8/31/99  TY'S BIG NEWSFLASH SAYS THAT ALL BEANIES WILL RETIRE AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1999! We have all waited anxiously for the big announcement on the Ty website and it's finally here! But it's not necessarily "good" news for the many beanie baby collectors around the world. According to Ty, they will continue to accept orders for the beanies listed below until September, and then no more beanies will be shipped after that. Will Ty introduce another line that we will all fall in love with? Or is the beanie phenomenon really over?  It's hard to believe that after the few short years that these lovable creatures have made into our hearts and our homes, that they may actually be coming to an end. It's a very SAD day!  Below is the actual announcement that was on the Ty website.  It's also interesting to note that after the "big deal" that Ty made about there being no such thing as Britannia or Maple Beanie Buddies, that they are in fact available and can be ordered/shipped during the month of September. Also, when Ty says that ALL "beanies" will be retired including those listed, does that mean that the buddies are also included in that statement? By the way this announcement is written, I'm assuming that buddies are also going to be retiring, but I could be wrong. 

The following "Newbies" can be ordered/shipped in September:

Ty will give priority in shipping to accounts that follow our suggested guidelines:

1. Visual representation - Ty products on display in a prime location.
2. Pricing - Beanies/Attics $5 - $7.
                  Everything else $10 (except oversize plush)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE:
On December 31, 1999 - 11:59p.m. (CST)
All Beanies will be retired...including the above!

8/26/99  Britannia Beanie Buddy rumors turn out to be fake.  Concerning the Britannia Beanie Buddy, first the word from Ty Inc is that "Britannia has NOT shipped any where in the world  if in fact there is such a bear it is either fake or stolen.  As always unless it is introduced by Ty it is not Ty."  Ty Inc. legal staff has taken to sending notes to people who are auctioning off Britannia Beanie Buddies (even pre-sales) stating that they are "engaged in the attempt to market or sell a counterfeit
product".  Another statement from Ty Inc. is that "this product is not in production and therefore, any pre-sell must be deemed a pre-sell of a counterfeit item". Mary Beth's Beanbag World

8/24/99  Fortune the Panda Bear Retires Today!  http://www.ty.com/fort-ret.html

8/16/99  GREAT NEWS! Clubby Buddies can now be ordered online!  http://www.beaniebabyofficialclub.com/whiteborder.asp?page=news
This is fantastic news for those of you who have had problems placing your orders via the telephone! Before you can order online though, you will need to "register".  Once registered, you are taken to an online member only area. From there you will have to click on "Exclusive Offers" which will take you to yet another area where you can place your online order for the Clubby and Clubby II buddies. 

8/16/99  Newsflash on Ty's Site: announces the retirement of Canyon the Cougar! http://www.ty.com/news081699.html

8/13/99  Newsflash on Ty's Site: announces that "A very important newsflash will be made August 31, 1999. Because of its content, no orders for September should be anticipated or taken until further notice! Orders for Clubby Buddies will be accepted. Ty Warner http://www.ty.com/news081299.html  Many collectors have been speculating about what this could mean. Is Ty Warner going to retire? Is this the end of beanie babies? Is there going to be a whole NEW line introduced? I suppose we will just have to wait until August 31st to see what happens!

8/11/99  Mary Beth's Beanbag World offers a place for people to vent their frustrations on the ordering of the new Clubby I and Clubby II buddies from the Beanie Babies Official Club: Read what others have gone through and maybe even get some tips to make your experience a little easier at http://www.beanbagworld.net/news/details/bbocexperiences.html Look here for more ordering tips: http://www.beanbagworld.net/news/details/clubbytips.html

8/10/99  Beanie Buddies Clubby I and II ordering instructions from the Beanie Babies Official Club:  Call 1-888-750-1101 to place your order between the hours of 7am - 11pm CST, Mon-Sun, or in the future you will be able to place your order online at www.beaniebabyofficialclub.com.

8/4/99  WHITE FACE SPANGLE  Marybeth's Beanbag World reports that there are white-faced Spangles out now. If you have a pink-faced one, hang onto it! Here's a great picture comparing the two: http://www.beanbagworld.net/images/news/spangle2.jpg

Two Series III Trading Cards with Same Number *
I have just discovered that there are two cards with the same number. The card number is 144 and the cards are SWIRLY & TUSK. The card number can be found in the lower right corner (see picture link below). I do believe that there is no card numbered 150. I have been asking people who have cards if they have any with that number, but as of yet no one does. I have extras of all of the common cards, but no 150 and because there is no chart, as with series II, I can only assume that there is indeed no card numbered 150. Same thing in the Artists Proof cards. This mistake was also pointed out by MBBBW Staff Writer Claudia Dunne and Cynthia W.  Claudia adds that the mistake is that Tusk should have had the number 150. http://www.beanbagworld.net/images.news/cards144.jpg