March News

... More Ty Posts
Ty continues to post on the Cyberboard ...

How to be ready?
Ty Warner (11:29 pm. Mar 31, 2001 )
Message Id: 834021
Ty Warner writes:
get the coffee going! =o)
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg834021.html

... "Is Everyone Ready?"
Ty Warner posts several messages on the Ty Cyberboard tonight. One reads:

Is everyone ready?
Ty Warner (09:37 pm. Mar 31, 2001 )
Message Id: 833829
Ty Warner writes:
for tomorrow?
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg833829.html

Click here to read the Ty Talk Cyberboard messages

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This weeks winning numbers, prizes and winners have been announced on the RyeByPost lottery page. No one matched five numbers, so the 'Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo' will continue to stand as the five-number prize for the next lottery draw. Next weeks four-number prize is a 'Sakura Beanie Buddy' and the three-number prize is a 'Nipponia Beanie Baby'. The weekly lottery is free to play; you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own uniquie ID number. (Other contests on the site include: A Nipponia Bear, Wise the owl, and an Old Face Jade Teddy Beanie Baby. A Tank Beanie Baby and others are coming soon!)
www.ryebypost.com
www.ryebypost.net

... April Info Beanie
The Info Beanie polls close at Noon CST today. Currently, Prince is in the lead (22.3%) followed by Hopper (18.6%).
Click here to view the rankings

Update: Prince in the new Info Beanie for April. Shamrock writes:

Saturday March 31, 2001 12:07 p.m.

Congratulations, Prince! Woo hoo! Prince is the April Info Beanie. I can hardly wait to tell him! He's going to be so happy and excited! Or is that "hoppy" Hee hee .....
http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Issy Orders
Several people have reported that their retailer was able to order 24 of Issy for April shipments. You might want to check with your local retailer soon; and keep your eyes peeled!

... A Busy Weekend
The Info Beanie is still hinting at possible further retirements, as posted this evening ... and Sunday is the launch of "The People's Beanie". (Perhaps a reason for the introduction of the Spring releases today ... but dated April 1, 2001) ... the Ty Website should be quite busy this weekend!)

Have you voted yet? Make sure you do it right away if you haven't already. There are only about 15 hours left to vote! It looks like Prince is way ahead now but anything can happen. Golly, I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight with all of the exciting things happening around here! It's not even the weekend yet either! I think this is going to be the best weekend ever! I'm going to read a little before I go to bed. I hope that will help me to go to sleep. Maybe I should have some warm milk too. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night!

http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Ty Newsflash - 2001 Spring Introduction
10:45 am ... Ty has introduced new products this morning ... Beanie Babies, Beanie Buddies, and Attic Treasures. All have an introduction date of April 1, 2001.
Click here to view the announcement or view individually below:

... Have a Heart ... Help the Homeless Children
Granny Annie says ... The Easter project in on! This year the baskets will go to needy kids in MN. Click the article below and find out how you can help put a smile on a child's face!
http://www.flsuncoast.com/easter2001

... Source: Planet Beans

... Cubs Beanie Baby Debut
It was earlier reported that the Chicago Cubs would have a special Beanie Baby Debut at their May 20th game vs the Diamondbacks. View the Cubs Promo schedule here.

The Cubs and Ty have come up with a name for the Beanie now, to be given away to the first 10,000 children 13 years old and younger. What is it and what animal or bird will the Beanie be? This has not been revealed yet. For more on the story, click here and read the article "Street Wise".
(Thanks to Heather at The Daily Bean for pointing out this article to us)

... Ty Newsflash - Retirements
10:10 am ... From one retirement to the next ... Ty has retired large and extra-large Ears Buddies this morning.
Click here to view the announcement

... "Happy Spring"
10:10 am ... Ty has posted "Happy Spring", with Screen Savers, Desktop Wallpaper, Beanie Greetings, and Gift Ideas.
Click here to view "Happy Spring" at Ty

... Ty Warner Park
Ms Janie has posted photos on Ty Warner Park and 'all those bricks'. The photos tell the story! Click here to view.

... "Everything on Issy"
From our email, Heather reports:

I just wanted to share with you my "Everything on Issy" page. The link
below contains everything you might want to know about this bear.
I would appreciate it if you could review it and let me know if anything
is missing. If so, I would be most happy to add what you have to say &
give your site credit as well!

http://www.heatherlea.com/articles/issy.htm

I have also created a checklist that has each variation of Issy. So far,
I have verified all by one location to exsist.
http://www.heatherlea.com/articles/issyimages/checklist.htm
Thanks,
Heather
The Daily Bean

... Info Beanie Hinting Again?
With the recent retirements and the persistent mentioning of retirements in the Info Beanie diary entries, we are being kept on our toes to see what happens next. Tonight, Shamrock writes:

Wednesday March 28, 2001 9:00 p.m.

Have you voted yet? The race is so close I can't imagine how it's going to go. Either Prince or Hornsly would make a great Info Beanie. Wow! I just thought of something else! There are still a few days left to this month and that means that either one or both could still retire. Then almost anyone could end up being the April Info Beanie. This is so exciting! I'm going to check the polls again and see who is after Prince and Hornsly. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night!

Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary
Click here to vote for April Info Beanie
Click here to view the latest poll rankings

... Ty Art - Update
On Monday, Ms Janie posted information on a sketch that was up for auction, drawn and signed by Ty Warner. The Ty Art painting has now been sold for $5,000. (The charity raised a total of $251,000.)
Click here for further details on Ms. Janie's site

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction Added
12:15 pm ... Ty Trade has added a Chad Lowe Autographed Ariel to the charitable auctions today. The auction ends on April 6th.

... Reminder
Don't forget to keep checking the Contest Page. You never know when a new Beanie might be posted, as well as perhaps a hint from a previous Beanie already shown!

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
9:45 am ... The retirements continue, from one Newsflash to the next! This time, Ty has announced the retirement of an Attic Treasure - Kingston, the lion.
Click here to view the announcement

... Info Beanie Surprise?
As you know, the Info Beanie has been posting some interesting notes lately, with hints of a big retirement party at the end of this month. There has also been mention of each retired Beanie having a special brick with their name on it (posted in earlier news). Sal's Attic has posted some interesting information (with pictures) on what is going on at Ty Warner Park - lots of bricks! ... Perhaps a correlation here?
Click here to visit Sal's Attic

... MarketWatch Update
BeanKid's MarketWatch has been updated, with the market outlook on Issy, both retail and Exclusive versions, as well as Buckingham Buddy. Float Beanie also is spotlighted, and a Beanie Kid MarketWatch on Shenanigan.
Click here to visit BeanKid's News Center

... Ty Art !
Here's your chance to bid on a truly remarkable piece of TY art ... a Ty Warner painting! You can view the artwork photo by clicking here.
Click here for further details on Ms. Janie's site

... RyeByPost Update
Most of the competition drawings will end this week, so hurry and get your entry in now. (There are some GREAT prizes!) Look for more contests to be posted at the end of the week! .... While visiting, you might want to check out some of their specials as well!

www.ryebypost.com

... More Retirements Soon?
Although we know the Info Beanie can tinker with our imagination, by dropping 'hints', it has been mentioned several times this month of a big 'retirement party' at the end of the month. ... We shall see! .... This morning, Shamrock writes:

Monday March 26, 2001 7:07 a.m.
Good morning! Happy Monday! .... Since we have to be inside for now, we can start planning the going away party for everyone that has retired so far this month. I wonder if anyone else will be retiring. There are still several days left in the month. .... I'll talk to you later. Bye!
http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Northern Trade Winds
Lulu reports:
Zellers Attic Update
Unauthorized Beanies in Manitoba stores
End of Chinook shipments
Decline in Ty Authorized Vendors
Now at www.northtradewinds.com

... It's Contest Time!
The Contest has now started ... you'll have several chances to win (SEVEN winners, SEVEN different prize packages!) Click below to find out all the details ... it's easy AND it's fun!

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction Ends
The Kimberly Williams Autographed Ariel auction ended on Ty Trade today at Noon. The auction closed at $380 (with 10 bids). (There are no other current Celebrity Autographed Ariels listed.)

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
The Kimberly Williams Autographed Ariel auction ends on Ty Trade tomorrow. The price is currently at $310 (with 3 bids).

... Did you notice?
At around 3:00 EST this afternoon, the Ty website counter reached the 5 billion visitor mark. Last year, on June 8th, the counter rolled over 4 billion. ... That's a billion hits in a little over 10 months! (Although they aren't 'unique' hits, as the counter changes with each visit, that's still a LOT of visits to one site!)
Visit the Ty website here

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This weeks winning numbers, prizes & winners have been announced on the lottery page. Again, no one matched five numbers, so the Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo will continue to stand as the 5 number prize in the next lottery draw. Next weeks 5 number prize is the 'Buckingham Beanie & Buddy Duo'. Next weeks 4 number prize is the 'Eggs - Kaleidoscope - Shamrock Trio'. Next weeks 3 number prize is the 'Valentina Beanie & Buddy Duo'.

The lottery is totally free to play, you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own Unique ID number.

Other Contests on the site include: A Nipponia Bear, Bessie the Cow, Wise the Owl & an Old Face Jade Teddy Beanie.

www.ryebypost.com
www.ryebypost.net

... 'People's Beanie' Contest Poster
Beanieholics has already spotted a mini poster at a retailer concerning 'The People's Beanie Contest'. The colorful poster has the silhouette of two bears on it, covered in question marks. In between them is a red Ty heart. The print on the poster reads:

Now it's your turn to design a BEANIE BABY!
What will it's name be?
What color will it be?
THE PEOPLE'S BEANIE
April 1st www.ty.com

... MarketWatch Updated
The BeanieKid Marketwatch has been updated, with a spotlight on the new Beanie butterfly - Float.
Click here to read the Marketwatch Report

... 'Spring Has Sprung'
The Contest should begin (hopefully) tomorrow ... so keep a watch out! The details should be posted later this evening ... I've even managed to pick up a couple of more prizes today that I think you may like!)

... Ty Classic ... "Bites the Dust"
Ms Janie reports:
The following is posted on the Ty Retailers site:

"At this time Cashmere, one of our Ty Classic Bunnies is no longer available.
Thank you. 03/23/01"

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
1:30 pm ... The Drew Barrymore & Tom Green Autographed Ariel auction on Ty Trade has closed, at $410 with 13 bids.

... Ty Newsflash - Beanie Retirements!
10:10 am ... Ty has retired Eggs, Swampy, and Buzzy this morning. (I guess that's what the Info Beanie was talking about, when it was mentioned about an Info Beanie not being able to win if retired before the end of the month. So Eggs should move out of first place now!) ... Notice Eggs 'egg logo' moved over to the left side? Oops!
Click here to view the announcement

Update 2:00 pm ... Eggs has now been removed from the Info Beanie poll, as well as Swampy and Buzzy. Hornsly is now in 1st place (14.7%), followed by Prince (13.1%).

... Are You Creative?
The Celebrity Bears UK website has launched 'Design A Bear Two" Contest'. All entries will be reviewed by Christine Rigby (President of Celebrity Bears) and June Schlosser (VP). You can enter as many times as you want ... The Contest runs until April 28th. So put on your thinking caps and get started. To enter and read the contest rules, click here. (While visiting, don't forget to check the latest news ... there's some interesting information you might want to read!)

... 'The People's Beanie' Contest ... More Details!
Beanieholics has shared more details on 'The People's Beanie' Contest. The retailer that broke the story has sent information in a fax from their Ty Rep. The fax explains how the contest will work, dates of certain events, and how long it will run before the final decision. (Thanks, Randy ... and 'T', for sharing this info!!)
Click here to read all the details!

... What's next?
The Newsflash, announcing the retirement of Nipponia, has been removed this afternoon and placed in the Newsflash Archives on Ty's site. So what's next?

... Your thoughts
Now's the time to voice your opinion ... What do YOU think Ty is up to next?

Why so many references by the Info Beanie to flowers? :) ... Maybe the 'People's Beanie' will have flowers, on the hang tag (similar to the Holiday Teddy with Snowflakes)? ... a voting similar to the voting of the "Halloweenie Beanies" last October ... is it associated with the new BBOC summer debut? ... are new Beanies to be announced soon? ... a big retirement? If you wish to speak out, send your 'ideas' to webmaster@doodlespage.com. Your ideas will be posted on this site on a separate page.

... More Issy News
Issy seems to be at the top of the news lately ... There are a few interesting bits of info you might want to make note of:

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
10:40 am ... The Drew Barrymore & Tom Green Autographed Ariel auction on Ty Trade ends tomorrow, March 23rd. The auction is currently at $400 (with 12 bids).

... Patience calls!
With the 'anticipation' of the "People's Beanie" announcement coming to the Ty site on April 1st, 'rumors' and guesses are plentiful as to what we may 'expect' ... there are some that are very interesting. We'll just have to wait and see ... one week from Sunday! (Will new Beanies be announced soon as well? Retirements? Isn't this one of the most fun parts of collecting? ... Anticipation!!! :)

... Issy Listed Twice on Ty Site
Heather from The Daily Bean points us to a Ty Cyberboard entry (which can be read by clicking here) ... mentioning the two 'versions' of Issy on Ty's site. (Perhaps an earlier retirement of the 'original' New York Issy?)

(Original/First Listing)

Issy the bear
[Current]

IN MEMORY OF CHRISTOPHER SHARP 1960-1978

If you travel far and wide
Keep Issy always by your side
And when you must turn out the light
You'll hear him softly say "good night!"
Available exclusively at Four Seasons Hotel, New York.
FOR REGISTERED GUESTS ONLY

(Added/Second Listing)

Issy the bear
[Current]

IN MEMORY OF CHRISTOPHER SHARP 1960-1978

If you travel far and wide
Keep Issy always by your side
And when you must turn out the light
You'll hear him softly say "good night!"

Note: I noticed, when checking the Info Beanie voting polls, that Issy is listed twice as well (with no differentiation of the two).
Update: March 22nd ... Hmmm - One of the Issy's has now been removed from the voting list ! :)

(Incidentally, Eggs is winning - so far - with 16.1% of the votes.)
Click here to vote for April Info Beanie
Click here to view the current rankings

... Mystery Beanie for Canada
There is a 'mystery Beanie' heading to Canada, with the Ty Easter prepacks. Beanieholics reports ... if a small prepack is ordered, there will be 1 dozen free 'mystery' Beanies included; the larger prepack means 2 dozens free 'mystery' Beanies. Could this be Issy? or something new? We shall soon see!

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
4:10 pm ... Ty has retired Nipponia Beanie Baby this afternoon.
Click here to view the announcement

... 'The People's Beanie'
11:10 am ... Ty has posted a flashing sign on the main page, reading "The People's Beanie, April 1, 2001, www.ty.com, Be Here!"

Beanieholics had reported earlier this morning with some additional information you might want to check out.

... Fake Violet Old Face Teddy Beanie
Ms. Janie has posted information and pictures from a reader of a fake Violet Old Face Teddy. It's the tags more than the Beanie itself that will stir up doubts as to the authenticity of this Beanie. You can check it out by clicking here.

... Your Vote May Count!
As reported by Beanieholics, you may soon get to vote for the next Beanie Bear that you would like to see made by Ty. A retailer has sent a note about a new upcoming contest by Ty, involving both Ty retailers and collectors. It states that we will be able to vote for the color, style, name, etc. of the Bear, from 9 finalists. This bear is being called "The People's Beanie", eventually having a name decided by collectors.

... Info Beanie News
Speaking of voting, what could the Info Beanie be talking about? Is there a correlation here? This morning's Diary entry reads:

Wednesday March 21, 2001 7:08 a.m.

Good morning! Have you voted yet? There is still a lot of time left but I don't want anyone to forget. Maybe I can come up with a clever way of announcing the winner. That would be really cool. I'm going to have to really think about it. Maybe Dragon can help me think of something. He's pretty clever and he's been the Info Beanie so he has experience with these things. I'm going to see if I can find him and maybe we can start thinking up ideas now. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Issy Tush Tag
A reader has shared a picture of the tush tag of an Issy purchased today. Although it's a bit fuzzy, it is clear enough to read ... "Four Seasons Hotel" Palm Beach.
Click here to view the Issy tush tag

Beaniemom has a scan of a tag - stating 'Scottsdale', which can be viewed by clicking here.

... Autographed Ariel Addition
10:20 am ... A Kimberly Williams Autographed Ariel has been added to Ty Trade this morning. The auction ends on March 25th.

... Issy Arriving!
It has been reported that 'Issy' is arriving at various retailers now. Many thought that when Issy was made available as a general release, instead of a Four Seasons Exclusive, it would have "Issy" on the tush tag instead of "Four Seasons Hotel New York". Various sources are reporting that the Tush Tag reads different Four Seasons locations around the world, each sporting a different U.S. City or Country. Kerstin from Germany reports:

Hello there
Issy is being delivered in the USA but on Issy´s Tush Tag reads another Hotel: "Four Seasons Hotel Toronto" or "Four Seasons Hotel Taipei" instead of "Four Seasons Hotel New York" from the first Issy. The Four Seasons have about 20 Hotels in different Countries outside the USA and 26 in different States in the USA. One in Berlin-Germany. Maybe we will have an Issy Bear with "Four Seasons Hotel Berlin" :-) One USA Dealer got a 12-Bag with different 'States' on the Tush-Tag. I hope you can understand my bad English :-)
Greetings from Germany
Kerstin

Note:
Beanie Mom and Ms. Janie are also reporting Tush Tag variances that are showing up. For someone who collects the different versions of Bears, you may have a real challenge!

Added Note:
After looking up the various locations on the Four Seasons Website, there are:
Asia / South Pacific - 13 different locations
Europe / Middle East - 10 different locations
The Americas (including Canada) - 29 different locations
Click here to view the Individual Four Seasons locations

... Ty Trade Autographed Ariel
4:10 pm ... A Drew Barrymore & Tom Green Autographed Ariel has been added to Ty Trade this afternoon. The auction ends on March 23rd.

... Ty Beanie Baby 'Issy' Update
2:10 pm ... We have received two emails in regards to 'Issy', which we would like to pass on to you. ... Tyme shall tell !!!

From iLuvCollectibles:

Ty Beanie Baby ISSY Update!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This morning we had asked anyone if they had seen or heard reports of the "retail" version of Issy shipping to email me directly.

I received an email from a Ty Retailer in California. We are not including her email address to protect her identity. She was kind enough to write in to me immediately after our earlier newsletter was posted.

First Email: Good morning from California. I checked our ty account online and it looks like they shipped Issy!!! They only sent 12, but at least its on the way! Just thought I'd let you know. Have a great day!

Second Email: I actually have a tracking number for the shipment. I'm soooo excited!!! I luv getting all the great newsletters from you...Thanks a lot for all the great info. Tracey

************************************
From Ryebypost:

Who is the Real ISSY ???

Following on from an article published on www.msjanie.com regarding the Trademark/Registration of ISSY, it now seems that Ty Inc. may have requested a third party to register this name on their behalf in the USA.
As we all aware, these registrations do not include Europe, a separate registration for this name would be required in Europe.
Currently, The German Plush manufacturer 'Steiff' have a 'White Seal' named "ISSY" and it is very likely that they will hold the registration/Trademark to the name ISSY in Europe, as to protect this item.
Does this then mean that the Ty ISSY Bear will not be released to the European market 'as is'?
(remember the 'Happy the Hippo. Teenie Beanie being renamed 'Percival the Hippo' for the Europeam market!)

View the below link to see for yourself:
http://www.ryebypost.net/issy/issypage.html

... Ms. Janie's Contest
Today is the last day of Ms. Janie's Second Anniversary Celebration Contest. If you are a member of her newsletter, you might want to check out the list of prizes for another chance of winning!

... Spring Scavenger Hunt
Get ready for a chance to win some more fabulous prizes! The Spring Scavenger Hunt contest is just around the corner! The contest begins tomorrow - March 20th at 9:00 pm EST and runs through Saturday, March 31st. The 23+ contest winners will receive retired Ty products and 3 CASH prizes! Click here for Contest details on the Beanie Phenomenon website.

... Another Hotel Interest by Ty Warner?
The London Times Sunday Newspaper reports that Ty Warner may be interested in London's Lanesborough Hotel ... the Royal Suite is £6,500 a night. The hotel is set to become the MOST expensive hotel ever to change hands. To read the article, click here.

... Source: Beanieholics

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This weeks winning numbers, prizes & winner have been announced on the lottery page. Again, No one matched five numbers, so the Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo will continue to stand as the 5 number prize the next lottery draw.
Next weeks 5 number prize is the 'Buckingham Beanie & Buddy Duo'.
Next weeks 4 number prize is the 'Eggs - Kaleidoscope - Shamrock Trio'.
Next weeks 3 number prize is the 'Valentina Beanie & Buddy Duo'.

The lottery is totally free to play, you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own Unique ID number.

Other Contests on site include: A Nipponia Bear, Sakura Buddy, Bessie the Cow, Wise the Owl & an Old Face Jade Teddy Beanie.
www.ryebypost.com or www.ryebypost.net

... Say "Pants to Poverty"
From our email:
Say Pants to poverty with BeanieKidz.com! As part of BeanieKidz.com's BIG Beanie giveaway and to raise money for this years Comic Relief Appeal, BeanieKidz.com has launched a new contest. Simply visit their website at www.beaniekidz.com and follow the link provided. If you do enter, you could win the top prize - an all expenses paid trip to New York (for up to two people) to the Four Seasons Hotel to claim your own Issy Bear!

So, help BeanieKidz.com to raise money for those that need it the most!

Take care,
Tom :o)

... Where is Issy?
Sly has shared an interesting theory with Ms. Janie. Why has Issy not shipped? Who possibly owns the right to the trademark / copyright for the name "Issy"? If you wish to read his opinion, click here.

... Northern Trade Winds
Lulu writes:

Now on Northern Trade Winds

Attics at Zellers: More show up but who is supplying?
Baseball Promo Beanies
Bargain City for Canadian online Beanie shoppers

Now at www.northtradewinds.com

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
10:00 am ... Ty has retired the Valentina 'family' ... Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, and Regular Size Beanie Buddies. These were introduced January 1, 2001, and are the first to be retired from the January introduction of 22 Buddies.
Click here to view the announcement

Note: My personal prediction for the next Buddy retirements? ... Jumbo and X-Large Peace, Lips, and Rainbow. We shall see!

... Meta Exchange Takes 30% of eBay's Beanie Market
Beanie Mom reports: Metaexchange, Inc. announced today that its trading volume in Beanie Babies has reached 30% of eBay’s volume. According to the company, this success in the face of eBay’s marketplace dominance shows the inherent strength of the spot market over the auction format for many collectibles. Click here for more information

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
9:30 am ... The Mary Steenburgen Autographed Ariel auction ends today on Ty Trade. The bid is currently at $270 (with two bids).
Update: 1:05 pm ... The auction closed at $270.
Note: There are no other current 'Charitable Auctions' listed on Ty Trade at this time.

... Ty (Retailer) Mobile
6:15 pm ... Is the Ty Mobile available for purchase? A reader has written in, stating that her local retailer has the Mobile available for purchase, at $20.

Clarification: I would imagine the Mobile was offered as one of the two that retailers were allowed to order! I wouldn't go dashing to the store in hopes of buying one. Further details will follow. ... Added note: Friday, 9:30 am ... The Mobile is definitely for retailers only. This was the only one available for purchase. What a lucky collector to find even one though!

... Info Beanie
Update: 10:00 pm EST ... Here's something interesting, posted by the Info Beanie this afternoon:

Thursday March 15, 2001 4:06 p.m.

"I also found out that if a Beanie is in the lead in the polls and gets retired he doesn't get to stay in the polls. They said that if you are already the Info Beanie and you get retired you get to finish the month. This sure could be an interesting poll to watch....."

9:30 am EST ... Also .... Is this morning's Diary entry another 'hint' of a big retirement??? (See the earlier news posted on March 9th by clicking here)

"Good morning! Woo Hoo! The polls are open! So make sure you vote! It's going to be so exciting to see who ends up winning. I wonder what will happen if the leader in the polls gets retired before the polls close. I'm going to have to ask our friends at Ty about that. Oh, today is also a special day because it's the "Ides of March". I'm not sure what that means but I think we're supposed to beware of it. I wonder why. I hope that nothing bad will happen today. I better ask our friends at Ty about the Ides of March before I ask about the polls! I'll talk to you later. Bye!"
http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Info Beanie
9:30 am EST ... The polls are open for Ty's April Info Beanie. You can place your vote by clicking here.

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
The Ben Savage Autographed Ariel auction ends today on Ty Trade.
Update: 1:05 pm EST ... The auction closed at $310 (with 3 bids).

... Ty Retailer Mobile Kit
Sly has shared a link of an auction on eBay with Ms Janie ... Ty's latest Retailer Mobile, with a close-up picture. You can check it out by clicking here.

... A Note From Ty
Heather from The Daily Bean sends the following:

Hi all! I just received an email from Ty! :) Have you received your's yet?

From: Your Friends At Ty
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 2:45 PM
Subject: DON'T FORGET TO WEAR GREEN !!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from your friends at Ty!
Here's hoping you have the luck o' the Irish everyday!

http://www.tytrade.com/st_pats

... Special Wishes
My personal wishes to Rosy for a VERY Happy Birthday ... You're an Angel of a Friend! May your day be happy and very special, with wishes for many more to follow!

... Ty Newsflash - Happy St. Patrick's Day
2:00 pm ... Many of you have wished for a Ty March Desktop Calendar and/or a festive Screen Saver. Ty has now posted these for you to choose from, as well as a link to Beanie Greetings and Gift Ideas. Click on the below link and enjoy!

http://www.ty.com/stpatricks/happystpatricks.html

... Upcoming Spring Contest
Beginning Tuesday, March 20th, Peggy's Spring Contest will begin ... it's full of wonderful prizes. Mark your calendar and get ready to have some fun. You won't want to miss it. Visit her site, Beanie Phenomenon, for all the details!

... If You are a Victim of a Scam .....
From the Ty Cyberboard, GrammaPat writes:

**FBI information if you are the victim of a scam..
GrammaPat (11:20 am. Mar 13, 2001 )
Message Id: 823562

If you are the victim of a bad transaction, and need to file reports, the following is the info you will need. It is a good idea to save all of this whenever you deal on the interet:
-----
Evidence related to your complaint. It is important that you keep any evidence you may have related to your complaint. Evidence may include canceled checks; credit card receipts; phone bills; faxes; pamphlets or brochures; mailing envelopes; certified or other mail receipts; a printed copy of a Web site, chat room, or newsgroup text; or similar items. Keep items in a safe location until you are requested to provide them for investigative or prosecutive evidence. If requested to provide evidence, send copies only, not originals. Additional information related to your complaint.
-------
I hope you never need this, but please take all precautions.

http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg823562.html

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
Another prize has been added to the RyeByPost lottery. Enter each day for your chance to win one of the following - (Be sure and have your ID number ready ... or register if you do not have one).
Prize for 5 numbers right ... Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo
Prize for 4 numbers right ... Eggs, Kaleidoscope, and Shamrock
Prize for 3 numbers right (NEW) ... Valentina Beanie and Buddy Duo
Visit www.ryebypost.com or www.ryebypost.net

... A Glance Ahead
This week at a quick glance ... the Ty website counter should hit the 5 billion mark later this week; voting should begin for April Info Beanie on the 15th; a St. Patrick's Day party is being planned (per the Info Beanie) ... with 'hints' earlier of a big retirement?; and all three current Celebrity-autographed auctions end this week (with many curious as to who / what will be next!).

Also, "Spring Has Sprung at Doodles"! Watch for details soon!!!

... Yankees 2001 Promo
There will be a special Ty Beanie Kids promo on August 5th ... the first 18,000 fans (14 and under) will receive a limited edition Ty Beanie Kid, courtesy of Ty, Inc.
View the Yankees 2001 Promotional Schedule here

... News source: Beanie Mom

... Chicago Cubs Promo
Peggy Gallagher reports:
Chicago Cubs:
May 20th ... Ty Beanie Baby - with commemorative card (first 10,000 kids)
September 30th ... Season finale game - Beanie Kids Gear exclusive, with the Cubs Home Uniform (first 10,000 kids)

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This week's winning numbers, a new prize, and the winner have been announced on the lottery page at RyeByPost. Four numbers were matched - to win the Sewn-On-Patch Britannia Bear. Next week's four-number prize is Eggs, Kaleidoscope, and Shamrock. No one matched five numbers, so the Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo will be the five-number prize again for next week's lotto draw. (The lottery is free to play ... you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your unique ID number.) And don't forget the other current Contests on the site ... a Nipponia Beanie, Sakura Buddy, Bessie the Cow, Wise the Owl, and an Old-Face Jade Teddy Beanie
Visit www.ryebypost.com or www.ryebypost.net

... BeanKid's Update
From our email, Kody reports:

BeanKid's NEWSCenter
Now on MarketWatch... Beanie Babies: Periwinkle, Beanie Buddies: Sakura, Beanie Kids: Luvie, This Week's Beanie Spotlight: Shamrock! Next update
is March 13, 2001!
Regards, Kody Looper
BeanKid's NEWSCenter
www.beankid.net

... Ms. Janie's Contest
Tonight is the beginning of Ms. Janie's Second Anniversary Contest. You WILL be amazed at the prizes being given away! This is one of the largest Contest ever offered ... just remember, all information will ONLY be provided through the Newsletter. If you have not signed up, please do so now ... you won't want to miss a single day of this Contest! (Click on "Us Bears" above to subscribe!)

... Counterfeit Nipponia
Over the last few days, a lot of talk has been made regarding counterfeit Nipponia Beanie Babies hitting the market. Sly has been on the prowl and, guess what, he did find one! They are apparently hitting the secondary market and auction sites. He has provided a link, through Ms Janie, to a webpage he has set up showing a comparison of an authentic vs counterfeit Nipponia. Perhaps by making collectors aware of what to look for, it will eliminate future problems. Buyers beware!
Click here to view the Nipponia Comparisons

... Beanie Update - UK
Kevin has emailed us with a Norwich UK Beanie update:

Dear Doodle

Update from Norwich UK - The first wave of newbies have gone on sale in Norwich and all the new beanies were present. The only abscence so far is Mellow. Stores all were reporting the deliveries were very late and many had no February deliveries at all. Still only one store admits to having Buckingham Buddy in February - none so far in March. Hopefully this weekend will see more stores with new beanies on there shelves as many put them out on a Saturday morning. More updates to follow.
Best wishes
Kevin

(Thanks for sharing, Kevin!)

... Beanieholics Contest!
It's contest time again at Beanieholics. They are giving away two of the St. Paddy Celebrity Bears ... just in time for the holiday. For all the details on how you can enter, visit the Beanieholics website!

... Newsflash Removed
The announcement of the Ty Authorized Retailer Kit has been removed and can be found on the Newsflash Archives Page on Ty's site. Any guesses on what the next Newsflash will be ... I predict a few retirements SOON! We shall see!

... RyeByPost Contests - Update
RyeByPost has now added a Nipponia Beanie Baby to the competition drawing ... just click on 'Win Nipponia' in the non-members section (all you need to do is enter your ID number). This is in addition to the Sakura Buddy and Old Face Jake Teddy and the current lottery with great prizes as well. They have also added 'Wordscramble' ... enter for your chance to win Bessie the Cow.
Click here for details at Ryebypost

... Ty Retirements Soon?
The Info Beanie sometimes drops us hints in the Diary as to what is going to happen soon at Ty ... although there are also times it's 'just talk'. However, I did find this mornings entry a bit interesting. A big retirement soon??? Wait and see!

Friday March 9, 2001 7:16 a.m.

Good morning! Wow! Can you believe it is Friday already? Wow! This week sure did go by fast! I think the time is going to start going even faster now that I'm retired! It's been so exciting here with all of the retirements. We never know who will be retired next! Since I'm going to stay on as the Info Beanie until the end of the month, we're going to wait until then to have a big going away party. That way, if there are any more retirements, we can all say good bye at the same time and maybe it won't seem so sad. I'm going to see if breakfast is ready yet. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

http://www.ty.com/infobeanie/lastpage/

... Ms. Janie's Contest
Starting tomorrow, March 10th through the 19th, Ms. Janie will be starting a HUGE Contest .... over 100 prizes will be distributed among 9 winners (and a graphics design winner)! Details will be posted soon in her Newsletter ... are you registered? (You must be a Newsletter subscriber to participate.) You won't want to miss this one!!!

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Ms. Janie!

You have helped make the collectible hobby what it is today!
Thank You for all your time and efforts ... an amazing lady you are!!!

... Ty Trade Celebrity Auction - SUMMARY
Just a note of interest ... there have been a total of 79 Celebrity-Autographed Ariel Beanie Babies on Ty Trade since the first auction on June 29, 2000. Although a couple of the auctions have had unconfirmed or questionable feedback, the total currently amounts to a little over $125,000. A summarization of all auctions can be found on this site, which can be viewed by clicking here (also referenced at the bottom of this page.)

... The Different Faces of Mellow
Have you picked up Mellow - the latest Beanie Baby Bear released by Ty? As you are probably aware, there has been much 'talk' about the different faces Mellow seems to be 'sporting'. It seems to all lean toward which version your retailer receives in their shipment. Beanieholics has some great scans sent in by a reader showing the comparison of two different versions of eyebrows, smiles, noses, etc. The photos can be viewed by clicking here.

... Ty Classic Smokey ... "No Longer Available"
Retailers are reporting that Smokey, the Ty Classic Gray Cat, is "no longer available to order". Ty does not normally 'retire' Classics, Baby Ty, or Ty Gear ... they just advise that it isn't available to order. (Smokey is listed as "retired" on the Ty site now.)

(News received from various sources.)

... Ty Trade Ariel Auctions - Update
2:40 pm ... The Paul Glaser Autographed Ariel auction closed today at $610 (with 14 bids). Two more auctions have now been added, in addition to the Roseanne auction. To view each auction, click on the links below:

Roseanne Autographed Ariel (auction ends 3/14/01)
Ben Savage Autographed Ariel (auction ends 3/15/01)
Mary Steenburgen Autographed Ariel (auction ends 3/16/01)

... Ty 2001 Retailer Catalog
Yesterday, it was reported of a 2001 Ty Retailer Catalog being received by retailers. Beanieholics has posted a copy of a note that Ty has sent out to retailers that receive this catalog.
Click here to read the note

Update: 4:30 pm ... Sly also informs us of the following:
Hi Deb
Beaniewonderland has a scan. My description and this scan do this cover No Justice. You have to see it in person to appreciate how nice it looks
Click here to view the cover scan

... Celebrity Bear Tribute Bear
It was previously reported by Celebrity Bears that they would soon be releasing the very first Tribute Bear. Due to many requests to make a Tribute Bear in honor of the NASCAR legend who recently passed away, a limited edition bear will be available April 1st .. with limited supplies.
Click here for picture and more info on this Bear

... Source: Beanieholics

... Ty Newsflash
12:10 pm ... Ty has posted the following newsflash:

Ty Authorized Retailer Kit Introduced!
Look for all your favorite Ty products at stores
that display the Ty Authorized Retailer Kit.
Click here to view the announcement

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction Addition
1:50 pm ... Ty Trade has added another signed Ariel Beanie Baby to the charity auction ... a Roseanne Autographed Ariel. The auction ends on March 14th.

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
After being extended for three addtional days, due to a bogus bid, the Paul Glaser Autographed Ariel auction ends tomorrow, March 8th, on Ty Trade. The auction is currently at $610 (with 14 bids).

... Celebrity Bears
1:15 pm ... Speaking of Celebrity Bears, due late March / early April are Bears #82 - 85 (Goldilocks and the 3 Bears) and British Bears #5 and #6. The first Celebrity Bear / Tribute Bear will be available April 1st - with many of the same features as Star #59. Coming soon - Mom Bear, Graduation 2001, Bear #86 (Uncle Sam), and Bear #87 (smiley faces). For more information, click here for the Celebrity Bear newsletter.

... Fire Destroys 'Ideal World Shopping TV' - UK
9:15 am ... Firefighters spent last night tackling a major fire in Cambridgeshire. The warehouse belonged to the Ideal World Shopping Channel in Peterborough. More than half of the building collapsed. 'Ideal World TV', broadcast on digital satellite for almost a year, increased the popularity of Celebrity Bears in the UK. They are currently looking for temporary premises. For more information, visit the Celebrity Bears UK website.

... Ty 2001 Catalog for Retailers
Sly has shared with Ms. Janie a follow-up report on the Ty 2001 Catalog mentioned earlier. This sounds like one of Ty's best catalogs yet, from a very colorful cover of Beanie Baby images, to a signed letter to retailers from Ty Warner, and pictures including Beanies, Buddies, Beanie Kids and Ty Gear. For a complete description, visit Ms Janie's site here. (If you are a retailer and have a copy of this catalog, she would love a copy of the front and back cover to share with collectors ... or feel free to send it to me by clicking here and I'll gladly pass it on to her).

... Contest at Bean Source
BJ sends in the following:

Bean Source is having a new contest to win Chinook, Germania and more!! Please check it out by clicking here.
Bean Source has also opened our auction site.... There is a category for Bean Source Auctions... This is our plan... We are going to try and get beanies up for auction every week and all the money we raise is going to go towards Cancer & Lukemia research... We are in need of donations. So if anyone can donate it would be a blessing. Your not only felling good but your helping to get 1 step more closer to finding a cure!
http://216.234.169.13/auctions/auctions.cgi

Thank you very much,
BJ Smith
Beansource

... Ty Sweeps the Market
According to GiftBeat, Ty sweets the market in three TOP catagories. Click here to view the ratings posted by Ms. Janie.

... Ty Newflash - Retirement
10:15 am ... Ty has retired Shamrock Beanie Baby this morning. (Although we did expect this Beanie to retire soon, many weren't expecting it until a little closer to St. Patrick's Day. But that would be 'expecting the expected', wouldn't it? :)
Click here to view Shamrock's retirement announcement

... Counterfeit 2nd Generation UK Tags
Peggy Gallagher shares information with us regarding Beanie Babies with counterfeit 2nd generation UK tags. They usually appear on 'colored bears and wingless Quackers'.
The counterfeit is written: Ty(UK)LTD.
The authentic is written: Ty(UK)Ltd.
(The 'td' is Ltd. must be in small letters on the authentic 2nd gen. tag!

Click here to visit Beanie Phenomenon (Peggy's site)

... New BBOC Website Coming Soon
Ty has posted on the BBOC page:

... New Beanies?
Ms Janie has shared some information received from "John in Germany", who recently picked up a German collecting magazine "Sammler-Hit!". There is an interesting article in it concerning some supposedly new Beanies to be released. Click here for more information.

... RyeByPost UK Update
RyeByPost reports that the new Beanies are appearing across the UK now, except for Issy, apparently 'not in stock' yet. They also report that Eggs and Shamrock are no longer being delivered to Ty accounts, as well as Kaleisdoscope.

Note: They are offering a £100 voucher to spend on the site for the best email suggestion on how you think the site may be improved ... you can send it to vic@ryebypost.com. Now's your chance to speak up. All entries must be received by Friday, March 9th.

... Newsflash Removed
The "Spring Introduction" Newsflash has been removed from Ty's main page now. If you still wish to view the announcement of the newest Beanies, you can check Ty's Newsflash Archives. (Hmmm - What will Ty retire next?)

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
11:20 am ... The Paul Glaser Autographed Ariel auction ends today at Noon on Ty Trade. The current bid is at $610 (with 14 bids placed so far). (The apparent bogus bids have been removed.)

1:05 pm - Update: The auction has been extended 3 days ... it now ends on March 8th.
(Thanks to Sly for pointing this out to us!)

... Fake Beanie Kids
A reader from Singapore has shared some pictures with Beaniemom of fake Beanie Kids she has received. She has also received fake Beanie Babies as well. If you want to check out a couple of UGLY imitations of the Beanie Kids, click here to view some pics on Beaniemom's site.

... Mellow Beanie Baby
Heather from The Daily Bean writes:

I wanted to share something with you that a reader pointed out to me. There are some variations of the new Mellow Beanie Baby already!

Here is what the reader sent to me:
----------------------------
-- Mellow I
The Mellow on your ebay picture is different than the one on Smart Collecting and the one from ebay is from England, while the one from Smart Collecting is from the U.S.A. You are probably wondering by now what the difference is. The one from England has a red happy face and eye brows and the one from the U.S.A. has no eye brows and no happy face. What does this mean? Are there 2 variations? Uhoh. Looks like the hunt is on for an EU version and a US version. Also did you notice that the U.S. version looks like the more serious classic Winnie the Pooh and the EU version looks like the regular more happy version of Winnie the Pooh. Happy Bean Hunting!!!!!

-- Mellow II
Just looked at the Ms. Janie picture of the new beanies and the Mellow there is from the U.S.A., but has a happy face and eye brows.
----------------------------

I took the image from SmartCollecting & from the eBay auction I shared with everyone and put them together to compare. Please visit the link below to see the Mellow Beanie Bear variations:
http://www.heatherlea.com/images/spec/compare.jpg
Heather
The Daily Bean

... Ty Trade Ariel Auction
The Paul Glaser Autographed Ariel auction ends tomorrow on Ty Trade. The current bid is at $610 (with 7 bids placed so far). No other Ariels have been placed on the 'featured auctions'. Will there will be one to follow?
Update: 6:15 pm ... WOW! Now that's a wild bid! 9 bids have been placed so far ... the auction is at $20,000,010???
11:55 pm ... It was needless to say, with the above bid, that it was a hoax. In fact, Tina has informed us that it is now at $500,000,100. (I'm sure it will be straightened out tomorrow morning before the auction closes.)

... Poor Hornsly
First his name was spelled wrong (in the initial announcement), now his poem has a spelling error (in the Beanie Baby Listings on the site)... reading:

I have horns, I'm quite a sight
Some people run away in fright
But I don't wnat to scare you away
All I want to do is play!

... Contests
The webmasters of the sites listed below have informed us they are having contests. You may want to check them out ... you can't win if you don't enter.
Beaniespot
BeanKid's NEWSCenter

... Peggy Gallagher Authentication Service
Peggy shares the following, which we would like to pass along:

Beanie Baby Authentication Service by Peggy Gallagher
Saturday, April 7, 2001     11:00 am to 2:00 pm
The Cat's Meow Gift Shop      Tele: 1 847 657 6369
1814 Glenview Road
Glenview, Illinois 60025    (Chicago Suburb)    Free Parking
(Between Harlem Avenue and Waukegan Road) Downtown Glenview
Limit 5 Beanies per person please.   $15.00 per Beanie
Save the insurance and shipping fee!!
Peggy is looking forward to meeting you!

Thank you
Sincerely,
Peggy Gallagher Enterprises, Inc. www.peggyg.com

... RyeByPost Lottery Update

This weeks winning numbers, new prize & the winner has been announced on the lottery page.Four numbers were matched to win the Sewn-On-Patch Britannia Bear. (In total eight (8) players matched four numbers but the earliest submitted entry wins.)
There is another Sewn-On-patch Britannia Bear for the the 4 number prize in next weeks draw.
Again, no one matched five numbers, so the Buckingham Beanie and Buddy Duo will continue to stand as the 5 number prize for next weeks lottery draw.
The lottery is totally free to play, you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own Unique ID number.
Reminder: Other Contest are also available... Buckingham Buddy, Sakura Buddy & Old Face Jade Teddy Beanie.

http://www.ryebypost.com/productsframeset.htm
www.ryebypost.com www.ryebypost.net

... New Releases Added to Ty's Current List
Ty has now added the newest releases to the Beanie Baby Listings on the site. Issy, however, is still noted as a Four Seasons Hotel Exclusive.

... Goldilocks and the Three Bears
What a favorite all-time story, remembered from our childhood years! Celebrity Bears has posted pictures of their new Goldilocks bear. (This release goes along with the Mama, Papa and Baby bears announced earlier.) The picture shows a bear with blonde pigtails and red bows in its hair wearing a red dress with lace. The name 'Goldilocks' appears on the front of the dress. On the back the words "And there she is!" are embroidered.
Click here to view the pictures

... Source: Beanieholics

Note: You can also check out the latest news and updates (with British Exclusives and more) at Celebritybears.co.uk/

... New Beanies Arrive in the U.S.
3:15 pm ... A reader writes that she has just picked up all of the newest Beanies, except Issy, at her local retailer. She also reports "I can't believe it!! I will take pics and send them to you shortly."

Wow! Now that IS quick! You might want to start checking a retailer near you soon!

Update: Thanks for sharing, Norma. They are too cute ... My son LOVES Hornsly!

(Picture Removed)
Cassie, Mellow, Purr, Float, and Hornsly
(Picture property of doodlespage.com)

... Introduction Changes
12:05 pm ... Ty has changed the newsflash introduction for Hornsly to the correct spelling, per the hang tag. (It was originally spelled Hornsley when first introduced.)
Click here to view Hornsly's announcement

Also, Issy's poem is posted, instead of the history behind this Beanie.
Click here to view Issy's announcement

... Who is Annie Nickels?
Ms. Janie has posted some interesting reading about 'the woman at Ty'.
Click here to read the article

... New Beanie Birthdays
Cassie - July 12, 2000
Float - November 12, 2000
Hornsly (hang tag spelling) - August 24, 2000
Mellow - December 7, 2000
Purr - March 18, 2000

(Info received from various sources, including the links posted yesterday from Ms. Janie)

... News from Canada
Lulu reports:

Now on Northern Trade Winds
NEW RELEASES: Check out fun facts and trivia surrounding these newbies!
AUTHENTICATION FOR CANADIANS: How to avoid costly shipping fees.
OWL TAMPERING: New fraud error appears.
TAG ERRORS ON EBAY: Buyer Beware!

Now at http://www.northtradewinds.com/

... From our email
Tina reports: "My retailer was able to order the Issy bear. I even called him back to verify it and he told me that he had ordered all of them, especially Issy."

(Thank you, Tina ... we were wondering, since Issy showed up on the "introductions' on Ty's site ... after the official announcement of the five new Beanies. Several retailers earlier had reported that they were unable to order it as of early this morning. I guess we will find out soon enough. But with Issy being a 'charity' bear, I would hope it would eventually be in plentiful supply!)

... Issy is There Now!
Issy has now been added to the Ty announcement of the newest Beanies.
Click here to view Issy's announcement

... REAL New Beanie Pictures
3:10 pm ... Sly has shared with Ms Janie some incredible pictures (found on eBay auctions) of the NEW Beanies, which apparently are already showing up in the UK. To take a peek at them, click on the links below. Note: It isn't a suggestion that you purchase, just a chance to see nice pictures.

Hornsley
Cassie
Purr
Float

... March Ordering Limitations
11:15 am ... For those interested in what is allowed for March orders by Ty retailers, Ms. Janie has posted the information, which can be read by clicking here.

... Planet Beans Contest
Lisa has shared the following information, which we would like to pass along:

Planet Beans (http://www.planetbeans.com) is holding another great contest this month with the thanks of Andrea's Attic (http://www.andreasattic.com). Andrea will be awarding one VERY lucky Planet Beans visitor an AUTHENTIC CORAL BEANIE BABY. You must be a newsletter subscriber to participate as the contest questions will only be asked on the daily newsletters. Answer simple questions to earn daily entries. I will be posting EXTRA entry questions from time to time as well. Please check the contest page for details. http://www.planetbeans.com/CoralContest.htm

Thanks!! :o)
-smiles
Lisa

... Collectiblez Contest
Ryan shares the following:
Collectiblez [ http://www.collectiblez.net ] is currently having a new St. Patrick's Day contest where you could win many great prizes including Erin Beanie, Buddy & Teenie, Shamrock & more!! Visit Collectiblez for more details!
Smiles, Ryan