January 2001 News

==January 31, 2001==
GERMANIA IN GROCERY STORES
Stephanie shares the following:
"HI, Just to let you know, last week I was in my local Giant Grocery Store here in Maryland. They have sold some beanies in the past, but mostly just birds and other really common ones. But last week, there was a shelf with about fifty Germanias w/tag protectors in display boxes for $24.99 each, which isn't such a bad price! Pretty strange!"

SITE UPDATES
I've updated the Beanie Birthday Calendar l Beanie Buddies l Buddies M-Z
There were too many Buddies to keep them all on one page so I've split the pages. I still need style numbers for the new Beanies, Buddies, and Kids. If you can provide any please email me at Lisa@planetbeans.com

MS. JANIE CREATES VALENTINE'S GAME
"I have created a Valentine's game to help pass the time and gear you up for your special day. Take the challenge and play my Valentines Word Scramble at the following link http://www.msjanie.com/games/valentine.html "

From: Ms. Janie
Mr. Sly has put on his thinking cap and comes up with the following theory.
5 More new beanies are coming?! at least 5!
Sly The Beanie Guy (01:02 pm. Jan 30, 2001 )
Message Id: 798205 Sly The Beanie Guy writes: Hi! Check this out! There seems to be a 6 digit difference between the style #s of Kaleidoscope who's style # is 4348 (according to the tag scans I've seen on auction sites and reported 1 of the beanie websites.) and Hopper's style #4342 which was the last style # used on a New beanie baby. There has to be beanie babies with style #s in between because TY goes in order Usually and uses succeeding style numbers when releasing new beanie babies. This leads me to believe that Kaleidoscope did leak out early and TY was left with no choice but to announce this cat before announcing the other 5 new beanie babies or maybe more that are coming. The 5 New beanies Babies would be the beanies with the missing style #s. There could possibly be more because the style #s could go higher than Kaleidoscope's when TY announces the next new batch of beanies. There are 5 more coming for sure tho! That much can be deducted from the gap in the style numbers! Happy Hunting! http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg798205.html

MORE GROCERY STORE BEANIES
Traci shares the following:
“A friend of mine stopped by a local Bi-Lo grocery store. He found them selling beanie babies for $6.99 a piece. He said they had Cinder, USA, Goochy, Jake Rocket and more. He said there was a whole display of them. How are they able to get these? And as far as authenticity, there's no guarantee, right? My friend wants to buy some and I tried to explain the authenticity. Am I right?”

Planet Beans reply: I emailed Traci back and told her since the grocery store isn't an authorized Ty retailer the authenticity could be in question. I wouldn't purchase beanies from the grocery store. I've asked Traci to have her friend speak to the store manager to find out where the beanies came from. I'll keep you posted if any further information becomes available.

Fake Alert
From: Bean eWonderland
Two pieces of fake news, the first is our own alert regarding fake Garcia Beanies. Jim sends us the following together with a very in depth look at what to look for: "I would like to bring to you and your reader's attention, that a number of Garcia's, are presently being distributed and sold onto dealers in the California area of USA. Because of the relative ease of acquiring these items and being still in demand, Please advise collectors to be on the look out. I have attached in close up digital photo's of the many flaw's that there can be on just one beanie View Garcia Fake info": Ms Janie also has an in depth look at fake Sting Beanie Babies. View Here:

Couple's Lawsuit Rejected
From: Beanieholics
A malpractice suit filed by a Medina, Ohio couple convicted of welfare cheating while running a nationwide Beanie Baby scam was dismissed yesterday. Eldred and Arlene Proctor were convicted in 1998 of operating a scam that bilked about 90 people in 16 states out of more than $100,000. They were also convicted of illegally obtaining food stamps and public assistance payments. Click Here For Complete Story

NEW CONTEST TO START TOMORROW (OUR BIGGEST CONTEST EVER!!)
You MUST be a member of the Planet Beans newsletter to participate. The prize is HUGE so you will want to participate. ;o)

LAST DAY TO GAIN AN ENTRY IN THE CHINOOK CONTEST!!

==January 30, 2001==
Los Angeles Show
From: Bean eWonderland
A reader has sent in a review of the Los Angeles Gift Show.
Here's an excerpt: "First and foremost, the Ty Booth: Well, it was still a large booth in the center of the main hall, but somehow, it just wasn't as impressive as it used to be. Was this because I'd already seen all of the new products in stores and at beanie shows instead of making my first impressions on new products there? Was it because the booth was sparsely decorated?

Usually, the four poles and framing of the booth are covered in beanies, buddies and kids. This show they didn't bother to do this for the first time in my memory. Was it because there are relatively few current products out? Were they rushed to put up the booth? I don't know, but it seemed empty and less colorful without the toys at every corner. Something else missing for the first time in several gift shows... security?" To read the rest click Here

Interesting post found on Ty's Cyberboard
From: Ms. Janie
Pierre 1st French Beanie
shinning star (11:55 am. Jan 29, 2001 )
Message Id: 797444
shinning star writes: I am very exited, a contact of mine in Whittlesey England has told me that TY has at last produced a bear with the French flag on its chest, it will be very limited and only available in France .Has anyone else heard of this. http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg797444.html

AUCTIONS DISAPPEARING FOR KALEIDOSCOPE
From: Smart Collecting
Something is definitely a miss concerning Kaleidoscope, the crazy Beanie Baby cat that arrived in the UK during the third week of January. Over 170 auctions for Kaleidoscope in-hand have closed on eBay since January 18th but we only found seven active auctions ending within the next six days on eBay. Rumors on the Ty Cyberboard suggest that Kaleidoscope was scheduled for a summer release but approximately 4,000 got sent out with January orders by mistake. Could this be true or is this just another rumor similar to the Ty-dyed Digger Buddy rumor? Well, there is a big gap in style numbers between Kaleidoscope and the most recent Beanie Introductions. Kaleidoscope is style number 4348 and the next closest is Hopper with style number 4342. We have not yet received confirmed shipments of Kaleidoscope to any retailers in the U.S. Something very strange is going on with this cat and we wish Ty would clue us in! Click on the link below to view a great photo of Kaleidoscope sent to us by Evelyn Cochrane in the UK. http://www.smartcollecting.com/newsresults.asp?ID=306

HAIRY'S TUSH TAG
Linda sends this in:
"Hi Lisa, Hope everything's ok there in Georgia. I noticed Hairy's tush tag has 2000 on it. Do you think it was meant to be released for last years Halloween?"

KALEIDESCOPE IS OFFICIAL (notice it's not listed as an exclusive!!)
http://www.ty.com/announcements/intro_0130kaleid.html

ONLY 2 MORE DAYS REMAINING IN THE CHINOOK CONTEST!!

==January 29, 2001==
Issy Removed from Rooms
From: Bean eWonderland
Beaniemom reports on how the Issy Bear has been removed from the Hotel rooms although customers can still purchase this bear but at only one per stay not night. Reading between the lines it would seem that this is a security issue. Visit Beaniemom for the full story

North Trade Winds
North Trade Winds has a report on the CGTA show in Canada.

==January 28, 2001==
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM!!
Linda shares the following:
Hi Lisa,I got Hairy today and Rachel got Bananas buddy out of her birthday money. I told the shop after I paid that Hairy had retired and they immediately took the last 2 off the shelf. HMMMM?

BUNDLING IN ENGLAND
Linda shares the following:
The trouble we have here is with bundling. One shop offered Holiday 2000 for £4.99($7.5) if you purchase 7 other beanies (not bears) @ £4.99 each and Buckingham @£4.99 with 10 other purchases. A different shop had Buckingham, Shamrock or Smooch @£5.99($9) with 5 non bear purchases per bear (animal beanies @4.99) Eggs was only 4 purchases .Therefore eg; to get the latest 4 bears would cost almost £119 ($178), ok you might say we get 19 other beanies but often shops do not carry enough variety to choose 19. I used to go to 2 shops who didn't do bundling but one stopped doing Ty products in Oct 2000 and the other closed down yesterday. People tended to get the bears here and leave the animal beanies for purchases towards bundled bears in other shops. It's like a game of chess, you have to weigh up your move, you can't always buy the beanie you want when you see it, you need to wait until they have enough other beanies to put towards a bear. One shop had over 10 Buckinghams for sale with 5 other purchases excluding bears, zodiacs and kids. This only left about 6 different styles to choose from (all early 2000 styles). Once I got very lucky with bundling. I had to buy 4 bear buddies for £40 ($60). I got Halo, Princess, Peace and Britannia. I,ve never had such a good offer since LOL!

One to Share
From: Bean eWonderland
ByGeorge writes: When I purchased 'Hairy' in Springfield, Mo, the young lady working at the Beanie store would not put them in the bag and would not touch them to ring up the price with the bar code, I had to do it for her. Maybe this is why he was retired so fast, it was to life like.

Teddy New Face Continued: Readers respond to the latest fake discovery and we address their questions and supply new insight in to the reality of fakes in Canadian Ty authorized stores. North Trade Winds

TY BEANIE CALENDAR ANYONE?!
Joan is looking for the 2000 Beanie Baby Calendar. It was a red heart and about the size of a desk calendar. If you happen to have this calendar and are looking to sell it, contact me at GotBeans@yahoo.com and I will put you in touch with Joan.

BEANIES ON AMERICA'S MOST WANTED
Rachel shares the following:
We were watching America's Most Wanted last night. They had this guy on there that was robbing this chain of stores. Among the items he was stealing were beanie babies. He was stealing the beanies and selling them on the internet! Makes you wonder where your beanies come from don't it?

==January 27, 2001==
Special Report
From: Bean eWonderland
Now on North Trade Winds - Proof of Canadian Fakes and detailed photo evidence of Counterfeit New Face Teddy Brown with Canadian tush tags. It is very detailed and enjoyable article, just click the link above to read it.

Fact or Fiction?
From: Bean eWonderland
Suzanne writes: Maybe you can tell me if this is fact or fiction. There is a rumour going around that 'Basil and Max' the attic treasure cats with the long tails are being recalled because of the wire in their tails. I was told this by a retailer at a Hallmark store. So far I have not seen any news about this. Fact or Fiction? (Bean eWonderlands comment - We have not heard anything about this and would like to hear from any retailers who have received either a recall notice or a delivery in the past few days)

The Care Of Bears
From: Beanieholics
Hanna Hach is the chief surgeon and doll washer at Hanna Bruce Bears and Teddy Bear Hospital, the stuffed-animal restoration service she operates in the Cleveland suburb of Garfield Heights, Ohio. Battered and broken animals come to her from throughout the United States and beyond, and she gives them new life.
Click Here For Story

Bear Repairer Shares Tips On Cleaning
From: Beanieholics
Well-loved teddy bears deserve the best of care. Bears with synthetic fur can be cleaned at home, but never try to clean a bear made of mohair or any other type of real fur. Bear restorer Hanna Hach offers the dos and don'ts of cleaning your teddy bear. Click Here For More

==January 26, 2001==
HAIRY ON HOLD?
From: Smart Collecting
Two Smart Collecting members, one in California and another is Kansas, are reporting that Ty Retailers are no longer able to place orders for Hairy the Spider. "I heard from a retailer that was just at one of the shows that there was a big sign which stated that Hairy the Spider will no longer be available," states Cindy in California. An anonymous member in Kansas wrote: "I just returned home from a gift show. I am a sales rep and I know the Ty rep at this particular show. Monday when I visited his booth, he told me that when he arrived that morning there was a fax saying that Hairy was no longer available. So visiting storeowners were not allowed to order him. The rep didn't have a clue as to why. So you might want to hold on to your Hairy!"

GERMANIA FOUND IN DRUG STORES
From: Ms. Janie
The following was also found on the Cyberboards. MORE GERNAMIA BEANIES IN A DRUGSTORE Knuckles (03:09 pm. Jan 25, 2001 ) Message Id: 795044 Knuckles writes: My husband came home a couple days ago and said Germania Beanie Baby was selling in a drug store in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota each in their own small plastic cases and he was told they received these Germania Beanie Babies directly from Ty in their regular order for the month!!! They were selling them for $7.95. That's 2 drug stores in a week's time that Germania beanie baby showed up here in Minnesota. I wonder what really is going on there!!! http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg795044.html

I will add that once again this week while shopping at my local GIANT grocery store, they too had Germania's in nice little containers on sale for $24.95 Although I do not believe that Ty was the source for these bears it does concern me that these type of post are allowed! I have received many notes from bewildered collectors who unfortunately believe everything they read on the boards. These types of post do more harm than good and should not be allowed! This is strictly my opinion, Ms. Janie

The Perils of Pre sale
From: Bean eWonderland
Whoever first said a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush certainly never sold such hard-to-find items as certain Beanie Babies and PlayStation 2s at presale auctions. This controversial sales method is just what it sounds like: Auction sellers offer an item before they actually have it in their possession. And the practice has some users concerned about the effect it has on the market price of items, as well as the potential for fraud it creates. Cozcorp, an eBay user who is preselling the "Issy the Four Seasons Hotel Beanie Bear," said his collectibles company began the practice of preselling only after it started dealing in Beanies. According to Cozcorp, preselling was necessary because of the way Ty, the manufacturer of Beanie Babies, ships its products. Although Ty won't disclose its official figures, it's rumored that the company has only 5,000 official dealers in the United States. Full Story:

How Many Authorized Stores?
From: Bean eWonderland
Yesterdays 'Perils of Pre sale' article prompted a few comments regarding the figure for the amount of official Ty Dealers out there. Sly the Beanie Guy writes - "I have to disagree with the figure given in that article of the rumored number of Ty retailers in the USA. I would think the Hallmark stores alone who carry Ty products, have at least 10 stores in every state. I would assume most states have more than just 10 Hallmark stores in them too. That would be more than 5000 Ty retailers right there but when you take into account franchises like Zany brainy, Cracker barrel, nordstroms Dept and add in all the other small little gifts shops that are Ty accounts I would say The correct figure would be much higher than 5000". Bill our retailer friend comments - "In regards to the story on the number of Ty accounts, I think there are approximately 450 Ty reps and each rep has between 75-100 accounts. That equals closer to 35,000 accounts and that's just the USA.

HAIRY RETIRES!!
http://www.ty.com/announcements/ret_0126hairy.html

==January 25, 2001==
12 DAY CONTEST
From: Andrea's Attic
Our members have voted and starting Friday, January 26th, we will be hosting a brand new contest with a new winner every day! For 12 days we will be giving away:
Smooch Beanie
Hairy Beanie
Flashy Beanie
Dinky Beanie
Eggs Beanie
Hopper Beanie
Suki Attic Treasure
Arlen Attic Treasure
Shamrock Beanie
Spunky Buddy
Cashmere Ty Classic
Oats Buddy
Check it out at http://www.andreasattic.com
THANKS AND BEST OF LUCK!

From: Ms. Janie
Sly shares the following e-mail sent by Ty There have also been postings on the Cyberboard about others getting this same message. TY WELCOMES THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE!!!! http://www.ty.com/echinesenewyear.html Rat: Remember to be diligent. Ox: Success is on its way. Tiger: Take care of your health. Snake: Balance is everything. Dog: Don't get greedy. Pig: Plan for a rainy day. What will Ty's Zodiac Collection tell you? Click here http://www.ty.com/echinesenewyear.html

The 3 P's of Food and Beverage: Promotions, Premiums and Partnerships
From: Ms. Janie
Beanie Babies serve as a hot food promotional tool. Even if you don't sell food and beverages, you shouldn't discount the value that marketing alliances with such products can bring to your brand. With kids spending about a third of every dollar on things they can put in their mouths, your product's image and sales can benefit from associations with brands in this segment. Partnerships, promotions and premiums are all ways for non-food and beverage companies to get into the kitchen, so to speak. Partnering for Promos Tie-in promotions can be an important tool in enticing young consumers. For instance, Pizza Hut had a successful campaign a couple years ago with Sony where customers got a game disk featuring PlayStation demo games when they bought a Stuffed Crust Pizza. Pizza Hut was able to sell pizza to kids, and Sony was able to increase sales by promoting new PlayStation games during the holidays. Over the years, the restaurant chain has tried various promotions and it's come to learn that selling merchandise in its restaurants doesn't work for the brand. Unless you're a McDonald's selling Beanie Babies or a Burger King selling Pokemon, it's a tough sale, Matteson says. "When [people] go to a restaurant they want to buy food. A hand puppet you can buy for $1.99 with pizza isn't going to entice them to come unless it's one of those mega promos ... that are so few and far between," he says. View HERE

Fake Letter Caution
From: Bean eWonderland
Cher writes: "I noticed that there are many Canadian "Thank you bear letters" for sale on ebay. A searching on eBay shows many of them for sale with a picture
of the document. It looks to me like a letter that could easily be copied and sold as "original". I am not accusing anyone of doing this I just thought you might like to take a look and see for yourself. People are paying $30-$50 US for these letters to go with the bears the have that did not come with letters. It is common knowledge that there is no Canadian tush tag added to the bears sent to Canadian retailers, so this letter could accompany any bear. Maybe it is a case of "buyer beware". (Bean eWonderlands comment - We would have to agree that it does seem a little strange so we asked Lulu for her comments on this and here is what she informed us).

The letters were sent to store owners. It's not illegal to make copies of documents that have been sent to you as long as it's not being published. In Canada, the only one who can take action against counterfeit Ty materials is Ty Canada. If the complaint comes to the police from any other source, your out of luck. A good laser printer is all anyone needs to make a copy that looks good. I have held the document but I haven't checked if they have a watermark on them. It would be interesting to find out. The truth is it isn't something you should put your money on unless you are buying it from an actual Ty vendor that you trust. The bear can be authenticated. The document can't. It is definitely a buyer beware situation. Lulu.

==January 24, 2001==
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
From: Ms. Janie
Info. Beanie Tonight's Info. Beanie posting makes me wonder if the Zodiac Beanies will celebrate the Chinese News Year in their own special way! This Info. Beanie is one mysterious person or thing! You never know how to take the postings and if you are being toyed with or if there are hidden messages being displayed. I hope the Zodiac's get up early and get with the program, when something is anticipated it can often make for a long day! Regardless, I'm looking forward to anything new happening and hoping for the best! Tuesday January 23, 2001 9:01 p.m. I am so happy that this day is finally over! I know it wasn't any longer than any other day but it sure seemed like it! I think it's because I'm so excited about sharing our surprise with you tomorrow. The Zodiac Beanies are more excited than anyone! I think it's because they are so much a part of the surprise! I think if I was a Zodiac Beanie I wouldn't be able to sleep at all tonight! I think there might even be some special surprise just for them tomorrow too! I better get to bed so I'll have lots of energy tomorrow. Good night! http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

Ty Wins Infringement Ruling
From: Beanieholics
Ty Inc., the maker of Beanie Babies plush toys, persuaded a federal appeals court to bar Jones Group Inc. from selling ''Beanie Racers,'' which Ty claims infringe on its popular stuffed animals. The decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Tuesday affirmed another judge's preliminary injunction, which stopped Hendersonville, Tenn.-based Jones Group from producing and selling bean-filled replicas of NASCAR racing cars. Ty asked for the injunction in November 1999, after sending Jones Group a cease-and-desist letter claiming the company's products infringe on Ty's trademarks. After Jones Group continued producing the Beanie Racers, Ty sued. News Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution

Woman Charged With Online Fraud
From: Beanieholics
A former Waukesha County Sheriff's Department dispatcher was charged Tuesday with taking money for Beanie Babies and Pokemon cards that were promised on the Internet but never delivered. Cathleen A. Lamb, 41, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with two counts of theft by fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine. Click Here For More On This Story

BEANIES IN THE COURTROOM
Rachel shares the following: "I just had to tell you all about this courtroom show i watch. It's judge mathis. There was this teenage boy on there sueing this lady for $80.00 that she owed him for beanies. But the lady never got the beanies, she told him she had already found them somewhere else. The kid ended up getting the $80 rewarded to him, and she didn't even get the beanies! I couldn't believe they went to trail for $80!! and the beanies were common ones! lol"

==January 23, 2001==
HELP THE CHILDREN
RICKY WILLIAMS AUTOGRAPHED SPECKLES
Auction ends Tuesday Night! Have you ever wanted to do something that could really make a change in someone's life? Then bid on this auction where 100% of proceeds go to assist individuals in regaining justice for their children. I don't mind working for free but I need you guys to help with the attorneys fees and operating expenses. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1108367033

Ty's Info Beanie once again drops hints of a surprise to come!
From: Ms. Janie
For the past couple of weeks many of us have speculated that Ty's Info. Beanie was gearing us up for something special. Could it be a possible retirement or it there something new in the wings waiting to be released by Ty?

Monday January 22, 2001 4:21 p.m. Gee, I don't know what to tell you right now. We worked on the surprise all day and I can't tell you about that. hmmm. Oh, I know, I can tell you what we had for lunch. We had potato pancakes. They were really yummy! I know, that was kind of boring. I'll sure be glad when you know what the surprise is and I won't have to be extra careful with everything I say. Hey! Since we're almost finished with everything maybe you can find out what the secret is early! I'm going to see if we can do that! I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Monday January 22, 2001 7:21 a.m. Good morning! I talked to our friends at Ty and they said that since I've never walked in my sleep before that they didn't think I would start now. They also said that it would be really hard to type in my sleep. Boy, that sure took a load of worries off of my mind. I would feel so terrible if I was the one that blew the surprise! I'm glad we only have to wait today and tomorrow before you know what the secret is. I wish we could go to the park today so I would not think about the secret but there is still so much to do for it. Maybe we could work really hard on it today and finish and then we wouldn't have to work on it or think about it tomorrow! I'm going to see what everyone thinks about that idea! I'll talk to you later. Bye! http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

MaryBeth shows up on Ty's Cyberboards and reports the following
From: Ms. Janie
Chgo Cubs to host special Beanie giveaway
MaryBeth-BeanBagWorld (07:25 pm. Jan 22, 2001 )
Message Id: 793341 MaryBeth-BeanBagWorld writes: Did anyone see the Chicago Suntimes Sports section today? "The Beanie Baby day calls for a product that is yet to be named, that will not be available anywhere else in advance of that and will not be available anywhere else for at least a month after the event," said John McDonough, Cubs Vice President of Marketing and Broadcasting. The date of the Cubs 2001 Beanie giveaway was not listed. Could it be a bear with a baseball on its chest (similar to Kicks with the soccer ball)? What do you think? http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg793341.html

From: Ms. Janie
Dear Ms Janie, My name is Jimmy and I just got back from the Hallmark store and I am very angry. I walked in and immediately went to the beanie section and saw the new beanies hairy, hopper, dinky, and flashy and I did not see any of the new bears. So i decided to buy Dinky. I purchased it and as I was leaving I saw the girl at the counter ringing up Smooch. I went back and I saw about 5 more. I asked are those beanies for sale and the lady said no she just bought them all. She was referring to one of her co-workers because i was the only one in the store. It just shows how greedy and selfish a lot of people can be when they think beanies are quick cash and valuable. These people should be a lot more considerate and think of the people who collect them because they like them. Jimmy Breen

Kaleidoscope Update
From: Bean eWonderland
Report after report is arriving to us from UK retailers who are stating that they have NOT received any Kaleidoscope in their deliveries. So many are disappointed at being left out and are wondering why. This adds to the speculation that maybe it was a mistake. There are a few threads on message boards stating that Kaleidoscope has arrived in stores outside the UK, I have not seen any other sites report this and feel sure some of them would have received information had these threads been correct. One of our readers John also shares the following: "The reported style number of 4348 is in the normal series for world-wide release. All country exclusives in the past have had style numbers of 46xx. John". I have many emails asking what my opinion is on this Beanie, I am open minded and will supply all the information I can in order for you to decide yourself if now is a good time to purchase one or not.

==January 22, 2001==
DO YOU HAVE CHILDREN?! ~ IF YOU DO PLEASE READ!!
http://usatoday.com/news/nation/2001-01-22-scans.htm

MORE BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS FROM SUSIE
From: Ms. Janie
Susie comes through with another batch of beautifully designed Beanie and Buddy styles Check out the special design on Libearty http://www.msjanie.com/pix/susie2001.html

The other crash of 2000:
From: Ms. Janie
Pokemon cards The market for the kids' collectibles, which demanded up to $375 each in 1999, has collapsed, and many a younger trader learned hard lessons. Mike Loprete stood at the counter of a comic-book store, slowly shook his 11-year-old head and remembered when he was rich. Back in 1999, when the Pokemon fad was the talk of every playground, Mike's collection of cards, neatly stored at his home in Roseland, N.J., was worth hundreds of dollars. But like investors in dot-com flameouts and other once-highflying technology stocks who thought the Nasdaq could rise forever, Mike sat on his assets and watched them dwindle away. "I should have sold," Mike said. "I could have had three times as much as I paid for them." Fads and fancies have sent the value of all kinds of assets soaring since the earliest days in finance. And from 17th-century Dutch tulips to present- day Internet stocks, such bubbles have inevitably burst. But for millions of young Americans, their first introduction to volatile markets has been Pokemon trading cards. A large number of them have been given a hard lesson about how scarcity can temporarily drive up prices, but that many assets - be they Pokemon cards or technology companies - are only valuable if sold at the right time. http://www.ocregister.com/business/pokemon21cci.shtml

Quiet Retirements
From: Beanieholics
Ty has been making some quiet retirements lately. Deb from Doodle's Page mentions the retirements of Bunnybaby and Lamybaby in the Ty Baby line. Ms. Janie reports on the Clubby III Beanie and Buddy being moved onto their respective retirement pages. We were checking the Ty Classics section and noticed Magee was no longer listed as current. When did this one retire? Now if only Ty would take care of the Billionaire III Beanie Baby. It is still listed as current but has been retired since last fall.

==January 21, 2001==
Please forgive the lateness of the news/contest info. It was a rough night here last night and that ran over into this morning. Many of you know that I had to take my littlest angel to do a sleep study at the hospital last night. For those of you that don't know.. Brandon turned 2 just 2 weeks ago. He needed to be checked for possible Sleep Apnea and will probably have to have his enlarged tonsils and adenoids removed but needed the testing to concur that. Things started off rather well. As the probes were being placed on his chest, head, neck, face, behind his ears, toe, etc. he was beginning to get a bit worried and bothered by the presence of these foreign objects. He would fall asleep then awaken only to pull the one off that was monitoring his nose and mouth. We ended up having to put his little arms in "restraints" which Velcro around his arms so he can't bend at the elbow. He was rather worried about this so he was scared. He fell asleep and would wake back up with any movement or noise. This was very hard because I was in the bed with him to make sure he was ok and not pulling all of these wires from the probes making the test inaccurate. Finally at about midnight I had to sign a consent form so that a mild sedative could be given so he would relax. It did the trick, or so I thought. Before the sedative he was scared when he woke up but I was able to comfort him back to sleep. After the sedative he was totally freaked out when he was awake.. standing up with arms going every which way. His heart rate was getting kind of high as he was in one of these episodes of being freaked out. It went up to 182 at one point that I noticed. Brandon would straighten up as stiff as a board and I couldn't get him to lay back down and move the wires at the same time. It was very difficult. Finally 5am came and the light went on with a voice saying "you're test is complete". Whew was I ever happy to hear that. Mark (my hubby) was there to pick us up and Brandon was quite relieved to be getting all of these things off of his little body and I was so happy that I could finally pick him up and give him a big hug and hold him without having to worry about these wires everywhere. :o) Mark told me that Jennifer was sick all night throwing up and hear ear was really bothering her again. The doctor that looked at her ear on Thursday said it was just congestion in her ear as it was popping and causing her some pain. She was in so much pain for a bit yesterday that I was really concerned. When we got home at about 6am the first thing I did was call the doctors office to see if they had Sunday hours. Found out that they are open from 10am till noon for sick kids only on a first come first serve basis. We arrived at 9:45am and there were already about 15 kids ahead of her. We were in and out of there in 1 hour and 15 minutes so I was rather pleased. She has a very bad ear infection. Jennifer is sleeping now and Brandon just woke up as I'm completing this. I had everything all typed up once and the power mysteriously went out for about 30 seconds so I lost it all. LOL Typical to end a bad night with another bad day isn't it?! I'm exhausted both emotionally and physically right now so I won't be updating the news. I'm sorry!!

==January 20, 2001==
Perfect Smooch
From: Bean eWonderland
I have found another image that is a contender for the perfect looking Smooch, it is on the Beaniemom site and lets just say it has perfect lips.

BABY MOBILE (adorable idea!!)
Check out Beanie Mom for this ingenious invention. Maybe Ty should market these.

Issy Bear
From: Bean eWonderland
They said it would not happen and that everyone at the Four Seasons could be trusted. Although you cannot take the sellers word for it, an advert on No Bidding states: "A long time friend of mine works at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York and has promised to send 6 of these lovely beanies to me". View Here: If this is true it is a shame that one person can cast a shadow over the rest of the staff and take away money that should have been going to charity. (thanks Jim).

Now at Northern Trade Winds
From: Bean eWonderland
Canadian Valentine pack and Buddies arrive, Chinook is still shipping and details of the new Kaleidoscope beanie and the secret it may hold. Click HERE

THANK YOU BEAR FOR $5?!
From: Ms. Janie
Hello Janie; I had Great Luck this past week. I got 2 Smooch bears ($5.00) for my girls for Valentines Day! I got Flashy the Peacock and Eggs the Bear ($5.99). I got a Valetina Buddy ($10.00). BUT, my greatest find was a "Thank You Bear" for $5.00. I didn't get the card but I didn't care. I put Thank You Bear in a Ty case. This is from an Authorized Ty dealer. It was at a Hospital Gift shop and they are usually run by volunteers. This is the prize of my collection now. This has been the best Beanie week I've ever had. Good Luck to all you fellow Beanie Hunters! Sherri

THINK YOU’RE GETTING YOUR CLUBBY III’S FROM TY?
From: Andrea's Attic
Think again. Ty has started issuing postcards to those orders still outstanding. Looks like lots of collectors are going to be upset about this. Neville in England reports that they have just received a letter of apology from the BBOC. The letter reads: "Dear BBOC Member, Thank you for ordering Clubby 3 from the BBOC. The Clubby bears were an exclusive offer and stocks were limited, therefore, it is with regret that we have to inform you that due to the overwhelming response, we sold out of Clubbies, even after flying in extras! We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Please rest assured all credit card numbers will remain confidential and no charges have been incurred. Again, Ty Europe Ltd and the BBOC apologizes and hopes that on the next BBOC offer we will be able to satisfy all members. Yours sincerely, Ben Hebbourn Ty Europe Ltd News Source: http://www.smartcollecting.com/

==January 19, 2001==
Signed Attics
From: Bean eWonderland
Sal's Attic has just acquired three autographed Attic Treasures. A first generation Clifford signed by Linda Harris and Ty Warner A first generation Henry Gold signed by Ruth Fraser and Ty Warner A first generation Tiny Tim signed by Linda Harris and Ty Warner Follow the link for the entire story and pictures. Sals Attic:

Perfect Smooch
From: Bean eWonderland
Marilyn has given us an idea for a little fun, she has sent us an email as follows: "My one find today was the new winner of my very own Perfect Smooch Face Contest. What do you think? Those kisses on both cheeks are right up front where you can see them instantly without swinging him around. View Here: Have you a Smooch to rival this one, if so please let us know.

From: Ryan of Collectiblez
I just thought I would quickly share that I have recently posted an interview on my website, with Mary from Beanies For Preemies, Inc.! There has been a lot going on with Beanies For Preemies including a new Preemie Prayer HolyBear, a Preemie Prayer cookbook, and also, celebrity-signed bears are soon to also come! Mary Stocum shares a lot of the latest info and also talks about Ty's latest donation to the charity of 30,000 Beanies!!!! See the interview HERE

==January 18, 2001==

RICKY WILLIAMS SIGNED SPECKLES!!
This is so awesomely exciting!! Ricky Williams is considered Austin Texas' Pride and Joy! He attended the University of Texas and won the Heisman Trophy in 1998 (only the highest honor a collegiate football player can get!) He now plays for the New Orleans Saints but was injured early in the season. He played a little this past weekend so it appears he's getting back into the game but no one will really realize how great he really is until next season, unless a miracle happens to his broken leg. Some think Ricky is a punk, I know better. He loves his mom and he takes good care of her and his sisters, as he has done since he was a small child. In my book, that makes him a great man! The fact that he is one of the fastest running backs ever is just an added plus. The auction for the autographed bear and the baseball cards is under the Beanies4Bekah account. I was hoping that by adding some new features to the auction, it would do better in the end. If it ends at this price, I will only LOSE about $22.00!! Surely you know someone who is a collector of Ricky and other NFL player's memorabilia, let them now about the auction or surprise them on Valentine's Day!! He autographed a Speckles the Bear and two of his older hologram cards that you cannot find anymore and sent them to us to auction for Hope4KidZ!! The auction has begun on eBay!! There had been over one hundred visitors the last time I checked and no new bids. Please show your support by bidding early in this auction. If you are a real sports enthusiast, or if you know one who would love to own this set of cards and the signed bear, I would recommend book marking the page. We are sending out Press Releases tonight and tomorrow we are calling all the local radio and TV stations to try to get them to mention it. All the links you will need will be on his webpage at http://www.hope4kidz.org/Ricky_Williams/ricky_williams.htm

ATTIC TUSH TAG CHANGE
Rose shares the following:
"Lisa, Not sure if anyone else has reported this yet but the new Attic Treasures have a new Tush Tag. It is red and white and narrower than the old 'brown' tag. Similar to the Buddies tush but the heart is darker. I will compare more closely if you want. I think the wording is exactly like the old tush."

SAD STORY
From: Ms. Janie
Sorely missed: Fenton boy leaves legacy of love, Legos At Aaryn Fulton's memorial service Jan. 10, his fourth-grade schoolmates played with Legos and ate candy and cookies. Posters and photographs depicting their lost friend covered the walls. In the sanctuary sat the 9-year-old's coffin, which was designed to look like a race car, complete with wheels, windshield and steering wheel. When the service ended, the 200 children received a present from the Fulton family - either Legos or Beanie Babies, two of Aaryn's favorite toys. "It was a celebration of life service," said Kendell W. Fulton, Aaryn's father. "We wanted to make sure the children - many of whom were experiencing for the first time the death of someone they knew - weren't afraid and that Aaryn would always be in their memories." http://fl.mlive.com/news/index.ssf?/news/stories/20010117f17a1fulto.frm

LIPS BUDDY ON TV
This was sent in by Traci
I was watching a new show "Grounded for Life". The teenage daughter has Lips the Buddie tacked up to her wall above her computer. There was something else too but I didn't catch what it was. I thought it was so cool. I keep noticing more and more TY products popping up on shows.

From: Ms. Janie
Many of you may be familiar with GIANT Food Stores. I shop weekly for groceries at these stores and have run across many styled Beanie Babies. This weeks supply caught my attention when I spotted Lurkey the turkey and some of the other newer styles. I checked with some of my sources and have been told the following. The supplies of beanies that have landed in the Giant Stores are coming form a European middleman and sold directly to Giant. Ty is NOT involved in these transactions! I will credit Giant for at least keeping the prices reasonable at $5.99 BUT will admit that there is just something odd about finding Beanies in my produce isle! I prefer visiting the specialty shops and having the opportunity to browse for other items of interest.

CUTENESS
From: Ms. Janie
It simply amazes me how cleaver collectors can be with dressing up and designing outfits for Ty products. Check out the following link on eBay and view some spectacular photos. View HERE

Ms. Janie digs up the dirt and comes up with a few tid bits that may interest you! Last October Ty posted the following newsflash. TY NEWSFLASH 10-25-2000 Ty Newsflash - Our product has recently appeared in a chain of discount / dollar stores. These plush toys were not purchased directly from Ty Inc., nor do we believe they were purchased from any authorized dealer. Based on the amounts involved, we believe these may be counterfeit, stolen or may have been sold by a charitable organization that received a donation from Ty Inc. We feel compelled to reaffirm that we do not sell to mass merchants, discount stores, and dollar stores. This is an unfortunate situation and we are actively investigating this matter. In the interim, we ask all of our consumers to use caution when buying these plush toys as we cannot vouch for their authenticity. BUYER BEWARE! http://www.ty.com/announcements/newsflash_1025.html For some reason this newsflash caught my attention when I read that Ty had donated product to a charity and that the charity may have sold the product. I recall reading the newsflash several times trying to figure out what it was about it that just did not set right with me. I then decided to start digging around and see what I could come up with. Without disclosing names I can now verify that Ty was generous enough to donate Attic Treasures to a charity and that the organization did in fact sell this product to the Dollar Stores. I'm sure Ty's wishes this unfortunate incident never happened and hope that they continue to support well established organizations in the future. Their HEART was in the right place!

Flag less USA Bear
From: Bean eWonderland
A few readers have written to us after viewing our picture earlier in the week of the Flag less USA Bear. I am not saying that the ones in the picture are fake, but it must be pointed out that this Bear is one of the easiest to remove the flag from. Bean Crazy had a complete article on this subject back in September and is worth a read if you have purchased a Flag less USA bear. Read Here: Another reader writes: I almost brought a flagless USA bear when they first came out, thinking that these would be *big* collectors. Then on a site I buy and sell on, an authorized Ty dealer posted a big warning on the usa bears with no flags. They gave step by step instructions on how to remove the flag, they tried it and it worked.

Kaleidoscope Picture
From: Bean eWonderland
Here it is, the first picture to be released of the new Beanie cat called Kaleidoscope that has hit some UK stores. View Here:

Kaleidoscope Poem
From: Bean eWonderland
Kaleidoscope's date of birth is June 24,2000. The poem reads; I'm wild and crazy as you can see, Other cats want to be like me, Some may say I look like a clown, But I'm the coolest cat in town.

From: BeaNGO
Ty Trade's webmaster has been busy at work creating a new design for the site. The top of the page now displays an image of Speckles in front of a rainbow with some clouds surrounding him. Ty Trade

BEANIE ZOO CONTEST
Nathan shares the following:
"I am e-mailing you to let you know that the website which I own and operate, The Beanie Zoo (http://thebeanzoo.cjb.net) has kicked off another great contest. This time it's called Jungle Fever and the prizes include LB Peanut Beanie & Buddy, Bushy Beanie & Buddy, Jabber Beanie & Buddy and Schweetheart Beanie & Buddy. If you'd be kind enough to mention this on your site I'd be more than grateful."

==January 17, 2001==
From: Ms. Janie
Beaniemom has a viewer share a story of her trip to New York and her adventures getting Issy HOW MANY ISSYS DID WE GET????? Security was very tight and everywhere.

New Beanie
From: Bean eWonderland
My local dealer contacted me this morning reporting of a new Beanie Baby that arrived in todays delivery. Its name is Kaleidoscope. It is a bright multicoloured cat in a sitting upright position. It will be interesting to see if this ships to other places other than the UK.

Rumours
From: Bean eWonderland
Two rumours have come our way and it is something we have now heard a couple of times from people who we know. The first rumour comes from Germany and is regarding a new German exclusive beanie that is set to be released in February. The second is talk of Ty Inc. putting together some kind of Valentine package deal. We are not sure what this could mean or even be but it is looking interesting.

Chinook Short Supply ?
From: Bean eWonderland
Reports have arrived from two Canadian retailers that Chinook has not been shipped for the second month in a row. This could be just a minority, but if you have a Canadian account and have received Chinook in the last month please let us know.

Woman Pleads Guilty To Auction Fraud
From: Beanieholics
Lucille Liscomb, 35, of Arizona, who defrauded almost three dozen people in bogus Internet auctions for Beanie Babies and computer equipment must serve 30 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Robert James also ordered Liscomb on Tuesday to pay fraud victims restitution totaling $20,189. Click Here For More

Beanie Babies #13
From: Beanieholics
The latest Lycos Top 50 for Canada shows Beanie Babies as being the thirteenth most searched item on the Internet in that country. Beanies beat out searches for Harry Potter, the Backstreet Boys and Playstation. The Top 3 most searched items? Dragonball Z, Britney Spears and the WWF. Beanie Babies did not fair as well with the Lycos Top 50 here in the U.S. where they failed to make the list.
Click Here To View Canadian Top 50

==January 16, 2001==
Attic Pictures
From: Bean eWonderland
Our Beanie snapper Marilyn paid a visit to her favourite Hallmark store yesterday where the owner kindly let her take pictures of the 12 new attic treasures. To view - Adelaide the cat, April the rabbit, Arlen the cat and Carey the dog Click Here: To view - Cassandra the bunny, Copper the bear, Emmet the elephant and Hogan the rabbit Click Here: To view - May the bunny, Minerva the mouse, Olivia the bear and Suki the bear Click here:

BeaNGO COMPETITION BEGINS TODAY
Brent says, "We are a little late, but our New Year's Contest begins today. The first question will be posted today at 5:00 P.M. (EST) and a new question will be posted every 24 hours with a new prize to be won!"

HIGH PRIORITY TY RETAILERS
From: Andrea of Andrea's Attic
After years and years of Beanie hunting, I have found that there are a select few Ty retailers I encounter who always have the hottest and newest Ty products on their shelves. Over the last year, Ty has enacted a priority rating system. This is based off of how many Ty products a store orders from Ty, Inc. and sells. It also has to do with their Beanie displays and also feedback reported on the Grins and Gripes board! If a retailer is complained against on the Grins and Gripes board at the Ty website, a moderator will ensure the situation is looked into. But, what most people didn't know is that Ty, Inc also investigates Compliments posted on that board! Of the 20+ Ty retailers in Southern California that I frequent on a daily basis, only TWO are high priority accounts. One of the two is VERY high Priority. I spoke with the store managers at both stores to learn how they got there. Store #1: High Priority: Has 8 separate large sized Beanie displays scattered around the store. Always orders from the retailer's website the first day of the month. Orders maximum quantity allowed of every item that is on the order form. Prices their Beanies very cheap, all Beanies are $4.95 and Buddies are $9.95. This is cheap by Ty retailer standards. This is a craft supply store. Store #2: VERY High Priority: Has 4 separate good - sized Beanie displays, including one very long aisle (roughly 20 feet long and 5 feet high) filled with Beanies. There is also a rather impressive Beanie kid display where the kids sport the latest Ty Gear outfits and modified hair styles. They order the maximum quantities allowed of every item on the Ty order form. They order the first of every month. This store always receives their items roughly 3 days ahead of the other High Priority retailer mentioned above, even though they are in the same town. They also receive the secret shipments of Beanies, such as the first early release of the August 2000 Beanies and Zodiac Beanies that arrived a month before any other store in town got them. The retailer said they did not expect to receive these Beanies. They price their Beanies on the high side, $7.95 for Beanies and $10.95 for Buddies. They usually sell out of the new styles within hours after they arrive at the store. They also have carried the Ty products in their store since 1994. This is a stationery store. Do you have a high priority Ty retailer in your neighborhood? E Mail Newsletter@andreasattic.com and tell us what sets them apart from the others!

Issy & Four Seasons Experience
From: Bean eWonderland
Just a little note for you. My daughter and I went to the Rosie O'Donnell show in New York on Monday. We decided to go up Sunday and stay over night. We stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel. What an incredible adventure!! My daughter who is 12 years old was greeted with a wrapped gift in our room. About a half hour later the door bell rang (yes, a door bell in a hotel room) and a staff member brought in a chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a girls head on a plate with my daughter's name written in chocolate syrup on the plate with a bottle of apple juice. My daughters face lit up. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous, all the staff were very polite and helpful. But of course the highlight of the trip was walking into our room and seeing Issy sitting there waiting for us to take him home. He is wonderful! What a way to spend the night in New York. Wendy (Thanks for sharing this Wendy, it sounds like you had a great time and one that you will both remember for some time).

==January 15, 2001==
Stephanie emails this in:
New at Beanie Toons is Beanie Connections!
It is an all new way to meet people with the same interests including Beanie Babies! If you would like some new friends then just sign up by going to
http://members.aol.com/huggerpink and clicking on Beanie Connections.

The Grand Beanie Vacation Contest

Critters n' Gifts is holding a new contest called "The Grand Beanie Vacation Contest". The grand prize is a trip to New York City plus a night's stay at the Four Seasons Hotel so a lucky Beanie Baby Collector can get their own Issy Bear.

==January 14, 2001==
NEW BEANIE PICS
I notices that Yavett has some great pictures of the new beanies over at Underground Bean.

GASOLINE SMELL IN NEW BUDDIES?
From: Underground Bean
Others are noticing the gas smell in their Ty, Inc products ...
I work at a store that sells TY products and open the boxes that are delivered to the store and have noticed lately that a lot of the boxes smell like gasoline. I thought maybe it was coming from the UPS trucks. Also we received a package of Sunnys that were moldy. Maybe TY has some problems we don't know about.

EBay blazes social, auction trail
From: Bean eWonderland
When AuctionWeb flickered to life on Labor Day 1995, founder Pierre Omidyar called it a "grand experiment in Internet commerce." AuctionWeb started slowly as a cyberspace swap meet for computer hardware, then morphed into a spot where Omidyar's fiancee could trade vintage Pez dispensers with others in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before he knew it, word of this novel person-to-person electronic flea market sizzled across the Net. Thousands of people from all over the country began jostling for spots inside Omidyar's virtual bazaar, which became popularly known by its obscure URL, www.ebay.com. And America fell in love. More than 7.7 million registered buyers and sellers join 4 million new auctions every day. Merchandise is grouped in 4,320 categories. Everything from Beanie Babies to $1 million resort bungalows can be found up for bid. Full Story

==January 13, 2001==
I'M BACK!! Thank you for all of your well wishes. The funeral was very nice although emotionally exhausting. It was nice to see family that I've not seen in a number of years. :o) My Grandmother will be missed so much but now I know she's one of God's angels.

==January 12, 2001==
BIG BUDDY RETIREMENT ~ FLIP and WALLACE BUDDIES
http://www.ty.com/announcements/ret_0112flip.html
LIBEARTY BUDDIES (Large, XL, regular)
http://www.ty.com/announcements/ret_0112libearty.html

==January 10, 2001==
=IMPORTANT ~ PLEASE READ!!=
As many of you know, I will be out of town over the next several days attending my Grandma's funeral. The news will not be updated until I return either on Sunday or Monday. I hope you will understand. Please keep my family in your prayers during this very difficult time.

ABOUT THE CHINOOK CONTEST
I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your continued support during these contests. I would like to offer everyone a chance for a FREE entry STARTING TOMORROW (Thursday) and ending on Sunday. I will resume the contest questions on Monday. When you send in your daily entries it isn't necessary to put anything other than FREE ENTRY in the body of the entry. Thanks!! :o)

Please use the contest form to enter the contest each day unless the server goes down.

TUSH TAG SCANS
http://www.msjanie.com/pix/tush2001.html

==January 9, 2001==
ONE DOZEN THANK YOU BEARS IN-HAND
From: Cajun Connection
Ever wonder if someone would really have 12 THANK YOU BEAR Beanies in Hand all at one time? Well, one seller on eBay has posted a photo of 12 THANK YOU BEAR Beanies, that they were able to get from their "network of dealers". The opening bid is $300, or you can use instant buy on eBay and buy one for $350! VIEW HERE

From: Ms. Janie
n Fridays edition of the Wall Street Journal there was a segment called "Inside the World of Corporate Finance." In it's first ever listing of net-worth "Winners and Losers" for 2000 to include America's wealthiest people Ty Warner made the list. The list ranks those who notched the biggest gains and losses to their net worth. Ty Warner, the reclusive toy magnate behind the Beanie Baby cult, gained a whopping estimated $1 billion.

BEAUTIFUL TY-DYE
From: Ms. Janie
A special thanks to Susie for these incredible photos of her works of art. View these photos of her painted Ty products http://www.msjanie.com/pix/susie.html The sellers name is tippy73 and can be found on e-bay

North Trade Winds
Beanies: Popularity and Worth - Do low secondary market values signal the downslide of Beanies or something else. Click HERE

Beanie Baby Schemer Gets Federal Prison Term
From: Beanieholics
A Philadelphia man who admitted cheating nine people nationwide out of almost $20,000 in an e-mail scheme to sell valuable Beanie Babies stuffed toys was sentenced on Friday to four months in federal prison and ordered to reimburse his victims. Samuel Miletto, 31, of Holmesburg, was ordered by U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz to report to prison Jan. 19 to begin his term. Katz ordered Miletto to pay restitution totaling $19,980 to his victims. Those who responded to his e-mail ad received items that were damaged or different from those advertised. Miletto, pleaded guilty in November to one count of wire fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert K. Reed said Miletto faces trial in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court on burglary, theft, conspiracy and related charges in a Feb. 6 burglary of the home of an 82-year-old woman while she was hospitalized. Jewelry and more than $140,000 in cash were reported taken. News Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer

New Buddies In Singapore
From: Beanieholics
Beanie Mom has posted pictures of new Beanie Buddies currently shipping to Singapore. Buddies showing up that are not currently available in the US are the Beginning Bear, BB Bear and Chops. ( *sigh* With each new batch of Buddy pictures we see, we add more to out list to buy.) Click Here For Link To Beanie Mom

THE NEW HANGTAG
From: Ms. Janie
The first pictures of the new hangtag are showing up on e-bay Check out the photo of Eggs sporting a new hangtag. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=539593932

==January 8, 2001==
=MY GRANDMA IS NOW AN ANGEL=
I just received a call from my Mom. She's doing ok and thank God my Uncle and Aunt are with her. My Uncle took it very hard since he has just lost his last sibling. He lost his brother a number of years ago. I'm not sure about the funeral yet but will know later today. I will be gone for a few days I imagine. :o( While I knew this was going to happen at any time it still saddens me so very much to know I will never see my Grandma until I see her in Heaven. I want to thank all of you for your continued support and prayer. You are helping me to get through this very difficult time and I can't thank you enough.

THANK YOU BEAR RAFFLE
Amy shares the following:
My local Hallmark store got their Thank-You bear. The owner decided to raffle it off. For a small amount, a customer can buy a chance to win the store's Thank You bear! The neat thing is that ALL the proceeds go to the local Humane Society. This lady could have kept the bear or sold it, but she chose instead to use it for charity. I think that is so cool of her, and keeps the spirit of why beanies make us feel good. It's a warm feeling. Cross your fingers because I got some tickets for the RAFFLE!!!

Heather of the Daily Bean shares the following:
Limited Thank you bear not so limited........
privacyrules (02:54 pm. Jan 07, 2001 ) Message Id: 784250 privacyrules writes: Company Hallmarks in Montreal Canada received a Thank you bear in each case (108 beanies) they ordered. One chain of three stores received 50, that's right, FIFTY thank you bears. Who knows if the same happened in the U.S.
http://web3-1.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg784250.html

PRE-SELL AUCTIONS CANCELLED
From: Smart Collecting
"Saw this on the Ty Cyberboard. Thought I was interesting." Patrick "Recent pre-sell auctions on E were cancelled by the seller because her New York source could not get her bears. I was one of the people who received the cancellation notice. I think these will be harder to get than country exclusives. The seller sent a nice letter of apology, I'm sure it was a hard thing to do." http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg783715.html

Bean eWonderland Contest
For your chance to win Nipponia stop by Richard's site HERE

JUMBiES retired a popular styled piece.
From: Ms. Janie
Giraffalo (Series I) has been placed on the "endangered species" (retired) list, it will be replaced with Tibear. JUMBiES

==January 7, 2001==
=HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE BRANDON WHO IS 2 YEARS OLD TODAY!!=

I want to say thank you to all of you that have my family in your thoughts and prayers. I'd also like to thank those that have taken the time to email me or send e-cards. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness during this very difficult time. I spoke with my Mom last night. Fortunately she is no longer having to go through this alone. My Grandma's brother (my uncle) and his wife arrived in Tampa today. My Mom said they weren't at all prepared to see her in the condition she's now in. She isn't hooked up to anything other than a simple IV. No resuscitative measures will be taken per my Grandma's request. Mom said it's only a matter of time now. Grandma is unresponsive so they aren't sure if she can hear them or even know who they are. I want to take the time to thank each of you for your kind words, e-cards, prayers, and well wishes. It is with the help of you all that I will be able to deal with this loss. :o)

NEW BUDDY POEMS
From: Bean eWonderland
Marilyn who sent us the excellent pictures of the new buddies yesterday (view here) has now supplied the following tag info to share:
Ears ---- Ears the Beanie baby was the only Beanie Baby bunny ever created laying down.
Mystic --- Mystic the Beanie Baby was produced with two different coloured horns.
Bananas --- Bananas the Beanie Baby's beard was three different colours before it was made yellow.
Rufus --- Rufus the Beanie Baby was inspired by a puppy that Ty remembered as a child.
Grace --- Grace the Beanie Baby was one of only two Beanies to be featured in a prayerful position.
Floppity --- Floppity the Beanie Baby was one of the "Bunny Trio" that included Hippity and Hippity.
Valentina --- Valentina the Beanie Baby is the true love of Valentina.
Large Valentina --- Valentina the Beanie Baby was born on Valentine's Day.
Extra Large Valentina --- Extra Large Valentina's heart is twice as large as Valentina the Beanie Baby's heart!

New Buddies
From: Bean eWonderland
Marilyn shares some excellent pictures of the New Buddies including the 3 Valentina Buddies side by side together with the Beanie for comparison. To view these Click Here: (Thanks Marilyn).

=PRAYERS NEEDED PLEASE!!=
I just got off the phone with my Mom. She was on her way back to the hospital. My Grandma won't live much longer. She's not in any pain but she is having a very hard time breathing. She has cancer eating up her body. When they first did the tests they were relieved that she had pneumonia and not lung cancer. Turns out that she has bi-lateral lung cancer (both lungs), possible kidney/liver (can't remember which) cancer, an infection in her throat, I believe Mom told me she has cancer in her esophagus (sp.). She's basically eat up with cancer. Her breathing is really bad. She has also suffered from a fib (sp.) irregular heartbeat for years and that has alarmed the nurses a few times. They had discussions about whether to take any life saving measures and she doesn't want any taken. My heart is broken because I cannot be there to say goodbye and I would like to be there to help my Mom who is going through tremendous pain right now. We've been thinking of ways to get me down there but it's just too expensive for one and my Mom said there's no way to tell if I'll even make it down there in time. Her body will be transferred to Raleigh, NC from Tampa, FL because she will be buried next to her Mom I believe. I appreciate all of your prayers and well wishes. :o)

ISSY ON AUCTION
There are currently 17 eBay auctions for ISSY. How is it that one person has 12 of these in hand already?! If you want to see the auctions go HERE

==January 5, 2001==
=PRAYERS NEEDED PLEASE!!=
I got an email from my Mom this morning that she wrote late last night.. my Grandma has Pneumonia again and has been in the hospital for about a week. Mom said she feels like she's sitting there watching her die. My Grandma has told my Mom to "prepare the family" because she thinks she's dying. I can't concentrate too well. :o( They are down in Florida so I can't go visit. It breaks my heart that I can't be there with my Grandma and for my Mom.

UPDATED...
I've finally managed (no thanks to the server) to get the checklists updated with all of the new products. I've always updated the Beanie Info (Beanie & Beanie Kids) pages. I just don't have the energy to do the 22 buddies right now. It's such a hassle to have to clean all of that background off of the intro pictures that Ty puts out. I could have waited until they were on the Beanie Lists. LOL

And who said kids were over Beanies?
From: Ms. Janie
A viewer share the following: Two friends of mine mentioned your website and told me I should send you those 2 pictures taken at Christmas time. My girls paid for the large buddies themselves with their birthday money and Santa Claus brought home the Xlarge ones. Mom "only" bought the smaller beans. Check out these adorable photos at the following link: http://www.msjanie.com/pix/jocelyne.html

New Product already starting to arrive:
From: Ms. Janie
Beaniemom has photos of some of the new Buddies already shipped and purchased.

From: Ms. Janie
Sales of Beanie Babies and Pez dispensers on the eBay Web site ground to a halt Wednesday as the auction service went down for hours. The auction portion of the service went down at 11:34 a.m. PST and was unavailable for several hours. It was up for a half hour, then stopped working again. A company spokesman said the parallel systems that operates eBay's auction service both went down. The cause of the problem was unknown, but eBay's Kevin Pursglove denied the service had been hacked or interfered with from an outside intruder. EBay suffered big outages in June and August of 1999, which led the company to develop the parallel system as a form of backup to keep the company running through minor glitches. EBay's home page was still online Wednesday and available, but the buying and selling features on the Web site remained unavailable through the outage. Items for sale where bidding was scheduled to end Wednesday would be extended by 24 hours, the company said on it's website. http://www.modbee.com/state/story/n2001-01-03-1930-1.html

From: Ms. Janie
Important Advice!..
GrammaPat (09:11 pm. Jan 04, 2001 )
Message Id: 782937
GrammaPat writes: Have you ever needed to reverse a trade and the other trader sent back a different beanie than you sent..maybe even a counterfeit? This has been a frequent complaint at traderlist. Here is a tip to prevent this: Whenever you mail a beanie or buddy to someone, put a piece of string through the tush tag and fasten the ends of the string with a folded over return address label stuck to itself and the ends of the string. Tell the other person you will be happy to reverse any transaction as long as the string and label are intact. It only takes a minute to take this inexpensive precaution, and it can save you a lot of trouble if the transaction doesn't work out. And please remember to Always Insure! Thanks! :) http://web2-3.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg782937.html

GENERAL Q&As FOR ISSY BEAR
From: Underground Bean
1. How can I buy an Issy Bear?
Issy Bear, developed for charity to help raise funds for cancer research, is available only to registered guests staying at Four Seasons Hotel New York. The item is sold as an optional purchase for USD 7.00. As supplies are limited, only one Issy Bear can be purchased per visit.
2. When will Issy Bear be available?
Issy Bear will be available to guests staying at Four Seasons Hotel New York beginning January 2, 2001 until all Issy Bears are purchased.
3. I want to buy an Issy Bear, but I am not be staying at the hotel. Can't I purchase one anyway?
At this time, Mr. Ty Warner, founder of Ty Inc. has determined that Issy Bear will only be available to guests staying at the hotel. Currently, there are no plans to make Issy Bear available to the general public.
4. Why did you launch Issy Bear if it is not available for purchase by everyone?
Issy Bear was launched to help raise funds for cancer research and the proceeds of the sale of Issy Bear will benefit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Isadore Sharp, founder of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, has been a long-time philanthropist for many cancer organizations.
5. Why can't I buy an Issy Bear if I am interested in donating money to cancer research?
Issy Bear was developed for charity and available only to registered guests staying at the hotel, however it is still possible to make a donation. Those wishing to make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York can do so by contacting their website at http://www.mskcc.org directly. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts also plays a significant role in the Terry Fox Run and conducts fund-raising events at each hotel. For more information, please contact http://www.terryfoxrun.org
6. Can I charge a room night to my credit card in order to get the Issy Bear?
Issy Bear is only available to registered guests staying at the hotel.

Ms. Janie shares the following:
Ty trade has added the following signed Ariel Bears to their auction site. Henry Winkler Angela Bassett Ted Danson http://www.tytrade.com

LAST DAY FOR THE SUNNY & PERWINKLE CONTEST.. get your entries in by Midnight EST tonight. The winner will be notified tomorrow. Honks has provided a wealth of information on her site. You can tell LOTS of time and energy has been spent researching and posting the info. Please continue to visit and support Honks!! :o)

==January 4, 2001==
Heres that latest Beanie appearance on a television report that appeared on the
ABC show, The View.... from Cajun Connection www.premier.net/~dirkthib
Trash or Treasure?
That was one of the reports on the ABC morning TV show, The View. The Tv hosts brought in some of their collections of things that they thought might be valuable for Toys from American Childhood author Tim Luke to assess. This is what the guest Tim Luke, had to say about collectibles and Beanie Babies: (PS...Tim must have forgotten about such Beanies as Royal Blue Peanut, Old Face Teddies, Billionaire, #1 Bear, and others that often fetch more than $800 when authenticated) From trading cards to dolls, the knickknacks you have in your house right now could be doing more than just collecting dust--they could be collecting interest! Here to tell us if your collectibles have more than just sentimental value was Toys from American Childhood author Tim Luke. Nostalgia is the number one reason people collect, says Tim. "If you collect dolls or bears or something, it brings you back to your childhood...of happy memories, perhaps. And a lot of baby boomers today have a lot of disposable income, so they can get that Barbie or that little Disney doll that maybe they couldn't afford before." If something is marketed as collectible, run the other way, says Tim. The Beanie Babies craze was manipulated by the manufacturer and the animals are basically worthless today. Like trading cards, they are mass produced and less desirable. Tim proved his point with some rare Disney dolls from the '40s that are worth $2,000. Collect themes instead, like the Wizard of Oz mohair teddy bears Tim showed off on the show. VIEW ENTIRE SEGMENT HERE http://abc.go.com/theview/show_recap/human_interest/human_010301.html

JUDIE SHARES THE FOLLOWING (http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/planetbeans)
I wrote to the Four Seasons Hotel asking if there was any way to purchase the bear without staying in the hotel....here is the reply I got.
Dear Ms. Watkins

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Four Seasons Beanie Baby, Issy Bear. Issy Bear was launched to help raise funds for cancer research and the proceeds of the sale of Issy Bear will benefit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The bear is available for optional purchase to registered guests staying at Four Seasons Hotel New York. As quantities are limited, one Issy Bear can be purchased for each night's stay in the hotel. Those wishing to make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York can do so by contacting their Web site at www.mskcc.org directly. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts also plays a significant role in the Terry Fox Run and conducts fund-raising events at each hotel. For more information, please contact www.terryfoxrun.org

Regards,
Armando
World-wide Reservations Office

From: Ms. Janie (http://www.msjanie.com)
Technical difficulties
Ty Inc. (04:28 pm. Jan 03, 2001 ) Message Id: 782076 Ty Inc. writes: We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with the Cyberboard. We are working on the problem and hope to have it corrected shortly. Thank you for your patience. http://web1-3.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg782076.html

From: Ms. Janie (http://www.msjanie.com)
Asia is exploding with Ty activity!
The following photos represent promotional activities conducted during Christmas week. The children really seem to be enjoying these activities. Way to go Ty Asia! http://www.msjanie.com/ty%20pix/tyasiaone.html

The Bean Scene has reopened! After three weeks we are finally back! We have a new look and tons of new features to check out. We also have a new contest Who Wants To Be BeanBagAire going on! You won't want to miss out on that! Come check us out http://thebeanscene.cjb.net/

From: Bean eWonderland (http://www.beaniewonderland.com/news/news.htm)
Where is Issy?
If you check TY's website you will find that Issy is no longer listed with the current beanies. He can still be seen by clicking on the newflash archives. Interesting??? cher (Thanks Cher, I do not know why this has happened, maybe Ty is going to release some more details, it will be interesting to see what happens next)

From: BeanGO (http://members.aol.com/beans45014/news.html)
Issy has now been added back to the Current Beanie Babies list at Ty.com. Also, the picture for Issy and the Thank You Bear are now up and you can view them.

==January 3, 2001==
ISSY COMMENTS WORTH READING
Sherry posts this in the Planet Beans Club (http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/planetbeans)
"I don't mean to disrespect Ty Warner, but I think the way he is selling Issy is a major conflict of interest. I believe Ty is the owner of the Four Seasons Hotel in NYC, so for every $7 (the cost of Issy) Ty is donating to the MSKCC organization, Ty gets AT LEAST $495 (keep in mind this is the cheapest room rate for a one-night stay at the hotel). It kind of questions the charity-donation aspect of this bear. As a PR professional, I think it is just poor public relations on his part. As a person who lost someone to cancer, I am quite sad over this. Why can't this bear be sold the same way Ariel and Princess? More money would be raised for sure. Just my $.02.". :-)Sherry

Marc Hollin shares this via email:
"I still say a CHARITABLE bear should be available to EVERYONE...NOT an "exclusive" to Ty's own hotel. As for some posts I've read since, the "wording" that profits from the sale of this Issy will go to the cancer center...that sounds "funny"...like there will be more than one Issy? Maybe there WILL be an Issy (variation perhaps) available to retail stores (and a Thank You variation too?) for everyone to purchase, add another bear to their collection, and make a contribution to a worthwhile cause at the same time. What's wrong with that? I don't think it's greedy or selfish to want any particular Beanie Baby. Everyone should be happy with what they have and can afford (as I think I mentioned before). Some people will have larger and/or more "valuable" collections. If anyone saw the special on E! Entertainment Television (later on Style...E!'s other channel) the cost of materials in a Beanie Baby are ONLY AROUND 25 CENTS! Just think how FOOLISH people are that have spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on STUFFED ANIMALS! The dollar value of Beanies is "perceived"...the ACTUAL value is the joy they bring to people's lives. If people want to pay outrageous prices (especially in online auctions) then let them. There can be all the
country, employee, sales rep, & retail exclusives anyone wants or cares for. When it comes to charity, I think there should be no limits. Princess & Ariel were available for all...why not Issy?"

AND SPEAKING OF RELEASES (http://www.andreasattic.com)
Do you remember way back on August 15th, Ty posted a newsflash on their website for only a couple of minutes? Thank Goodness it was there long enough for someone to capture all of the products they introduced. Here is what they announced… An excerpt from that newsletter… Apparently for just a couple of minutes, Ty had a newsflash posted on the website. It announced the following Beanies...

*Beanies*
Spirit the USA Olympic Bear
Hampton the Hamster
Jubilee the Humming Bird
*Chinook the Canadian Bear
Macademia the bear-resembles Cashew
Clucker the hen
*ClubbyIII the bear

*Beanie Kids*
Tootsie
Daisy

*Beanie Buddies*
Bumble the Bee
KuKu the Cockatoo
*Santa the santa
Inky the octopus
Large Employee Bear
XL Employee Bear
Jumbo Employee Bear
*Ears the rabbit
Caw the crow
Magic the dragon

*BabyTy*
Goatbaby
Horsebaby

*Attics*
Beatrice the polar bear
Huntly the fox
*Greyson the bear
*Brich the bear

The ones with *’s next to them have been released. Perhaps some of the rest will be released soon :-) Remember, this was a newsflash (all be it a brief one) posted on the Ty
website over 4 months ago!

Platypus (http://www.beaniewonderland.com/news/news.htm)
Hello, I'm a retailer from Illinois. I was able to place my orders this morning for all the new products that were introduced on the 1st. Since I placed mine over the internet, via the Ty Retailer page, I noticed a red heart (picture coming soon) with the name "Platypus" style #4347. I went ahead and ordered it, but when I went back an hour later, it had been removed. It is, however, still listed on my order that was confirmed by Ty and sent to me by e-mail. Maybe this is a new release that will be announced at one of the gift shows this month? Just thought you might like to know about this strange occurence.

More On Issy (http://www.beaniewonderland.com/news/news.htm)
Lulu at Northern Trade Winds answers more questions about the Issy Beanie Baby and provides a special report on the new Ty releases. Which predictions for new releases came true? Plus lots of fun facts and info surrounding this latest batch of newbies.
(http://www.northtradewinds.com/)

==January 2, 2001==
The Truth Behind Issy
From: Beanieholics
Lulu at Northern Trade Winds has posted a special report on Issy, the new exclusive Beanie Baby that Ty announced on December 30th. Lulu says, "By reading this article I hope you will understand why Ty distributes this bear so differently. Issy is inspired by two of Canada's greatest heroes and it is my pleasure and honor to share their stories with you."
(http://www.northtradewinds.com/)

January 2001 Ordering Parameters For the month of January
From: Ms. Janie
The following items listed below are limited to the quantities indicated.
Orders may be entered starting on January 2nd, at 7:00 AM CST.
Beanie Babies - 36 pcs. per design per location (Including Zodiacs)
Beanie Kids - 12 pcs. per design per location
Beanie Buddies - 6 pcs. per design per location
Flitter and Batty are limited to multiples of 12 only
Jumbo & Extra Large Buddies - 1 pc. per design per location
Large Buddies - 2 pcs. per design per location
Attic Treasures - 24 pcs. per design per location
Baby Ty - 4 pcs. per design per location
Classics - 12 pcs. per design per location
Ty Heart tag protectors - 24 pcs
Ty POS Kit - Kit includes a hanging mobile, window decal, and 2
easel-back retailer signs
Ty Gear - 12 pcs. per design. Ty Gear outfits are packaged in counter
top displays containing 12 pcs. of a design. A master shipping carton
contains 4 counter displays. Therefore, it is necessary to order Ty
Gear in multiples of 4, 8 or 12 different designs. Please follow these
guidelines when ordering.

UGB sports a new look (http://undergroundbean.com/) Looks great Yavett!!

LUCKY BUDDY ON SESAME STREET
My daughter, Jennifer, was watching Sesame Street with her little
brother, Brandon, this morning when she noticed a baby on Elmo's World
holding a Lucky Buddy. (it's nice to see Beanies and Buddies making
television appearances.)

The Who Wants to Be a BeanBagaire!?
The first questions for the contest have been posted.
The sites hosting this contest are as follows:
The Daily Bean - http://www.heatherlea.com
The Bean Scene - http://www.thebeanscene.cjb.net
Beanie Spot - http://www.beaniespot.com
Contest Rules - http://www.heatherlea.com/beanbagaire.htm
Contest Sponsor - Andrea's Attic (http://www.andreasattic.com)

2 contests are in the works right now. The contest prize in one of the contests will be a MWBMT CHINOOK.. donated by Andrea of Andrea's Attic (http://www.andreasattic.com) I'll keep you posted. The server is still down so I'm unable to make updates on the site. I'm happy to say that all pages are available for your viewing pleasure even though I'm unable to make any updates. ;o)

GERMANIA CONTEST WINNER!!
Congratulations to Mary Crenshaw who had lucky entry #13 of 2,222 entries. Andrea picked entry #13 because her baby is due on the 13th of this month.

==January 1, 2001==
New for 2,001!! (personally I think the Attic Treasures group is the nicest - there are some must haves in the group but overall I wasn't too happy with the choice of Buddies!!)
http://www.ty.com/announcements/introducing_1231.html

Ty Gear (http://www.ty.com/announcements/tygear1.html)
-Bunny
-Snowboarder
-Dress Up

Attic Treasures (http://www.ty.com/announcements/attic1.html)
-Minerva
-Emmet
-Hogan
-Olivia
-Suki
-Cooper
-Arlen
-Adelaide
-Carey
-May
-Cassandra
-April

Baby Ty (http://www.ty.com/announcements/babyty1.html)
-Bearbaby (blue)
-Kittybaby
-Bearbaby (pink)
-Honeybunnybaby

Beanie Babies (http://www.ty.com/announcements/bbabies1.html)
-Smooch the bear
-Hopper the bunny
-Shamrock the bear
-Eggs the bear
-Hairy the spider
-Flashy the peacock
-Dinky the baby Ostrich? (too cute!!) (I have to have this one!!)

Beanie Buddies (http://www.ty.com/announcements/buddies1.html)
-Extra Large Ears (white)
-Large Ears (white)
-Ears (brown)
-Extra Large Valentina
-Large Valentina
-Jumbo Valentina
-Grace
-Spunky
-Chops
-Floppity
-Cardinal (Mac)
-Mystic
-Swoop (I have to have this one!!)
-Beginning Bear (I have to have this one!!)
-B.B. Bear
-Valentina
-Large Dotty
-Extra Large Dotty
-Bananas
-Oats
-Prince
-Rufus

Ty Classic (http://www.ty.com/announcements/classic1.html)
-Rouge
-Carley
-Onyx
-Rescue
-Romper
-Sheriff (I have to have this one!!)
-Iceberg
-Baby Iceberg
-Quackie
-Cashmere
-Sugarplum
-Gumdrop

Beanie Kids (http://www.ty.com/announcements/kids1.html)
-Blondie
-Jammer
-Specs (I have to have this one!!)
-Shenanigan