind its popularity, noting that the bears resonated with collectors who grew up during the Beanie Baby boom and are now reaching peak collecting age.
As years passed, Princess the Bear evolved into one of the most coveted collectibles on the market. Individual examples have sold for as much as $1 million, with value determined by factors such as country of origin, stuffing type, and subtle differences in facial features.
“They’re all different,” Verderame explained, emphasizing that even small nuances can dramatically affect price.
© Photo: bbtoystore / Instagram
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