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Toolkit for Collectors
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www.beanwatcher.com
Bean Watcher
News and Reports for Beanbag Collectors!
This site exists for your enjoyment. My goal is to make your beanbag collecting experience more enjoyable. I focus on Ty products
-- Beanie Babies, Beanie Buddies, Beanie Boppers, and more. I do not receive any financial compensations whatsoever --
I prepare it because of the joy that it brings to me and others. I hope you'll enjoy the news, photographs, and articles that you see.
So grab a beverage, sit back, and enjoy the read! ~ Bean Watcher
Do you have a news story, heard a credible rumor, want to share a story, or want to brag about a lucky shopping find?
Share them with others by using the contact link above. Feel free to drop me a line, even if it's to say "hello!" ~Bean Watcher
Worldwide News and Reports
January 2007 Archives
January 31: Three More Hallmark Gold Crown Store Exclusives
 Today, Ty officially announces the next three Hallmark Gold Crown Store exclusives: Petunia the bunny, Pansy the bunny, and Posey the bunny. All three styles have an Easter theme. To view the official announcement, click here. To find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store near you, click here.
January 31: Announcing the February 2007 Introductions
 Today, Ty officially announces the February 2007 introductions. There are several new styles in six different product lines. Here they are:
January 31: More Information About the 2007 Asia Pacific Set
 A reliable source shares the following information about the soon-to-be-announced 2007 Asia Pacific set. The source shares that:  Bean Watcher comments: (1) Thank you for the update! (2) After the sets are shipped to all six Ty Asia Pacific countries, it is not known if each bear will be sold exclusively by retailers in their respective countries. We'll find out more in the days ahead....
January 31: From the Email Bag -- About Fun and Laughter Key Clips
 In my January 25, 2007 column, I posted an email from a reader in the USA who said that the key clip versions of Fun and Laughter had silently retired. Kathie from Florida responded to the email and wrote the following:
I was just catching up reading your website and saw on January 25th that someone mentioned that the Key-Clips Fun and Laughter had retired. I don't know the exact date [of their retirements], but when I checked my list against Ty's Beanie Baby list -- after the silent retirement of the Ty Store WWF Beanies ( ... January 2, 2007) ... I discovered they [Fun and Laughter Key Clips] were no longer on the Current List. Has anyone else commented on their retirement? At this point, I guess that January 2, 2007 will have to be their date of retirement.
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for your email. So far, I have not heard from anyone else about their silent retirements. If I receive an update, I will share it with everyone.
January 30: Quiet is Silently Introduced
 Joe from the USA and Arleta from the USA both share that Quiet the bear has been silently introduced on Ty.com. This Northwestern Mutual exclusive is the fifth Beanie Baby to be associated with this USA-based financial company. To view its introduction, click here. Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing the news with us!
January 30: Early Pictures of the February 2007 Styles
 A source shares early pictures of some of the February 2007 Ty, Inc. retailer introductions with us. These pictures have been matched with the names of upcoming styles posted on Ms. Janie's website (click here). The names may change when the beanies are officially announced on Ty.com. If so, I will update the tables below.
Expect similar pictures to be posted on internet auctions, secondary market retailer sites, and beanie news sites in the very near future. Keep in mind that pictures of country exclusives (outside of the U.S.) will be posted separately. Also, pictures of the Ty purses and Basket Beanies were previously posted (instead, see my January 29, 2007 column). To see the source's pictures, click on the links below.
Beanie Babies
Beanie Buddies, Pluffies, and Bow Wow Beanies
Ty Classics
Bean Watcher comments: (1) Thank you for sharing your pictures with us! And thanks to the reader from the USA for altering us to the names of the new styles. (2) The source has shared pictures of previous introductions with us in the past. The actual pictures (or a version of them) have always appeared a short time later (within a day or two) on Ty retailer flysheets or on Ty.com.
January 30: Remembering Barbaro
 Barbaro, the superhorse who decisively won the 2006 Kentucky Derby, was euthanized (put to sleep) yesterday, January 29, 2007, after suffering complications from a broken leg. This beloved horse, who had many admirers, fought to the very end. As MSNBC.com, a US-based news site states, his fight for survival was... a symbol of strength, courage and comfort — and, more than anything else, a source of inspiration (click here to read the report).
Although Barbaro is no longer with us, his memory lives on. Fortunately, you can still purchase Ty's tribute to this beloved creature at Ty retailer stores in the USA or at the Kentucky Derby Store (which will come with a special licensed tag). To place your order at the Derby Store, click here.
Bean Watcher comments: (1) The site, Penn Veterinary Medicine, had been tracking Barbaro's condition for months. For more information, please visit the site. (2) The same site also has links for those who are grieving over the loss of Barbaro. Click here for more information.
January 30: From the Email Bag -- Odds and Ends
Last year, many readers asked me to post news of excellent buys. Here is one to share.... Several readers share the news that the Ty Australia retailer, Belinda Jane's, is pre-selling the soon-to-be-announced 2007 Asia Pacific "Map" Set -- for $47.70 (AUD) or $33.45 (US). Considering that there are six bears in the set, the quoted price is certainly a great deal. The cost of shipping is extra. For more information and to place an order, click here. Bean Watcher comment: To convert Australian dollars to your local currency, click here. Sharis from Canada is requesting your help to find acrylic beanie boxes for her collection. Sharis writes:
I'm hoping you or some of your readers may be able to help me. I live in New Brunswick, Canada and am trying to find a company or business, in Canada, that sells display boxes or cases for my growing beanie collection. I did manage to buy a few second hand ones from a person in Ontario, who was selling them on eBay, about a year ago. They don't have to be the official ones from TY. The ones I have are acrylic and about 4x4x8 inches. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If you can help Sharis, please send me an email and I will share it with her. I will also post the information on this site to help others in Canada.
January 29: The Week Ahead
This week, the month of January will come to a close and February will begin. Expect Ty to be busy this week! Some announcements will include the February 2007 introductions, the announcement of the February 2007 Beanie Baby of the Month, and the silent retirement of Chillton the January 2007 Beanie Baby of the Month. We will very likely see a few corporate (Quiet the bear), store (Hallmark bunnies), and country (Asia Pacific) exclusives as well. What other surprises will Ty have for us? We'll soon find out...! Bean Watcher comment: If Ty is on time, you can also expect to see the February 2007 Desktop Wallpaper this week.
January 29: Two Ty Purses and Six Basket Beanies
 Siew from Malaysia and a reader from Malaysia both share individual pictures (graphics) of two new Ty purses and the soon-to-be-released 2007 Basket Beanies. To see pictures of all eight styles, click on the names posted below.
Ty Purses
Baaabsy Bag Lamb Purse, Style Number 40488
Beary Bag Purse, Style Number 40489
Basket Beanies
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing the news and your pictures with us!
January 29: Ty Store Rippongi Hills Farewell Promotion
 Sakurako from Japan, webmaster of Bottega Beanies, shares her report and pictures of the limited-edition collectible called Ty Store Roppoingi Hills' Last Promotion. This Ty Japan special, featuring Classy the bear, was released on January 27, 2007. It is the store's last promotion before it closes on January 31, 2007.
Customers who spent 1700 yen on Ty products received one of these bears. A total of 100 pieces were available (15 were available for online purchases, 85 were available for over-the-counter sales). All 85 bears handed out in the store were gone within an hour. To see a picture of this Ty Store Japan collectible, click here. To see a close up of its special hang tag, click here.
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing the news and your pictures with us!
January 29: From the Email Bag -- SmartCollecting.com Stirs
A reader from Georgia shares the news that the long-running website, SmartCollecting.com, is being updated again.
During the early years of the Beanie Baby craze, SmartCollecting.com was an excellent news source, allowed collectors to sell beanies through online auctions, had up-to-date checklists, and much, much more. During the past two to three years, updates were less frequent and stopped altogether for more than a year. Now it seems that the site is being revived, which is good news for collectors.
To read two of its recently-posted articles, Interest and Values Decline. Great Time to Buy! and What Should You Do? click here to visit its home page.
Bean Watcher comment: Webmasters spend a significant amount of time updating their sites. Take some time to view the beanie-related sites that I have posted in the left column. You'll find that they are worth visiting on a regular basis.
January 28: Pictures of Individual 2007 Asia Pacific Bears
Siew from Malaysia and a reader from Malaysia both share individual pictures (graphics) of the soon-to-be-released 2007 Asia Pacific bear set. As reported in my January 25, 2007 column, five of the bears have the name and image of their respective countries embroidered on their chests. Merlion (Ty Singapore exclusive) is the exception -- this beanie has the merlion (a mythical creature with the head of a lion and body of a fish) embroidered on its chest.
Also, as reported in my January 27, 2007 column, pictures posted on the internet showing Kia Ora as a blue bear and Panjumon as a black bear are incorrect. Their pictures were mislabeled on the original Ty flysheet. To see pictures of all six bears, which clearly show the embroidery on their chests, click on their names in the table below.
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing your pictures with us !
January 28: From the Email Bag - Update on Next Month's Easter Introductions
The anonymous source who shared a picture found on the Ty retailer site of next month's Easter introductions (see yesterday's column), shares the following update:
... when I made the statement that there was a new lamb and a new chick Classic that resembled their Beanie counterparts, I realized why. They are not Classics after all; they are Beanie Buddies. If you look close at the picture..., you can see the multicolored star on their hang tags.... The bunny and duck in the center are Classics, but not the two on the outer edge.
To see the picture, click here.
January 27: Picture of February 2007 Easter Introductions
An anonymous source shares a picture that features next month's Easter-themed introductions. The picture comes from the Ty retailer site and features a Ty retailer display stand with the new styles. The source writes:
From what I can see, there is Eggs 2007 in green (looks like the same design as Eggs 2005), a new lamb in frizzy material, a new tan sit up bunny..., a new chick that resembles... Billingham BBOM, a bear like Shortstop wearing rabbit ears (I guess this was inspired by Skips), and I think the last one is a white cat with a really neat-looking bow.... There is also a new lamb and bunny in the Pluffies, inspired by Shearly and Twitchy. Lastly, there appears to be a lamb and chick Classics..., a new Classic duck and another Classic that looks like either a bunny or a mouse.
To see the picture of next month's Easter-themed styles, click here.
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing your report and picture with us. We should know all of the February 2007 introduction sometime next week.
January 27: Marilyn's Pictures of the Exclusive Phil 2007
 Marilyn from Wisconsin shares her beautiful pictures of the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce - exclusive version of Punxsutawney Phil 2007 the groundhog. This version of the Groundhog Day-themed Beanie Baby has a red bowtie and red scarf. To see Marilyn's pictures, click on the links in the table below.
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing your pictures with us!
January 27: From the Email Bag - Update on the Asia Pacific Bears
The reader from Malaysia who shared news of this year's Asia Pacific bears (see my January 25, 2007 column) provides the following update:
I can confirm that the style numbers for Merlion and Downunder are correct. However, you may have noticed that the names of Kia Ora and Panjumom do not match the pictures. Kia Ora is the BLACK bear - that's the New Zealand map on its chest and "Kia Ora" is a Maori greeting. Unless there is a mix-up with the tags, there is no way that Panjumon is the black bear.
The reader is referencing the pictures of the exclusive set that have circulated on the internet. To see one of these pictures posted in an eBay auction, click here.
Bean Watcher comments: (1) Thank you for sharing the update with us! (2) Based on the reader's email, I have updated the style numbers posted in my January 25, 2007 article.
January 26: Latest Ask Ty Response Posted
 Ty responds to this week's winning Ask Ty question. Ty's response is a play on words as he references two of his beanie bears. Which bears are he referencing? Just ask Ty!
Q: Do you ever like to just wonder what the world would be like without Beanies? (submitted by crackerkid555)
A: I've never really thought about it. I can't imagine the world without fun and laughter !
January 26: Fun and Laughter Beanie Buddies Retired
 Today, Ty retires the Beanie Babies Official Club (BBOC) exclusives, Fun the bear and Laughter the bear. These Beanie Buddies were introduced on October 2, 2006. To view the retirement announcement, click here. Bean Watcher comment: You may still purchase the BBOC exclusive, Clubby VII the bear. To do so, click here.
January 26: In Hand Pictures of Quiet
 Laurie from Illinois shares her in-hand picture of Quiet the bear and its hang tag. This Beanie Baby is the fifth Northwestern Mutual exclusive Beanie Baby to surface, and is the first beanie that is not part of a two-part set. To see Laurie's picture of the bear, click here. To see a blurry picture of its hang tag (which will give you a rough idea of how it looks), click here. Bean Watcher comments: (1) Thank you for sharing the news with us! (2) If you would like to contact Laurie, you may send her an email at beanienut65@wowway.com .
January 26: Shhhhhhh! Quiet is In Hand
 In my December 23, 2006 column, I posted an unconfirmed report about a Northwestern Mutual bear called Quiet. This exclusive Beanie Baby is now in hand. I received word from Laurie in Illinois that this bear could be purchased on January 24, 2007. She also shares information about the bear's hang tag and its appearance. Laurie writes:
Here's the tag information:
Celebrating is in gold writing, as well as years of quiet strength. The150 is in blue writing and is quite a bit larger in font than the rest of the wording. Northwestern Mutual (under "quiet strength" is in blue writing). The bear itself is a beautiful blue (about the same color as Mascotte) beanie with a silver ribbon, silver nose with the NW Mutual logo (in blue) on the nose and the chest has 150 years embroidered in silver.
A graphic of the unannounced exclusive bear, along with the Ty hang tag, has been posted in an eBay auction. To see the picture, click here.
Bean Watcher comments: (1) Thank you for sharing the news with us! (2) Laurie plans to send in-hand pictures of this bear. When I receive them, I will share them with you.
January 26: From the Email Bag -- Pictures of the Mysterious Bear
Jenni from Padstow (UK), an employee of Abbey Bears, shares her concerns about presales of the mysterious bear seen in her pictures (click here) taken at the Torquay Trade Fair. Here are her concerns:
Jenni states that the pictures were shared for the enjoyment of collectors. So, if you see her pictures being used for presale purposes, use caution before spending your money on a beanie that has not been announced yet.
January 25: Pictures and More Information About the Ty Asia Pacific Bears
Some secondary market retailers have posted pictures (graphics) of the next set of Asia Pacific exclusive bears. The pictures appear to come from at least two different sources. They are relatively small and not sharp. However, some key information can be obtained from them. For example, the set's introduction is said to be on February 1, 2007. More information can be found below:
The style numbers on the graphics for Merlion and Downunder are not clear, so the information above may change in the future. To view pictures of the new bears, as posted in two eBay auctions, click here and click here.
January 25: The Next Set of Ty Asia Pacific Bears?
I received an interesting email from a reader in Malaysia who writes about the next set of Ty Asia Pacific bears. Although I have not been able to confirm the existence of these beanies, the report certainly sounds credible. The reader writes:
There will be a new set of six Ty Asia Pacific bears out next month. One of the retailers here in Malaysia showed me pictures of the bears on her order form but I'm sorry I can't share photos at this point.
Each bear has a solid colour with a map of its country on the chest and the name of the country below the map, except for the Singapore bear which has an emblem of its mythical creature - the Merlion - on its chest and no name of country below it. I have no idea why the Singapore bear is the odd one out - or maybe there are two versions of each bear and the order form I saw only showed one variation?
The bears are: Daichi (blue, Japan), Merlion (red, Singapore), Downunder (dark green, Australia), Kia Ora (black, New Zealand), Panjumom (not sure if I spelled it correctly - turquoise blue, Korea), and Tanahair Ku (yellow, Malaysia). I cannot remember what colour threads were used for each country's map or the Merlion. Tanahair Ku in Bahasa Malaysia means "My Homeland".
Bean Watcher comment: Thank you for sharing the news with us. I am sure that many collectors are eagerly waiting for the next set of Asia Pacific bears to be introduced. Based on your description, these bears will be worth the wait!
January 25: January 2007's Silent Retirements
 Daniel from Maryland, webmaster of Beanie Universe, shares news of seven styles in four different product lines that silently retired yesterday (January 24, 2007). Interstingly, all seven styles have a holiday theme. Here they are: |
