This Couple’s Beanie Baby Jackpot Will Have You Running To The Attic

beanie babyWe all had that one classmate who always brought a Beanie Baby to show and tell. They handled it like it was made of porcelain instead of plush, with the label protected in a plastic cover, and would refuse to let you play with it during recess because they insisted it was going to be worth something someday. You were positive your baseball cards were going to be a real money maker, but it turns out that kid with the Beanie Babies may have been right all along.

According to the Daily Mail, United Kingdom couple Leah Rogers and Ryan Flanaghan were selling some childhood toys at a boot sale, which is like a flea market. Some of the toys they were selling included Beanie Babies, which they had checked online to make sure they weren’t valuable collectibles before selling. While at the boot sale, they saw another vendor who had what looked like a Princess Diana inspired purple bear Beanie Baby.

From what they had read online, Rodgers and Flanaghan knew there was a chance the bear could be valuable. Second edition Princess Diana Beanie Baby bears are only worth around $40, but there were just 100 first edition bears made, which makes them extremely rare and valuable.They purchased the stuffed animal for £10, or just shy of $15.

When the couple got home they inspected the Beanie Baby and determined it is one of the elusive first edition bears. It’s a purple bear made to raise monies for the memorial fund of the late Princess Diana. The bear has an embroidered flower over the heart and came with a poem on the tag.

I was pretty young when the Beanie Baby fever swept the nation. All I really remember is they had smaller versions that came in Happy Meals and I was really disappointed when I finally got my hands on one. With all the fuss people were making, I was positive these dolls must be filled with jewels like the ones Alvin, Simon, Theodore and the Chipettes fought over in The Chipmunk Adventure, but it was just little plastic balls. And my grandmother got mad when I bent the little heart tag.

But some people loved and apparently still love these little creatures, as evidenced by the fact there are tons for sale on the internet. Another first edition Princess Diana bear is currently listed on ebay for £62,500, which is about 93,237.50 US dollars.

Rodgers and  Flanaghan have listed their bear on ebay as well, with a starting bid of  £25,000 ($37,295.00). If they sell the bear for a large sum, the young couple hopes to use the money as a down payment on a house. Obviously there is no guarantee that the bear will sell at all, let alone for a large sum, so I won’t be making the trek up to the attic to see if the key to my retirement fund is in a box of old toys. But it’s worth a gander. Momma does need a new pair of shoes.

(image via ebay)

 

 

Similar Posts