Beanie Baby Royal Blue Peanut – Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectibles Blog – Mint and Valuable.

Peanut - Thanks to Flicker

I thought that I had heard the end of the Beanie Baby fad but it looks as if I am wrong. One of the members of the Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectibles Club asked me if it was worth having a beanie authenticated and I said it depends on which one.

There was a tremendous difference between the top Beanies and the average ones, even when the fad was at its peak. However, I had seen the prices drop like a ton of bricks from their peaks, such as the Princess Di Beanie that sold for over $500 at one time and dropped to under $20 later. You may remember my story where a friend asked me to sell her sister’s Princess Di Beanie. At the time they were selling for over $500 each. But by the time I received them from Texas, I was only able to receive $350 for them and the seller was very disappointed. That was the beginning of the downturn in the Beanie's market and it was all down hill from there.

So I told the club member that if the Beanies she had were selling for over $100 it might be worth having them authenticated. Her response was “I have the Royal Blue Elephant called Peanuts in mint condition and some have sold for over $1000.” “What are you waiting for?”, I said. Did you know that you could have a Beanie authenticated? I didn't. The person that advertises this service is Peggy Gallagher, renowned authority on Beanies and author and publisher of The Beanie Baby Phenomenon [www.peggyg.com]. If you need her services I think that you will be pleased.

When the Peanut Beanie was returned, it had a certificate stating that it was museum quality and it was sealed in a plastic container. I believe the $10 that our member spent will increase the value of that Beanie by several hundred dollars. I haven’t really watched Beanies since the prices dropped out of sight, but after getting that email I decided to check eBay and guess what I found? The Princess Di's that I could have bought for under $20 are bringing over $350 again. Now that is what I call a huge swing in prices.

It makes me wonder what that box of several hundred Beanies that I purchased for just a few dollars and took to church and gave to the kids for Christmas would be worth today. There might have been a Royal Blue Peanut in that box, who knows? But I wouldn't trade all the money that they would bring today for the looks in the children's eyes when they received them.

I am sure that you see Beanies at almost every garage and house sale you attend and it might serve you well to pay attention to them again. I would get a guide, circle the ones that are bringing top dollar today and keep my eyes peeled for them. Then, after you have found one of the valuable ones, have it authenticated so that you can sell it immediately.

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