April 2000 News

==April 30, 2000==
A BEAUTIFUL SERVICE FOR A BEAUTIFUL FRIEND!!
First let me say Thank You to Karen and her family for making Robin and Me feel like part of the family. They are all really very kind as their Mother was. When we arrived at the funeral home we walked into the room and there was our Sweet Mabel looking so peaceful in her casket. This was very difficult meeting her this way for the first time. We both signed the register and walked over to meet Mabel. Mabel's son-in-law, Eddie, came over to greet us. He was very nice and believe it or not he asked us if we were her friends from the beanie baby clubs. He said there are a number of people that wanted to meet us. We met Mabel's grandson (Kyle) and granddaughter (Cassie). Beautiful kids!! Karen came in and introduced herself. I handed her a Halo II and told her that we ALL saw Mabel as an Angel. I had printed the dedication page and a list of about 45 names and put it in a presentation folder and I also handed this to Karen. We met Mabel's husband (Richard). What a sweet man!! Mabel was survived by her husband (Richard), 1 daughter (Karen), 2 grandkids (Cassie & Kyle), and I believe she had 4 brothers and sisters. She was also survived by a LOT of great friends. Robin, Nicole (Robin's daughter), Jennifer (my daughter), and I stayed and talked for a little bit. Then we went to lunch and returned for the services. Robin had her digital camera to take a picture of the flower arrangement I ordered from all of us. It was beautiful, one of the prettiest ones there and believe me.. there were a LOT of flowers and plants. The first song played at the service was Mabel's favorite song "In the Garden". She loved flowers and all kinds of plants, and she loved the Lord, so this song just always seemed to 'fit' her. (Thank you Karen for sharing this with me) The very first thing the Pastor spoke about was how Mabel had touched the hearts of people that had never even met her. He held up the Halo II beanie I had given to Karen and spoke about how someone that had never met Mabel in person had come to know and love her. He spoke of her hobby collecting beanie babies and how she was always so generous in giving some of her own collection to those that might need a particular beanie baby. He then read a poem sent to Karen by Amanda (beanieflowerpower). Mabel would have been so proud of you Amanda. After speaking about her family and co-workers they played on final song before we left the chapel to go to the cemetery. The song which Robin found so fitting to put on the Dedication page, Amazing Grace. Robin and I just looked at each other and started crying again. This, we believe, would have been one of Mabel's favorite songs. While driving to the cemetery cars pulled off the side of the road. The policemen stood at attention with one hand held over their chest. One woman even stopped mowing her lawn as the funeral procession drove by. This was very touching!! Karen offered to do something so very special for Robin and me when we were first talking to her before the services. She asked us if we'd like to stop by Mabel's house after leaving the cemetery. This was an amazing thing for Karen to have offered. She spoke of how much we meant to Mabel and she wanted us to be able to see and get a feel of how Mabel lived, where she sat for those hours that she spoke on the computer, her beanie collection and her other many collections. I could feel Mabel all around us when we were there. It's a feeling I cannot describe. I will never forget this day for as long as I live. I'm so grateful that we lived close enough and were able to attend the funeral. Before leaving I asked Karen if she had a picture we could scan and put up on the dedication page for Mabel. Robin has it so she will be scanning it and placing it on the dedication page soon. It was good to spend time with Robin again. We may live close to each other but we rarely get to see each other. We talk on the phone enough to make up for it though. :o) A funny thing happened that we know Mabel must have been giggling about. When we first arrived in the chapel we weren't sure where to sit. I haven't been to a funeral since I was a little girl. We sat in the 6th row back on the left side. I got the idea this side was for the family when, at the end, it was asked "friends please stand" and the entire right row stood up and nobody in front of us stood and two rows in back of us also remained seated. Well we were in the "family" section. Mabel always thought of us as her "beanie family" so I guess this was appropriate. When we were leaving we realized we were not only sitting in the "family" section but we were also parked in between the family members. LOL I'm sure Mabel was giggling. Rest in Peace Sweet Mabel Scott.. gone but NEVER forgotten.
~*~
BEANBAGAIRE CHAT IS TONIGHT
I will be playing to try and win Germania. Please stop by the chat here and wish me luck. The chat is tonight at 7:00pm EST :o)
~*~
SALLY WINEY TO PRODUCE SPECIAL EDITION "ARTIST’S" BEARS FOR HOLYBEARS
HOUSTON, April 28, 2000 -
One of the world's top teddy bear designers - Sally Winey - has contracted with HolyBears, Inc. to produce "artist's versions" of handmade, limited edition teddy bears. Each version will be limited to 250 pieces and each bear will be personally signed by Sally. They will be available to HolyBears authorized dealers on a first come, first served basis. To read the rest go here.

==April 29, 2000==
APRIL CONTEST WINNER
I decided to continue the contest with the 391 entries that had entered prior to my canceling it on Wednesday. My hubby picked up a Scorch Buddy for me today not knowing I have one of my own. I wanted to use it and dedicate this contest win to our Sweet Angel Mabel on this day, our final goodbye to her on earth. We will again see her in Heaven and will be able to give and receive all of those warm loving hugs from Mabel Scott. Congratulations to goes to Heather Hammond of New York!! Mabel would be happy knowing you are new owner of this buddy. To everyone that understood why I canceled the contest, I thank you!! :o) Rest in Peace Mabel Scott
~*~
Contest to be held at the Planet Beans Club In honor of Mabel's birthday on Tuesday, May 2, 2000. Mabel would have turned 64 years old on this day. I invite you to join us for a contest to win her birthday beanie, Pugsly.
~*~
There will not be a news update today
I will be out of town today. It's time to pay a final farewell to our dearest Angel, Mabel Scott. God Bless and Keep our Sweet Mabel today and always.

You can look for the regular news updates to take place again starting tomorrow morning.

==April 28, 2000==
From: The Daily Bean
BEANBAGAIRE CHAMPION
"Congratulations LISA from PlanetBeans.com for answering the question less than a minute after it was updated! Lisa is our 2nd Beanbagaire Champion and she will be playing to win Germania and more!"

I hope you can make it to the chat. This Sunday night at 7pm EST I will try to win Germania in this competition. Wish me luck.. I have a feeling I'm going to need it! LOL
~*~
Bonnie & Azalea Attics Retire
http://www.ty.com/announcements/0428atret.html
~*~
From BeanieWonderland:
Rep Takes no Action
One of our members expressed some concerns regarding an official Ty store in Canada that was selling non-Canadian Country exclusives, including an Osito Beanie Baby for $100.00 (yes $100.00). The store, despite clearly dealing on the secondary market, was also selected to hold one of the Beanie Kid draws. On the day the draw took place the rep was present and all the secondary market material was still on display, what was the rep doing, walking around with his eyes closed? Why didn't he do anything? Why was this allowed to go on when so many other stores who abide by the guidelines lose their accounts. These were some of the questions this Beanie Wonderland member asked in the letter they sent to namenames@ty.com. It will be interesting to know the outcome.
~*~
Tyra™ without pompoms and blank hang tag
The auction for the Tyra™ without pompoms bearing a blank hang we reported is close to ending. The high bid at present after 10 bids is $405.60. The reserve has not been met. Click here for auction.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net

==April 27, 2000==
SAD SAD DAY IN THE BEANIE CLUBS
Many are still in shock at the loss of our dear friend, Mabel Scott. We all have a beautiful angel to watch over us. You can bet Mabel is finding some great beanies in Heaven. We miss you so much Sweet Mabel!!
~*~
IN MEMORY OF MABEL SCOTT
I have put a picture in photo section at the Planet Beans club of the floral arrangement I will be ordering online from Flowers USA (Multicolored Standing Spray - T128-5) for Mabel's funeral. It is my understanding this type of arrangement will be in the funeral home then will be taken to the cemetery and left by the grave.

Karen, Mabel's daughter, emailed me back last night to let me know they will be making the arrangements today. As soon as I hear something I will post about it.

I wanted to do something else in honor of our sweet Mabel. I live close to a wonderful hospital.. the hospital in which Brandon was born. I will be making a donation of Beanie Babies for the children that are both in the hospital and those that arrive for whatever reason. I will do this in Mabel's name and memory.

When a child goes to the hospital they are scared to death most of the time and I just wanted to do something to help make their visit a little easier and less stressful. Bring a smile to their face as Mabel has always done for us in these clubs. I will take any remaining money from the money donated for the floral arrangement and buy more beanies with it. I have some extra beanies that I will also be donating. I still have beanies that Mabel donated to be used as club prizes. I will also be donating those. If you are interested in sending a donation of beanies for this, please email me so I can send you my address. I will be sure to take pictures of all of the donations and post them in the club.

My email addy is friend4life@home.com

Please stop by the dedication page and if you'd like, post some memories or special thoughts on the message board located on the dedication page. I have given the link to Mabel's daughter. I hope reading these kind words helps the family heal.

==April 26, 2000==
THE LOSS OF A DEAR FRIEND
I wanted to let you know we have all lost a dear friend today. Mabel Scott, known as granny_mabe in the beanie clubs passed away this morning at 9:20am from complications due to a pulmonary embolism. She was known and loved by many of us and has forever touched our hearts. We will keep her alive in our hearts ALWAYS. Robin and I often spoke about how loyal Mabel was to the Planet Beans website and to the club. She had visited the site from the beginning in March of 1999. She was a wonderful lady with a heart of gold. Please add her family to your thoughts and prayers.

Robin has made a dedication page for Mabel and you can see it here:
http://www.planetbeans.com/dedication.htm

A message board has been added to the Dedication page. Please post your thoughts. I will pass along this information to Mabel's family. I think it could be a good healing tool for them to see how much Mabel meant to all of us.

As most of you know, Mabel was the sponsor for the Planet Beans April Contest. As of today, the April contest is cancelled. I hope you understand as I'm sure most of you will.

God Bless all of you tonight
~*~
BEST PRICES FOR THE 20 NEWEST BEANIES
It may be time to pick up some of those elusive new beanies from MetaExchange while the prices are still reasonable. Click on the price tag if you want to buy these beanies. Many of selling for less than retail. I do expect the prices to increase in the near future.

~*~
From BeanieWonderland:
Market Trend
Halo remains the number one traded Beanie last week with Hippie the Buddy at number two according to the Worthguide. The interesting one last week was Libearty, that moved up from 6th to 1st in the total value sold category. All the Libearty's sold on auction last week added together had a total value of just under $7300.00 with an average price of $115.00. View Charts Here
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Winey Bear Collection starts shipping
Cascade Toy is proud to announce the beginning of shipping on their new Winey Bear Collection. Dave Perry, President of Cascade Toy said, "The demand for Sally Winey designed product is stronger than we had originally expected and we are very excited about the commencement of shipping. We hope to complete shipping of all the early orders within the next three weeks."

Cascade Toy is releasing nine bears with more styles to be announced within about 8 weeks. The demand has been so strong and the reception so positive, that Cascade is close to retiring several of the styles. The first styles shipped will have very limited production runs to keep them very collectible. Expect early retirements.
~*~
What's Up with Beaniemonium!?!
Actually, a LOT has been going on. Sorry for the delay in the updates, etc., but I've been working trying to get the site back under the licensing agreement that was originally made with Ty, Inc. I never thought that I did anything illegal, but according to the lawyers, I have. Again, I apologize. I think I've got most of it, but will be working on getting the rest of it as time goes on. For now, though, here's a few things that have been done: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cottage/2062/rumors.html
~*~
Beanie Kids^TM To Retire?!
Having talked to several retailers lately, they are being told by their Ty reps, and, according to one retailer, Ty, Inc. directly, that the Beanie Kids will be retiring soon. VERY soon. So, if your local shop has been lucky enough to get them in, get 'em quick, 'cause the price is going to skyrocket!
Story Source: Beaniemonium

==April 25, 2000==
X-LARGE HIPPIE BUDDY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/4_xlg_25_hippie.html ($74.95 at 6:00pm)

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Prices Coming Down?!
After visiting MetaExchange I noticed the price of Sakura is at a new low. ($79 at 7:30am)

Germania is also at an all time low!! ($39 at 7:30am)

~*~
From: Ms. Janie
Interesting article on Ty/Winey suit
Let the truth be known.

Ty takes a swipe at an area bear-maker

By Michael Klein

http://www.phillynews.com/inquirer/2000/Apr/25/magazine/BEAN25.htm

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
In the stuffed-toy world, the fur is flying.

Sally Winey of Birchrunville, Chester County, known to collectors for her hand-stitched teddy bears, is accused of ripping off Ty Inc., creator of the enormously popular Beanie Babies.

Ty filed a federal lawsuit last month that seeks unspecified damages. Ty claims Winey is profiting from designs she had sold to the company.

==April 24, 2000==
LARGE HIPPIE BUDDY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/424ret_lghippie.html

~*~
FOUND SWOOP & BUSHY TODAY!!
I am very happy to say I'm now the proud owner of both Swoop and Bushy. These have been at the top of my want list since the new beanies were released. I HIGHLY recommend both of these beanies. ;o)
~*~
NOT TOO IMPRESSED WITH NEW BEANIES!!
While in Georgia last week I managed to find Fleecie, Halo II, Springy, and Trumpet. Swoop still eludes me. My daughter found Swoop sitting on a shelf while she was with her Aunt but she wasn't able to purchase it for me. Such is life! LOL I found some of the newbies selling on the secondary market in several gas stations. I wasn't about to pay more than retail for them. I wasn't at all impressed with the Beginning Bear, although if I saw one for retail I'd probably add it to my collection because I try to collect the bears. The one that I saw had the stars coming off. I was able to see firsthand what I've only heard others talk about. How unimpressive is that?! I wonder if this means this bear will have a redo and come out with a new, improved version with the stars intact. Only TYme will tell!! The original Halo was much prettier than Halo II is. Of course, this is just MY opinion and the opinion shared with me from several others collectors. Fleecie is adorable but she could use a bit more beans to fill her lifeless body. I like Springy and Trumpet is pretty cute. I found a Signature 2000 buddy for $35. It was beautiful but I choose to take my chances on finding one for retail. Good beanie luck to all!!
~*~
HOW YOU CAN WIN A WINEY BEAR
"I want to thank you. I am offering a special again for every 5 new members, you can enter your name in a drawing for a Special One of a Kind, hand made Winey Bear. This will be a monthly contest and will end on the 15 the of each month."

If you aren't yet a member PLEASE join for me and post GOTBEANS invited you to join. Thank you so much!!

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/weallywannawiney
~*~
At the scene of crash, an outpouring of grief
The grief of this tiny borough has manifested itself in the last three days with the spontaneous creation of a memorial to the victims of Thursday's deadly crash. Teddy bears, Beanie Babies and flowers adorn a stone wall adjacent to the rail line where four people lost their lives. Many of the items had notes attached. The article can be found here.
~*~
From: Ms. Janie
Hi Ms. Janie!

I wanted to share this news with you because you are one of the few beanie news sources that enjoys sharing information from fans with your readers and always credits whoever sends it to you (I've spent tons of time researching things to send into other places only to have them never print it, or publish it as their own, not fun!) I received an email from KBKids today and this was a part of it:

Whether you're still searching for that special Beanie Baby to add to your collection, or just starting to collect these lovable plush toys, we have a few select favorites available for you!
--Jake the Mallard Duck - $9.95
--Knuckles the Pig - $24.95
--Luke the Lab - $6.95
--and more!

$25 for Knuckles?!? I know these are secondary, but that seems outrageous!
The majority of the other beanies sell from between $7-10, which isn't too bad, but they mostly just have the common ones that you see sitting everywhere. Silver is $16.95 and Amber $14.95 too, another couple of shockers I thought. The May releases from last year seem to be the most expensive ones. I just thought that it was interesting that KBKids has joined the ranks of Amazon and eToys and now sells beanies. Thank you so much for all the beanie and collectible news that you supply us with everyday, I know I appreciate it and I'm not the only one that does! Keep up the good work!
~Kari
~*~
Germania for $1400
A Germania Beanie Baby has less than a day to go on auction and it's price has already topped £890.00 (GBP) around $1400. Why so much for a Germania? Answer because it has its flag missing from its chest. View Here
Story Source: Beanie411
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LIGHT BLUE PEANUT BEANIE SOLD FOR $130!!
A light blue Peanut the elephant Beanie Baby sold on April 20th on Smart Collecting Auctions at Collecting Nation for $130. The 3rd generation swing tag was near mint. The Beanie had not been authenticated but the seller describe the Beanie as authentic. This was a two-day no-reserve auction that attracted 9 bids. The seller, known as "DayZ" on Collecting Nation, had an almost flawless feedback rating with 244 positive remarks.
Story Source: SmartCollecing
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Autographed The End Bear Cards Sells for $911.63
An autographed The End Bear Card from Series 4 sold on eBay on April 21 for $911.63. The card was numbered 33/400. It was a seven-day auction that was advertised in Smart Collecting Auction Highlights. The auction attracted 9 bids.
Go to auction
Story Source: SmartCollecing

==April 23, 2000==
HOME FROM VACATION
The news will resume in the morning. It doesn't look like too much happened in my absence. I came home to 270 emails and I'm still trying to go through them. LOL I did have a bit of good news waiting in my inbox. I found I was a contest winner and in a big way. I wrote a story to try and win a one-of-a-kind Sally Winey Bunny valued at $350!! You can read my story and see what I've won here: http://www.msjanie.com/pix/cherry_chub.html
~*~
~*HAPPY EASTER*~

==April 20, 2000==
Ty Account Executive Millennium Buddy On Ebay
Beanbag World reports on a "Ty Account Executive Millennium Beanie Buddy" that was signed by Ty Warner was recently on auction on eBay. This Millennium Buddy was given out at the December 1999 Ty Sales Conference, as indicated on the back of the tag. Reportedly 303 of these signed Millennium Buddies^™ exist. The exact number of the one up for auction was not revealed. Top bid was $3,850 with the reserve not being met. Read the full story at: http://www.beanbagworld.net/#tymill To view the actual auction, click HERE.

==April 16, 2000==
I'M ON VACATION
Have a great week!! I'm on vacation until Easter Sunday!! The news will resume when I return. The contest will continue all week in my absence. Robin will be moving Flutter daily. Have fun and good luck. :o)

==April 15, 2000==
Toys, Not Candy, From The Easter Bunny
Look out, Hershey and Nestle. Hasbro, Mattel, and a bunch of other toy companies are trying to muscle in on your Easter basket action after realizing there's a market for sugar-free Easter basket alternatives. They began spotting the trend two years ago, when demand for rabbit and lamb Beanie Babies spiked in the spring. Click Here For More
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
Are You Impressed With the New Beanies?!
After being given the opinions of a number of people that have been lucky enough to find TY's newest creations, the consensus is not too impressive. Most people don't care for The Beginning Bear. I haven't personally seen one but have been told the stars either come off or the edges are lifting up a bit. Do you think this means we could see a redesign?! How disappointing! I will, of course, have to own the bears. LOL Thanks to a number of my beanie friends that have given me the style numbers so I could put them on the Ty2000 page here at Planet Beans. I am still in need of several. If you have some that I'm missing please email me so I can also add them.
~*~
Jumbo Peace
From BeanieWonderland:
We have heard several reports now of just how expensive the Jumbo peace is to ship, we would not be surprised if this one is retired very shortly. Some people even estimate Ty is making a loss on shipping it to the UK and that the cost of shipping is more than the price Ty charges the stores.

Side Note: I also believe we will see retirements of the JUMBO and larger sized buddies soon. I find it odd that TY retires the normal size Hippie and Fuzz yet he doesn't retire ALL of the sizes. Hippie is Hippie no matter what the size. LOL
~*~
Retirement 2000 Recap
With the current prices you can purchase them for at MetaExchange. You might want to grab these buddies before the prices go up even more.

April 3, 2000	2000 Signature the Bear Buddy
April 4, 2000	Hippie the Ty-Dyed Bunny Buddy
April 5, 2000	Flippity the Blue Bunny Buddy
April 6, 2000	Bronty the Brontosaurus Buddy
April 10, 2000	Princess the Bear Buddy
April 12, 2000	Fuzz the Bear Buddy

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LIFE IN "TY" LAND!!
From: Carolyn
Our TY account has been suspended for 6 weeks because...get this...*GASP* we changed our address!!! Now that was just TOO much for TY to handle :) We moved our warehouse into a bigger location, and had to get it approved by TY!! I often feel like I'm working for the Gestapo when dealing w/them. WE just got our account back, but of course, the are "out of product". So I asked them what are all their workers doing, just sitting on their hands all day? They didn't like that comment :) Out of product my bazoozoo. They are trying to get the market hyped up again, because sales are falling. Anyway, it looks like our store will have TY again in about a week :)
So what's the market like elsewhere in the world??
(I'm in NC on the outer banks).

==April 14, 2000==
We Received An Award Today
I'd like to thank Heather of CluBeans for awarding Planet Beans with the "Gold Site Award" for "The Best of the Best Beanie Sites". The award is proudly displayed on our Awards page.
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Swoop^™ the Pterodactyl and Swampy^™ the Alligator Arrives in the U.S.
The last two Beanie Babies^® to make an appearance in the USA. Swoop^™ the Pterodactyl and Swampy^™ the Alligator are now making an appearance on the auction sites. At this point, Swampy is only listed on MetaExchange. Last selling price was $22.50. There are currently 6 available and the seller is asking $59.99. EBay is showing listings from the following states: Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Maryland.
Click here to see eBay auctions for Swoop™:
Click here for MetaExchange Trading Floor for Beanie Babies^{® 2000}Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
Where Oh Where Has Collectiblez Gone?!
Collectiblez appears to be missing in action. I tried visiting yesterday and again today but found an empty directory. I hope Ryan and crew can figure out the problem and be up and running again soon. I received an email this morning from one of my readers (Thanks Karen!) letting me know that she couldn't get in today either.

Side Note: I went to the DailyBean.com chat tonight and found out from Ryan of Collectiblez.net that his website was deleted. It's just sad that someone would do something so rude. Ryan and his crew worked very hard on their site and for someone to delete it just to be mean is unforgivable!! I would like to wish Ryan luck on getting his site up and running very soon and I hope you will trace those IP addresses just in case. If you are able to find out who did this please let us all know so we can pass the word around.
~*~
Graduation Tender Tails
Looking for a graduation gift? Check out these graduation Tender Tails bears.
Click Here For Pictures And Info
Story Source: Beanieholics
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Older Retired
From BeanieWonderland:
Yesterday I was out shopping and I came across a lot of older retired beanies in the Entertainer shop in Milton Keynes UK. There were loads of them that included, Sly, Rocket, Wrinkles, Peace, Pugsly, Pounce, Puffer, Stinger, Slippery, Bernie and Scorch. This was obviously a new delivery as they were still unpacking beanies from a box. I managed to purchase a fourth generation Mel and a slippery for £5.00 each. (thanks Joolz)

==April 13, 2000==
From BeanieWonderland:
Twigs Buddies Shipping?
Whilst viewing a story on MBBBW (A mountain of Sakura), I couldn't help noticing the pile of Twigs Buddies on the left of the picture. The picture was taken at one of the Japanese retail shops in Tokyo, it suggests Twigs Buddies are still shipping. View Here
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Fuzz^™ (large) bear remains on Current List at Ty^®
As was the case with the retirement of the Beanie Buddy^™, Hippie^™ the bunny, it appears that Ty^® has moved the regular size Buddy^™ to the Retirement List and Fuzz^™ (large) the bear remains on the Current List. This leads us to speculate that Ty intends to let the larger versions of the Beanie Buddies^® to be retired at a different time.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
Swoop^™ auction on MetaExchange
Swoop^™, who is ranked as 14th in popularity at this point, sold today for $49.99. Auctions on eBay with still a day or more to go have the high bid listed at $20. There are also three auctions with no bids.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net

==April 12, 2000==
NEW BEANIES = SHORTER RED TABS!!
I have noticed the red tabs on the new beanies are MUCH shorter. I'm so aggravated about this!! Many of the tag protectors I have I've had to cut a little space in them so I won't put too much strain on the tag. Is anyone else noticing this?! I highly recommend using the slip on tag protectors for the new beanies. Now to find some to purchase. LOL
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FUZZ BUDDY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/411_ret_fuzz.html
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DID YOU FIND FLUTTER TODAY?!
Contest to win a Scorch/Dragon the Dragon Beanie Buddy... for details visit the Planet Beans Contest page here.
~*~
JUMBO Peace Bear & Boomer the Beanie Kid Added to the Benefit Auction!!
The two items have been added to the benefit auction to help a 5 year old little girl that was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis about a month ago.
JUMBO Peace Bear: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=306906393
Boomer the Beanie Kid: http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=306915758
Please take a look and pass this on to anyone you feel might be interested.
~*~
Swampy^™ remains elusive
Reader mail and auction sites show that Swampy^™ is still the only new release that has yet to be seen at retailers. Swoop^™ the pteradactyl has only been shipped to retailers in the UK thus far.
Completed auctions for Swoop:
eBay - 1 completed auction at GPB $21.00 (approx. $33.00 USA);
MetaExchange last sale price $12.00.
Currently there are 8 auctions for Swoop on eBay which have not ended. No other major auction sites have Swoop listed at this time. Click here to see the current auction on eBay.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
Fuzz Spotted On 'Third Watch'
(No Pun Intended)
From: Beanieholics
We received the following email:

Hi Randy and Theresa,
Monday night, April 10, a Fuzz Beanie Buddy was featured prominently in the first scene of the "Third Watch" police drama on NBC. As a policewoman mom rushed to get ready for work, her young son was sick and his bear was soiled. When the mother tried to put it in the clothes washer, the child said he was afraid that his bear would drown. When last seen, Fuzz was in a sink that was being filled with water.
Regards,
Carolyn

==April 11, 2000==
Win a Hippity Buddy at Collectiblez
Collectiblez is right now having an Easter contest where you have a chance of winning a Ty Hippity Beanie Buddy! All you have to do is look for Eggbert in his decorated egg somewhere on the website daily and enter to win!
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VERY Rare 1st Generation White Face/White Belly Zip on Auction!!
AUTHENTICATED by Peggy Gallagher---1st Generation ZIP with White Face and Belly, no hang tag, and has been loved!! http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=306054544 This is a benefit auction to help a 5 year old little girl that was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis about a month ago. Please take a look and pass this on to anyone you feel might be interested.
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Sakura History & Background
The following link is filled with interesting tips, news, fun facts, photos and more.
http://members.aol.com/sinteeuh/history.html
Story Source: Ms. Janie
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Spangle Next?!
From BeanieWonderland:
It was interesting to see Princess Buddy was missing on the UK order forms this week, the other two missing are Spangle and Britannia Buddies.
~*~
Share of The Market
From BeanieWonderland:
Beanie Babies still lead the share of the secondary market when it comes to total sales according to the Worth Guide. The following figures are from total sales of the leading auctions last week: Babies 15,383, Buddies 10,383, Kids 1,272. During the month of March Maple the Canadian Teddy Bear was top of the hot list' with $21,483 in sales. The Beanie Baby Germania came in a distant second. Angel is the top selling Kid with sales above $5,500. (Information supplied by Worth Guide).
~*~
Zero Tolerance for Beanie Baby^™ Bullies
this seemingly satirical article tells of four middle school students who were suspended for desecrating a Beanie Baby^™. Click here for more details.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net

==April 10, 2000==
PRINCESS BUDDY RETIRED TODAY!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/princess_410_ret.html

~*~
BeaNGO interviews Beanie Wonderland
In the latest edition of Spill The Beans, I have interviewed Richard A'Court. Richard is the webmaster of Beaniewonderland, one of the top Beanie sites. In his interview, Richard talks about his Beanie addiction, how Beaniewonderland didn't start out as an information site, and lots more. Visit Spill The Beans for the complete interview. Spill The Beans
Story Source: Beanie News Online Galore!~
~*~
Win A One Of A Kind Sally Winey Design
Ms. Janie has announced a new contest and the winner will receive a very special rabbit called Cherry Chub, which Sally Winey has specially designed. Cherry Chub would normally retail for around $350.00 but you have a chance to win it for free. Check out the following link to see how.
Click Here For Contest Info
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
DERBY THE FINE MANE HORSE BEANIE SELLS FOR $821.01
Derby the fine mane horse sold on April 5th on Ebay for $821.01. Derby's 3rd generation hang tag had a some wear around the attachment hole but otherwise was perfect notes the seller. While the Beanie had not been authenticated, the seller did guarantee authenticity. There were four bids in this three-day auction. The seller known as "lessmom" on eBay had a perfect feedback rating with 427 positive feedback remarks.

Derby the fine mane horse was introduced in mid 1995 and retired the same year. This Beanie had no birthday or poem. He was only produced with a third generation heart tag. According to the Winter 2000
Collector's Value Guide for Ty Beanie Babies from Checkerbee, a Derby with fine mane horse Beanie Baby in mint condition is valued at $3,100! http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=299523221
Story Source: SmartCollecing
~*~
Attic Treasures^™ News
Sal's Attic has added a new research page to their Web site. Included now are the years that specific Attic Treasures^™ appeared in Ty^® catalogs (#13 catalogs are listed), which were given to retailers and are collectible in and of themselves. In an easy to read format, you can see what year your Attics^™ were in the catalog. Before you visit the research page, ask yourself: which ONE Attic Treasure appeared in more catalogs than any other and how many times; which five Attics were the next most listed; and finally, which 4 Attic Treasures never appeared in any of the catalogs. Thanks Sal for keeping us on our toes! Click here for details.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
Maple Buddy
From BeanieWonderland:
Lois from Canada sends the following comments: I'm not sure if you are aware that Maple Buddy has also not shipped for the past four months and is not on the latest order form. There has been talk that the flood at Ty Canada a couple of months ago ruined the Maple Buddies in stock but it seems strange to me that both Maple and Britannia are not shipping.
~*~
Beanie Compulsive Disorder
Theresa mentioned recently that Randy was suffering from Beanie Compulsive Disorder or what she refers to as 'BCD'. Now that it has been identified, others are stepping forward. We now know that 'Dumb Guy' Don has the same illness but he has found a cure for it. The question now is it really a cure? Or is it just a curse in disguise? Click Here For More
Story Source: Beanieholics

==April 9, 2000==
WINEY NEWS
I want you to know that Sally and Ty's lawyers are negotiating and she is not able to comment at this time. I will pass on any information as soon as she gives me the go ahead.

Sally wants you to know that she is still making all of her handmade bears. If you have an idea for a special bear or want a Winey bear that you see, just let us know. She loves to do special orders.
Story Source: Handcrafted Beauties
~*~
Randy's Beanie Tale - Week 2
After getting a taste for the hunt again last weekend, Randy was out on another Beanie Baby run Saturday and finds himself in what he calls 'Beanie Heaven'. Click Here For More
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
Second Cubs Beanie Giveaway Announced
Smart Collecting is reporting that Aurora the Beanie Baby will be given away at the Chicago Cubs baseball game on September 10th. Aurora will be given to the first 12,000 children 13 years and younger.
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
A Beanbuddy's Burough is having a huge raffle with ten winners and many prizes to support The Jeffrey Alan Peters and Phyllis Jayne Tittle Memorial Scholarship Fund. First Prize: Hope Beanie Baby and Hope Beanie Buddy; Halo Beanie Baby and Halo Beanie Buddy; Princess Beanie Baby and Princess Beanie Buddy; Light Blue Peanut Beanie Buddy. For more information and to see the long list of prizes go to http://www.beanie-buddy.com
~*~
Beanbagaire at The Daily Bean
The Final Game of 'Who Wants To Be a Beanbagaire' is being held tonight. Mary from California is the contestant and will be playing for prizes which include Germania and Light Blue Peanut Beanie Buddy. For more information Visit Here
~*~
Britannia Buddy
From BeanieWonderland: Nobody seems to have any answers why this Buddy has not arrived at UK stores this year. It has now been 4 months since one has been shipped. Demand has been creeping up on the meta exchange for this one. Another that seems in demand is the Osito Buddy, at the time of writing this there were 42 available and 178 wanted. Maybe the price of this will start to increase on the average of $16-$18. View Here
~*~
Contest Reminder
I hope you are having fun locating Flutter on the site each day. I've heard from a number of you that are having a good time. :o) Don't forget Flutter is moved about midnight EST every night. Find her daily for a better chance to win the Scorch Buddy donated by loyal Planet Beans reader, Mabel Scott.
~*~
Doodle Has a New Domain
I hope you will visit Deb at her new domain. She has unveiled the new domain today, the site's 4 year anniversary and it looks great!! http://www.doodlespage.com/

==April 8, 2000==
New Hot Toy Categories on eBay
eBay has added a new separate category for Ty^® Beanie Kids^™. Look for the Kids^™ under Toys, Bean Bag Plush: Bean Bag Plush: Ty Beanie Kids. In addition to the new Ty Beanie Kids category, eBay has added a couple of additional toy listings that may be seen here also. eBay also announces that the new version of the eBay Canada site is now open for trading at www.ca.ebay.com This new site encourages buying and selling between eBay users in Canada and also facilitates trade with users in the United States and other countries. eBay Canada and Lloyd's of London now offer insurance up to C$300 (Canadian Dollars) on every item sold on eBay Canada. Other new services include Canadian customs and shipping information. Click here for more details.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
RARE BROWNIE BEANIE BABY SELLS FOR $1,275!
A rare first generation Brownie Beanie Baby sold on April 6th on Smart Collecting Auctions at Collecting Nation for $1,275. The Beanie still had its first generation tag in place though it was creased quite a bit.
The Beanie had been authenticated by Peggy Gallagher. Instead of using a traditional auction method, the Seller, known as Jennybean, opted to use the InstaBidT feature which guarantees the first bid is the winning bid. A prominent banner alerting bidders that the seller accepted PayPal was displayed.

Brownie the bear Beanie Baby was first introduced on January 8, 1994 and soon after his named was changed to Cubbie. Brownie was only made with a 1st generation hang tag and therefore has no birth date or poem. He was one of the first Beanie Babies ever made. His renamed version of Cubbie
is considered one of the Original 9 Beanie Babies. http://www.collectingnation.com/auction/1620000/item_1620043.shtml/asc
Story Source: SmartCollecing
~*~
BASEBALL PROMOTIONS
The New York Yankees website has added information regarding the Spangle Beanie Buddy giveaway. A Spangle Beanie Buddy will be given to kids 14 and under with a paid ticket. Also, the Chicago Cubs website has some information about the Peace Beanie Buddy giveaway. Peace and a commemorative card with be given to the first 12,000 kids 13 and under. Yankees | Cubs
Story Source: Beanie News Online Galore!~

==April 7, 2000==
LOVEABLE POKEMON GONE BAD?!
Something has gone wrong with some of the usually adorable Pokemon creatures. Having been captured by bad-guy duo Team Rocket(TM)(a), these Pokemon have missed out on the proper love and attention any good Pokemon trainer would have given them. Click here for the story.
~*~
Ty Newsflash
Ty has posted an announcement about the very first two Beanie Buddy Major League Baseball promotions. The Chicago Cubs will have the Peace Buddy on April 30th and the New York Yankees will feature the Spangle Buddy on May 29th. The statement reads: 'Ty is proud to participate in the very first Beanie Buddy promotions with two of major league Baseball's favorite teams. Be part of the excitement and get your tickets for these games soon........There going fast. Click here for details.

==April 6, 2000==
FREE ONLINE MAGAZINE AND MAKE LOTS OF MONEY!!
At http://www.myemag.com, you can customize your very own eMagazine full of only the information you want and the important dates you need to remember for FREE! And, just for subscribing now, we'll send you $20 cash. And we'll send you $5 for each new subscriber you refer to myemag.com.

I just signed up for this and it sounds GREAT!!
If you sign up please use my #10175948 and my email is friend4life@home.com
~*~
From BeanieWonderland:
Upset Over Retirements
One of our readers writes: I am a little upset due to the recent buddy retirements: Lt Blue Peanut, Ty2k, Signature 2000, Hippie and now Flippity. Why create them just to retire them so quickly? We who work full-time and have a very slim chance of finding these buddies when we are not working, let alone after they have retired! All of the newest retirees are very expensive secondary right now. It seems as though buddy collecting is being reduced to those who have more time on their hands so as to frequent the market. Those who work full-time and collect seem to be punished or penalized. I like to get them for my 4 and 6 yr. old daughters. I find myself saying, "Sorry, girls, I can't get those buddies because you are in school and I have a meaningful, full-time profession, and oh yeah. They are retired already." I find my self wondering, "Are buddies really for children? If so, why the games?" I clearly don't have TIME for them!
~*~
BRONTY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/bronty_ret_4600.html

==April 5, 2000==
MESSAGE FROM SALLY WINEY!!
"I want to thank you. I am offering a special again for every 5 new members, you can enter your name in a drawing for a Special One of a Kind, hand made Winey Bear. His picture will be up tomorrow on the club page. This will be a monthly contest and will end on the 15 the of each month."

If you aren't yet a member PLEASE join for me and post GOTBEANS invited you to join. Thank you so much!!

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/weallywannawiney

also from Sally: Club Members Special (you have to be a club member to get this special!!)
"A Kit to make your own Winey Bear. Synthetic 27" with video instructions. Bear is already cut out and sewn. Usually $125.00 for club members $60.00 for more information call Chris 610-286-5155 or email me at sallywiney@msn.com Pass this on to your Friends"
~*~
FLIPPITY BUDDY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/ret_4500_flippity.html

~*~
BEANIE KIDS in CANADA
This was posted in the Planet Beans Club http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/planetbeans by Jodie
"I was in an awful hurry today. As I was passing by one of the Ty retailers in Montreal, I realized that the sales lady was putting something in the store window. I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized that they were the BEANIE KIDS! Well, hurry or no hurry, I had to go in! lol They had one set displayed in the window along with a sign saying "Coming Soon". I asked the lady when soon was and she told me they would be raffling them off next Wednesday! YAHOO! I will definitely be there next Wednesday!"
~*~
Info Beanie gives possible hints of more retirements to come!
We found all kinds of things that the Beanies before us made! There were pictures and cutouts of all kinds! There sure were a lot of Beanies before us! They have all retired and have gone to live somewhere else. It sure would be nice to meet some of them. Golly, I just thought of something! I wonder how long it is before a Beanie retires? Can we be retired at anytime? Oh my goodness! I'm going to have to ask our friends at Ty about that. I wouldn't know what to do if I were retired. Maybe I could travel the world? I hope I have time to think about it before I'm retired. Boy, all of this thinking is making me sleepy. I'm going to go to bed. I'll talk to you later. Bye! http://web1-3.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/
~*~
MacKenzie returned to Canadian order forms?
Lulu from the Canadian Connection
(www.maisondours.com/canadianconnection.html) sends us news of possible postal problem in Canada and that the Attic Treasure, MacKenzie has returned to Canadian order forms. Also the link to an eBay auction in which a Tyra with pompoms was recently sold for $1452. It was one of the reportedly 26 Tyra with pompoms known to exsist. Click here to view auction. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=293384456#DESC
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net
~*~
TY NEWSFLASH
"Recently, many of you began asking questions about our relationship with Internet retail merchants such as Amazon.com, eToys and QVC. It can certainly confuse people since they all sell our products directly online! However, let us reassure all of you that we do not supply any of these companies with products of any kind (nor do we supply product to Internet auction sites such as eBay). In fact, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any Internet merchant to claim a relationship with Ty as an authorized retailer or to
guarantee Ty product authenticity. Bottom Line: All Internet merchants and auction sites must purchase their Beanie Babies® products from secondary market sources - NOT FROM TY!"
http://www.ty.com/announcements/newsflash4400.html
~*~
Sky's the Limit
Lyn of HandCrafted Beauties sent me the following
Sally Winey has designed an exclusive bear for the 2nd Annual Collectibles Convention which will be held September 1 -3, in Scotsdale, Arizona. Sky's the Limit is a 10" jointed bear, handcrafted and painted to resemble clouds in the sky. This bear's production is limited to 100 pieces and will be sold for $180. Members of the WineyTalk2, Weally Wanna a Winey Club and repeat customers of Handcrafted Beauties will be able to purchase the bear for $150. Each bear will be signed and numbered by Sally Winey. With every sale of this bear, a donation will be given to the Good Bears
of World, the designated charity of the convention. http://www.handcraftedbeauties.com/sky2

==April 4, 2000==
HIPPIE BUDDY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/4400_ret_hippie.html

~*~
Beanie Kids in Canada
BeanieWonderland reports: We have heard from a TY rep in Canada that the Beanie Kids (in Canada) will be able to be ordered on May 1st 2000 after the selected stores have premiered them later this month. Ten stores one in every province were selected to have one complete set of Kids and display them for one week and then raffle them off. I was also told that the Kids can only be ordered once every three months. So if this is correct after the first ones have been ordered on May 1st the next order will be August 1 2000. This could be the reason why the USA have not had them appear on this months order forms.
~*~
Beanie Babies® Are Back!
From the debut of Beanie Kids™ to the first Japanese exclusive Beanie Baby®, the Collector's Value Guide™ to Ty® Beanie Babies® generates a new level of excitement! Read the article here.
~*~
Teletubbies Promotion April 14
McDonald's on Monday set April 14 as the launch date of its promotion using characters from the popular television show Teletubbies to help sell hamburgers to kids. Following the Teletubbies there will be promotions for the Power Rangers and the new Disney movie 'Dinosaur.' After that it is Teenie Beanie 4 which begins in June. Click Here For More
Story Source: Beanieholics
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Sakura^™ presell prices lower
Checking eBay auction prices for completed auctions over the past 24 hours, we find that the selling prices for Sakura^™ are a little lower. The average selling price for "IN HAND" Sakura bears is $164.32 and for presell auctions of Sakura, the average selling price is $99.63. MetaExchange has #130 Sakura listed for $148. Activity and interest in this Ty^® exclusive, Japanese Beanie Baby^™ remains very high.
Click here for details.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net

==April 3, 2000==
SURPRISE BUDDY RETIREMENT!!
What are they thinking?! Ty has already retired the 2000 Signature Bear Beanie Buddy!! Click here for the official announcement.
~*~
GREAT CONTESTS
For details about several great competitions and to visit a great site click HERE!!
~*~
Ty Ordering Limitations
A retailer sends in the following Ty order limitations for April. Orders can be sent in starting April 3:
Beanie Buddies - 6 pcs. per design per location
Jumbo & X-Large styles - 1 piece per design per location
Large styles - 2 pcs. per design per location
Attic Treasures - 24 pcs. per design per location
Baby Ty - 8 pcs. per design per location
Ty Classics - 12 pcs. per design per location
Beanie Babies 2000 - 36 pcs. per design per location
Beanie Kids (no orders being accepted) all prior orders will still be shipped.
~*~
Earth Bears 'Earth Day' Contest
The Earth Bear called Father Time drops us a line and give us information on how you can enter your school and classroom in the Earth Bears 'Earth Day' Contest and what you can win. Use the link below for more details. Contest ends April 22. Click Here For Note From Father Time
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
Ty® Product News
One good indicator that a shipment of new products from Ty® is on the way can be found through a search of the major auction sites to see if the new Beanies™ are listed. They aren't. A search now shows that the new Beanie Babies Aurora™, Grace™, Scurry™, Springy™, Swampy™, Swoop™ and Wiggly™ were not shipped to retailers this weekend.
Story Source: BeanBagWorld.net

==April 2, 2000==
Pastel Paradise
B. and J. send us a scan of their Peace Beanie and Buddy family. It appears that the bears have taken over their living room sofa, have hidden the TV remote and keep asking what time the big game comes on. The bears are shown waiting patiently for their popcorn to arrive. Click Here For Picture
Story Source: Beanieholics
~*~
Caranois Collectibles April Contest
In honor of Earth Day this month, Caranois Collectibles will be giving away the retired Father Time with Year 2000 Membership Card. Father Time is made by Earth Bears. Contest rules are available at the following link. Click Here For Contest Info
~*~
BE THE 222,222th VISITOR AND WIN
The 222,222th visitor to Planet Beans will win a surprise beanie. Be sure to check the contest page for proof requirement information. Congratulations to Vicki Stockslager for winning the contest tonight!

==April 1, 2000==
Happy April Fools Day!!
I will announce the contest winner as soon as Joanna of Beanies4Bekah picks the winning number. Good Luck to everyone!! I'd like to thank our sponsor, Beanies4Bekah for sponsoring the Planet Beans contest for March. I'd like to also thank those of you that entered the contest each day. You helped to make this contest a great success. I had 961 correct entries in this months contest!!
~*~
INFO BEANIE IS BACK
The Beginning Bear makes his first entry as the Info Beanie of the new Millennium.

Woo hoo! I can't believe I'm the first Info Beanie of the new millennium! How cool is that? Thanks so much for voting for me. Jumbo Peace was watching the polls and told us last night who had won. When he said my name I thought that it was an early April Fool's Day joke. He said that you could only do April Fool's Day jokes on April first. You can't do them early or late. Sneaky has been having so much fun today because of April Fool's. She keeps sneaking up on everyone then yelling April Fools! I'm going to try and do it to her but I'm not a very good sneaker-upper. I think I'll go practice. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

View the Info Beanie diaries here.
~*~
Ty2K Buddy Most Sold
According to the Worth Guide, the Beanie product that exchanged hands the most on the secondary market last week was the Ty2K Buddy. This moved up from 4th to 1st and more than twice as many were sold than Germania who came from nowhere to second spot. The average price you should have paid last week was $26.00. To view these figures Click Here: The meta exchange also have this Buddy listed at $27.00. The price has started to rise very slightly, I feel this is one to watch due to the very short time it was in production before being retired. View Here
Story Source: BeanieWonderland
~*~
BEANIES4BEKAH SPONSORS ANOTHER CONTEST
I wanted to share this contest information with you. Starting today there is a competition to win a Flippity Beanie Buddy. Click here for details.
~*~
CONTEST WINNER & NEW CONTEST ANNOUNCED!!
Check the Contest page to see if you are the winner of the Planet Beans St. Patrick's Day Contest!!

2000 SIGNATURE BEAR		SAKURA
AURORA		SARGE
BUSHY		SCURRY
FLEECIE		SNEAKY
FRIGID		SPRINGY
GLOW		SWAMPY
GRACE		SWOOP
HALO II		THE BEGINNING BEAR
MORRIE		TRUMPET
NILES		WIGGLY
RUFUS