5 stuffed animals that are worth money!
Toys continue to be immensely collectable despite their lack of intrinsic worth, making children's toys a sector recognized for unexpected prices. Where modern toys tend to be quite common, collectors are rarely willing to part with vast sums of money when looking to build extensive collections. However, practically every toy, game, or doll has its collecting niche and will be of interest to someone.
Finding the worth of stuffed animals can be time-consuming and challenging. Ultimately, the value is determined by what a customer is willing to pay. The toy's maker and age might be the difference between selling it for 25 cents at a yard sale and selling it for hundreds of dollars to a collector.
Valuing teddy bears and stuffed animals
Soft toys that are mass-produced are a relatively new addition to the industry. Steiff, a German manufacturer founded in 1877, is undoubtedly the most well-known and possibly the first famous soft-toy producer.
Steiff is, somewhat predictably, the most sought after brand, although most other pre-World War I soft toys will be valuable. Unfortunately, the simplicity of soft toys, particularly teddy bears, has led to the proliferation of counterfeits. As a result, wear and tear n valuable versions should generally be commensurate with age but not in poor condition; this likely implies worn noses and paws but no new eyes or extensive restoration work.
Uneven seams or incorrect modelling might also indicate a fake. Aside from age, some bears or other soft toys have a particularly unique characteristic or model that might increase its worth; a distinctive toy can have a hidden value.
For Steiff bears, there are some unique attributes to differentiate between a fake and an original.
Source: http://ilovesteiff.blogspot.com/2015/08/how-to-authenticate-real-steiff-bears.html
Other manufacturers have small details that could allude to your stuffed animal being worth money. Disney characters and other cartoon animals are likely to have production dates that correspond with the year movies were produced or the pinnacle of the popularity of the accompanying program. Company websites are excellent tools for determining a toy's production date and other information.
Another way of checking to see if your stuffed animals are worth money is through auction sites like eBay. A quick search today (February 2022) gives several items listed over $1,000, ranging from vintage items to entire collections.
The most valuable stuffed toys sold
If you look at the most valuable stuffed toys sold, the majority are manufactured by Steiff. The Steiff and Luis Vuitton bear pictured below sold for $182,550 in 2000. Kim Kardashian paid $170,000 for the bear and gave it to her newborn in 2018. Some reports say the 2000 sale was actually for over $2million but it is hard to find a credible source.
Source: https://biffyboteddybears.com/biffys-blog/steiff-teddy-bears-auction-prices/
Steiff Hot Water Bottle Teddy Bear - $40,358
- Happy Steiff Bear - $55,000
- Harlequin Bear - $60,610
- Blue Elliot Bear - $64,200
- Diamond Eyes Bear - $84,00045.
- Steiff's Oldest Teddy Bear - $105,000
- Supreme Louis Vuitton Teddy Bear - $106,016
- Steiff Titanic Mourning Bear - $136,000
- Steiff Teddy Girl Bear - $143,000
- Bear with Louis Vuitton monograms - $182,550
Of course, the chances of the average person finding a Steiff bear in the attic is pretty low, so what stuffed animals are worth money that you could likely own?
Beanie Babies
Beanie babies tend to top the list of modern stuffed animals that are worth money. Anyone who grew up in the 90s probably has at least a few tucked away somewhere. On eBay right now, some are auctioning for close to $1 million (not a typo!), and there are several listed for tens of thousands of dollars. There are many selling for between $5 and $100, which is still a good return for stuffed animals that might be sitting in the corner collecting dust.
Humphrey the Camel pictured below can sell for over $1,000 at auction.
Source: https://wealthygorilla.com/most-expensive-beanie-babies/
Tickle Me Elmo
The loveable Sesame Street character is one of the most popular toys from 1996. Despite being just over 25 years old, a Tickle Me Elmo in its original box is worth between $50 and $100 today.
It may be worth hanging onto Elmo for a few more years as the value will surely increase.
90s Disney Toys
Original Disney movie stuffed toys are being sold for large sums if you have kept them in mint condition. Woody from Toy Story can auction for anything up to $300 with several versions listed on eBay now.
A rare stuffed animal from the movie Bolt is currently selling for £100 in the UK. Stuffed animals are worth money, even if not from the most popular films, if they can spark a collector's interest.
Check here for some of the rarest Disney plush designs.
What stuffed animals are worth money?
It's difficult to say precisely which stuffed animals are worth money (unless you have some of those vintage Steiff productions knocking around). However, with research, you may find that you have some treasures, and there will likely always be a collector somewhere interested in a niche.
