Antiques Roadshow Appraiser on Beanies
JMSinLA
Barrett, one of the appraisers from "Antiques Roadshow" on PBS:
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Maryland: Since you specialize in toys, let me ask you something that has
really been bothering me. Are Beanie Babies really going to be worth a cent
50 years from now? I feel like they are a collectible the corporate world
has thrust upon us. I don't see a lot of skill or character in their
construction and would like to know how the pros view them.
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Noel Barrett: Well, in my opinion, in the first place -- items that are sold
to be collected are generally not worth more than their issue price once the
bloom is off the rose.
Classic example is the Cabbage Patch doll. No one can sell them now. Another
is the so-called limited edition items from Franklin Mint, etc. They have no
secondary market to speak of.
So many things from the past, is that the majority don't survive, while
so-called collectors items are made to be saved.
Fifty years from now near mint examples of Beanie Babies may well have some
interest to people as evidence of an insane mania, so what will happen is
once they start hitting the market the others will come out and they won't
be worth too much.
As far as what is produced today, this is another routine question, its
going to be curious what the future portends because we're in a period where
the whole field has become self-concious. People watch the Roadshow and know
boxes are important. A lot of people buy two -- one to put away and one to
play with. This means there will be a lot of them down the road.
In general, the thing that will be exciting will be things people didn't
think to put away, and will have to bespeak an era. It's sort of like space
toys -- the space toys -- going back to robots of the 50s, that evokes an
era of the beginning of space travel and mechanical marvels. The Star Wars
stuff -- you go to a toy show, and there will be 300 dealers with all this
stuff mint in a box and some of it brings more than it brought, but it is
certainly all available.
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And ....in a later question about Hummels:
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Hoosier Hotshot: Noel;
My wife just enherited 9 Hummel figurines. Do these fit into the Beanie Baby
category. I've done some checking on the internet and prices seem to be
holding. What can we do with them.
See you a lot on TV and glad to get to talk to you.
Thanks
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Noel Barrett: Well, I have to say, Hummels are a bit of a joke on the
Roadshow. They do fit into the Beanie Baby category in a lot of peoples'
opinions. This is not to denigrate their charm.
There are price guides for Hummels and as far as I know they're not very
trustworthy. Put them on eBay and let them go to find the market.
This is an example -- there are some early ones that have brought some
money. This is the classic example of something that is mass produced, sold,
put on the shelf and children don't play with them, so I doubt a huge
secondary market.
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Pat
people "collect." If something is promoted and sold as a collectible, it
will likely be carefully stored and preserved, away from the normal wear
and tear that generally take their toll on toys, clothing, kitchen
utensils and dinnerware, glassware, costume jewelry, books, and the
thousands of other things we have around us every day.
So, as time goes on, the odds of finding a larger quantity of these
things, still in good condition, 10, 20, of 50 years down the road are
greater than they would be for items that were in daily use. Economics
of supply and demand then take over.
Think of the fact that many pieces of colored pressed glassware from the
1930's now sell for more than actual art glass, or that some pieces of
Bakelite (plastic) costume jewelry now have a higher dollar value than
some items made of precious metal and gemstones. Depression-era
glassware was usually a promotional item, either given away free at
stores, gas stations, etc. or sent by mail in exchange for proofs of
purchase. Since there was little or no direct cost involved in getting
it, people used these colorful items for everyday dishes... no problem
when something broke and was discarded, plenty more available. Same for
jewelry. The terms "fashion jewelry" and "costume jewelry" are actually
very descriptive of the original use of these items. Idea was to get
more style, color, and glamor for pennies on the dollar compared to "the
real thing," and so afford a variety of items to go with different
outfits, seasons, etc. No problem discarding the jewelry when it became
worn, damaged, or tarnished, or just out of style, since that was its
purpose. So, examples that still are left, and in relatively decent
condition, are harder to find.
Those who've been collecting Beanies for a while have actually seen this
dynamic too, on a smaller scale. When the "fad" aspect of Beanie
collecting really hit, back around 1997, it was not unusual to see the
styles that were just a few years older selling for hundreds of dollars
apiece... colored teddy bears, dinosaur trio, Chilly, Peking, etc. The
1994 and 1995 Beanies weren't intrinsically more valuable, in terms of
being made of silk instead of polyester, or being stuffed with gold
nuggets instead of plastic pellets. What made them worth more was the
fact that most had originally been bought, and used, as toys. They got
dirty and wore out, so were thrown away, or kids outgrew them and they
were handed down to other kids via the garage sale/thrift store/charity
venues. The idea of putting a special plastic sleeve on the tag, and
sealing up the animal in a plastic case to preserve it for posterity,
hadn't yet occurred to most people purchasing a $5 stuffed beanbag toy
:) So, when collectors a few years later learned of these earlier
styles, and tried to acquire them to fill out collections, there were
few "old retireds" to be found, in relation to the many collectors who
wanted the items. So, the prices were high. Even today, now that the fad
days of Beanie collecting have passed and overall secondary prices have
fallen, these older items will still bring a higher price than those
retired after 1997, just because there is a smaller supply resulting
from their not being treated as "collectibles" by their original
purchasers.
I totally agree with Noel Barrett's comments about today's "limited
edition" items. Though there are a few exceptions, most of this stuff
sells for LESS than original retail within a year or two after issue,
sometimes for pennies on the dollar. If someone likes decorative plates,
little porcelain flower or bird sculptures, cups and saucers, thimbles,
or whatever, they should enjoy their collections, for sure. But better
to check out the garage sales and flea markets before paying Franklin
Mint or Bradford Exchange prices :)
Pat