May News!

... June Info Beanie
Well, as a bit of a surprise ... Cheezer is Ty's June Info Beanie (with 28.5%, followed by Cheery - with 26.3%).
Click here to view the rankings

... New Introductions!
9:55 am EDT ... Ty has introduced five new Beanie Babies ... Propeller, Mrs., Mr., Frills, and Dizzy !!! (Pictures are not currently showing up ... should be up shortly!)
Click here to view the announcement

Update: The pictures are now available .... TOO CUTE! ... Way to go, Ty!!!

... Beanies For Preemies
A central Phoenix hospital unit started a drive last week to get more Beanie Babies, which will help with the development of premature infants. When the babies go home, the Beanies go with them.
Click here to read the story

... Source: Beanieholics

... Ty Website
4:30 pm EDT ... The Ty Website is currently inaccessible. Perhaps technical problems? .. or maybe something exciting on the horizon? We shall see! (Ty Trade seems to be working fine.)
Update: The Ty site is up and running now. (But do you feel something brewing?)

... Info Beanie
11:40 am EDT ... As our imagination has a way of wandering sometimes, wouldn't a Cheezer Buddy be an interesting introduction? The Info Beanie Diary entry states:

Tuesday May 29, 2001 9:04 p.m.
We made ice cream sundaes! It was so much fun to see who could make the biggest one. Cheezer was the winner! His sundae was huge! I didn’t think he was going to be able to eat it all either but he did. Maybe he’ll wake up tomorrow and be twice the size he is now. Wouldn’t that be funny! It wouldn’t matter to me though, he would still be my buddy. I’m going to read some of my mail now. I’ll talk to you later. Bye!
Click here to read the Info Beanie Diary Entry

Speaking of Info Beanie, the June voting polls close tomorrow. Currently, Cheery is in the lead (25.9%) followed right behind by Cheezer (25.8%)!
Click here to view the current rankings
Click here to vote for June Info Beanie

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
Ty has retired 'Smart' the graduation owl Beanie Baby this morning.
Click here to view the announcement

... Upcoming Trade Shows
Many of you may be curious as to upcoming Trade Shows - when and where they will take place. Sly has provided Ms Janie with some information he has gathered, including dates and links.
Click here for Trade Show Info

... Ty Trademark
12:25 am EDT ... On April 14,1999, a registration trademark filing was made by Ty for the words "The Heart of Collectibles". The description: "RETAIL STORE SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH MULTI-USER GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORKS FEATURING PLUSH TOYS, POSTERS, TRADING CARDS, CHILDREN'S ACTIVITY ITEMS, AND GAMES". An official registration trademark number has now been assigned, dated May 29, 2001. (This phrase can be noted on the TyTrade link on Ty's website.)

Note: Although the registration itself is not 'new', I thought it interesting to note that Ty officially owns the trademark now.

... Planet Beans Website
Lisa wishes to inform readers that you may have problems with the Planet Beans website with the normal URL. However, you can reach her site at http://208.26.81.30. This IP URL will be in effect for several days until the Domain registration is taken care of.

... eBay CEO on the Past and Future
11:35 am EDT ... How can we expect eBay to change as more users get broadband access? What did eBay do right that competitors didn't? Fraud occurs on a small percentage of eBay trades, but it gets a lot of attention and there's probably no way to stop it entirely. What is or can be done? Read what Meg Whitman, eBay's Chief Executive, has to say.
Click here to read the article

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
10:45 am EDT ... Who says you can't expect the 'unexpected'? Say goodbye to HORSE and RAT Zodiac Beanies. Two left ... DOG AND DRAGON.
Click here to view the announcement

... Ty Still Holding Their Own
According to GiftBeat, a retailer publication magazine, Ms. Janie reports that Ty is still holding their own in the 'Baby Gift', 'Reorder' and '$5 Or Less' categories.
Click here to view the list rankings

... June Info Beanie
The polls will close in four days ... if you haven't voted yet, now's your chance to vote for Ty's June Info Beanie. It's interesting - at the moment Dart and Cheezer are both 'tyed' for first place (25.5%), followed closely by Cheery (23.4%).
Click here to vote
Click here to view the current rankings

... Slow news
Although news is a bit slow this weekend (which is quite typical over a holiday), rumors are flying of antipicated retirements (such as Patriot Beanie and Glory Buddy) ... new releases ... Classy's appearance ... what's next with the BBOC ... etc. Only Ty knows for sure; we shall sit back and anticipate just what may be next! ... the 'unexpected'. In the meantime, enjoy your holiday weekend. Have fun and be safe!

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This weeks winning numbers, prizes & winners have been announced on the RyeByPost lottery page. Only the 3 & 4 number prizes in last weeks draw were won. Next week's winning lottery prizes are:
6 number prize - 'Billionaire #1 Bear'
5 + Bonus number prize - 'New York Issy with Card'
5 number prize - 'Unity Beanie Baby'.
4 number prize - 'Buckingham Beanie & Buddy Duo'
3 number prize - 'Ariel Beanie & Buddy Duo'.
The weekly lottery is totally free to play and you can enter daily. You just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own Unique ID number.
Visit RyeByPost here

... New Attic Treasure Tush Tags
The two recently released Patriotic Attic Treasures - Washington and Uncle Sam - are showing up now. It has been reported by Sal's Attic that Ty has changed the style of the tush tag ... it is now one single piece instead of a folded tag.
Click here to view pictures

... Finally
Our web host server has been down most of the day. But we're back up now, with news to follow. Thank you for your patience.

... Bobbin 'Beanies' ... !!!
"I can Bob with you ... we Be Bobbin Beanies" ... now does that catch your attention? :) When news is a little slow, webmasters can come up with some fun things in the interim! Ms Janie has had a blast ... with some interesting notes!
Click here to read the article!

... FBI Hunts 88 Online Scammers
Further to information posted this morning, below is an interesting article as well. (Included in the article is an email address for the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center if you feel YOU have been scammed.)

Four cases, involving losses totaling more than $250,000, resulted from items offered on eBay. One offered classic cars for about $10,000 each that were never delivered. Another, which also sold on the Yahoo auction site, stiffed 200 victims out of thousands of dollars' worth of Beanie Babies and computer games, FBI officials said. Most victims of Internet auction fraud who contacted the FBI were males between the ages of 20 and 50. The most common frauds involved Beanie Babies (27 percent), video consoles, games and tapes (24 percent) and laptop computers (18 percent). The average victim lost $776.

Click here to read the article

... Ty Site - Webtv users
From our email:
I checked on the Official Ty Website this morning and the "for Webtv" link is back up. For many months, this webtv only link has been void of any new Announcements, Retirements or Newsflashes. All the news that computer users were privvy to was known to us webbies only through beanie information sites such as Doodles.

For the past few weeks, the "Web Tv" link has been down, and we have been able to link to the "regular" Ty website, and enjoy all the news and retirements as they have happened (instead of waiting for the item to appear in the newflash Archives). Let's hope that the webmasters at Ty have listened to all the complaints and emails, and fixed the problem for webtv er's, so we can again receive the Ty news while it is still NEWS!

Ron

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
Ty has retired two more Zodiac Beanie Babies this morning ... Tiger and Rabbit. (Four more to go!)
Click here to view the announcement

... FBI Reports Nationwide Internet Fraud Crackdown
... Reported to us by Ms. Janie
(Reuters Securities) "A major crackdown on Web-based fraud has broken up pyramid schemes, phony ``Beanie Bay'' auctions and other Internet scams that had cheated 56,000 people out of more than $117 million, U.S. law enforcers said on Wednesday. A total of 88 people have been charged and 62 arrested in the operation code-named ``Cyber Loss'' involving 61 separate federal, state and local investigations, the FBI and Justice Department announced. ... The alleged scams included online auctions of such things as Beanie Baby dolls and computer games that fleeced 200 people out of a total of $20,000 without delivering, FBI officials said."
Click here for the full story

... NINI Tea Pots!
Although completely non-Beanie related 'news', I wanted to pass along some information from Ms Janie. Over the next several days, she will introduce an array of gorgeous hand-painted NINI tea pots offered by the Treasure House. A short description of each pot will be included, along with a limited-time special introductory offer. (Just had to mention them ... ah, the childhood memories!)
Click here to view

... Father's Day Bear
We Make Bears 4 U has just issued their latest press release, introducing personalized Father's Day Bears. You might want to check out their other bears as well ... great personalized gift ideas.

... Newsflash Removed
10:00 am EDT ... Yesterday's retirement newsflash has been removed ... perhaps something later today? We shall see. (Although it's apparent that there aren't the number of Beanie collectors out there, as in the past ... Ty has sparked the interest a bit with his continuous marketing expertise. He still keeps us on our toes, wondering what will be next.)

With news a little slow, it has given me more time to continue working on 'remodeling' the site, and preparing for the launching of the next contest. Now if I could just find that hummingbird!

... National Stationary Show - NY
Beanieholics reports: Ty Inc had a booth set up at the recent 2001 National Stationary Show at the Javitts Center in NY City. Find out what was on display, what the Ty Reps had to say, and more.
Click here to read the article

... Did you know? ...
11:00 pm EDT ... Classy was the first Beanie Baby to have a 2001 Birthday (April 30). Now Addison joins with a birthday of May 20, 2001. ... Just an interesting trivia fact :)

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
9:55 am EDT ... Ty has retired three Beanie Babies this morning ... Aurora, Mellow, and Nectar. (Nectar has been quite 'rare' ... I haven't even seen it in my area. THAT was a quick one!)
Click here to view the announcement

... More 'May Daze' at Beanieholics
The final stage of 'May Daze' begins at Beanieholics. They have more prizes to give away. This week, they are giving away the following Celebrity Bear prize packages: a set of the Wizard Bears (years 1 through 4); Star #59 and #60 (the Jr. and Sr. Nascar racing bears); Star #6 and its larger Collect-a-Bear counterpart (It's the 'King'! "Thank ya, thank ya very much"); and the first two British Collection Bears (VERY rare in the U.S.). Check by their site for full details.

... Hmmmmm
Sometimes you hear things, they put ideas in your mind, and it sure starts to wander. Here's something to ponder ...

A couple of days ago, McDonalds confirmed that they would not be offering the Teenie Beanie Babies promotion this year. When we first heard that Ty had registered for the name "Beanie Boppers", we envisioned ... perhaps - Beanies will 'bobbleheads'? Now to fit the two together ... posted on the Ty Talk Cyberboard, lostinbeanies writes:

My Guess is That The new promo item is Ty beanie baby watches or Bobbing head beanie baby figurines "Tyme" and "beanie boppers" are 2 of TY's newest trademarks. Tyme was a Trademark for watches and the other was for toys according to certain beanie websites.

... Thanks to Randy at Beanieholics for pointing this out to us

... Addison Photo !!
10:00 pm EDT ... Good job, Ms Janie! She has shared a VERY nice photo of 'Addison', sent by a reader.
Click here to view Addison

... Addison Available in June
BeanKid reports: According to a Chicago Cub's article, Addison will be available to the general public approximately one month after today! The article reads, "Addison will not be available to the general public until approximately one month after today's game." Remember, the retail store Addison Beanie Babies will not come with the commemorative card!
Click here to read the article

... Addison Beanie Baby Day
12:30 am EDT ... Today, at the Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago Cubs game (1:20 pm CDT), the Cubs and Ty will unveil 'Addison'. This Beanie Baby Bear, along with a commemorative card, will be given out to the first 10,000 children 13 and under.

Note: Sunday, September 30, 2001, (game - Astros at Cubs) ... 'Fan Appreciation Weekend'. The Cubs promo states "Beanie Kids featuring exclusive Ty Gear with Cubs home uniform (1st 10,000 Children) Exclusive Limited Edition."

... Testimony of Paul Glaser
12:45 am EDT ... While browsing around, I came upon an interesting (and quite moving) article ... "The Testimony of Paul Glaser, Chairman of the Board of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation, before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, May 8, 2001".
Click here to read the article

... Collecticritters Update
Linda from Collecticritters writes:
Hello, Have you been wondering What's New in Classic Collecticritters? We have updated the WHAT'S NEW Section of our website! Please go to www.collecticritters.com and check out the NEW "I Love Lucy" page as well. On Wednesday night, our Liberace bear was featured on "The Late Late Show" with Craig Kilbourn! In the opening segment, Craig was imitating the Flying Liberace with our bear! He also said of all the Liberace items he has, the bear was his favorite!

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This weeks winning numbers, prizes, & winners have been announced on the lottery page. Only the 3 & 4 number prizes in last weeks draw were won. Next weeks winning lottery prizes are:
6 number prize is the 'Billionaire #1 Bear'
5 + Bonus number prize is the 'New York Issy with Card'
5 number prize is the 'Unity Beanie Baby'.
4 number prize is the 'Buckingham Beanie & Buddy Duo'
3 number prize is the 'Ariel Beanie & Buddy Duo'.

The weekly lottery is totally free to play and you can enter daily - you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your very own Unique ID number.
Click here to visit RyeByPost

... McDonald's Says: No Teenie Beanies This Year
McDonald's has confirmed that it will not offer its popular Teenie Beanie Babies promotion this year. McDonald's has given away the toys with Happy Meals since 1997 in its most successful promotion ever.
Click here to read the story - Chicago Tribune

... Source: Beanieholics

... Couple Sues Insurance Company over Beanie Babies
Beanieholics reports:
"A jury will decide whether a $27,000 Beanie Babies collection was really stolen or was part of a scheme to defraud an insurance company. Michael and Nancy Klein have sued State Farm Fire and Casualty for at least $31,000, alleging the company improperly denied their claim of losses in a February 1999 break-in they reported to police."
Click here for the story

... Next?
Yesterday's Newsflash on Ty's site, announcing the retirements of Snake and Goat, has been removed this morning. Now just what could be next???

... Ty Newflash - Retirement
9:20 am EDT ... Two more Zodiac Beanie Babies have retired this morning ... SNAKE and GOAT. That's six down, six to go!
Click here to view the announcement

... Newsflash Removed
The newsflash on Ty's site, announcing the retirement of Beanie Buddies Oats and Cardinal, has been removed this morning. Now WHAT could be next?

... Zany Brainy Closing
On our local news station yesterday, it was announced that the Zany Brainy store (located within a mile from us) is 'expected to close', after filing for bankruptcy protection. We regretted to hear the news, as the kids love to visit there ... for computer softwear, legos, books, scooter accessories, and of course Ty products! We had noticed, over the last couple of months, that it seemed the same Beanies/Buddies were on the shelf ... rarely newer ones. Stock also seemed to be depleting on other products as well, without a replenishing.

Below are two articles you may wish to read:

Zany Brainy expected to file for Chapter 11-WSJ (Reuters Securities)
Specialty toy retailer Zany Brainy Inc. may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition on Tuesday.
Click here for the full story
... Source: Ms Janie

Zany Brainy Blames Beanies For Chapter 11 ...
From the New York Post: When it came down to it, Zany Brainy just couldn't digest Noodle Kidoodle. And soft beanie baby sales didn't help any. Zany Brainy, which specializes in educational toys and games, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday. The company listed more than $100 million each in assets and liabilities.
Click here for the New York Post story
... Source: Beanieholics

... 'Addison' Picture and Poem
Brent from BeaNGO has posted an article from the Chicago Sun Times, which shows a picture of the 'Addison' Beanie Baby to be given out this Sunday at the Cubs game to the first 10,000 people, age 13 and under. The poem reads:

In the bleachers we see all
Hope we'll catch a long fly ball
When the day is finally done
Hopefully, our team has won!

Click here to read the article and view the picture of Addison

... A New Look
RyeByPost now has a 'new look' on their website. If you wish to check it out, go to the homepage ... www.ryebypost.com ... be sure to click on refresh. (Don't forget to enter the lottery while you're there as well. There are some great prizes being offered!)

... Contest
Darlene writes:
"Hi, I enjoy your site very much. I have decided to share my love of beanies and give some away every month on my website. My website address is: http://www.vianet.ca/~dandar Could you please help me spread the word?
Thanks"

The current contest is for a Sunny and Periwinkle. It's easy to enter ... you might want to check it out!

... June Info Beanie
The polls are now open ... tt's time to place your vote for June Info Beanie on Ty's site.
Click here to place your vote

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
Ty has retired two Beanie Buddies this morning ... Oats and Cardinal.
Click here to view the announcement

... What's next?
So what's next on the horizon (Tyrizon)? Many anticipated 'Dearest' to retire today (following Mother's Day). So far, it hasn't happened. Many were also wondering if more Zodiac Beanies would retire. Not yet! But then wouldn't that be the 'expected'? Isn't that part of the fun of collecting? Anticipation! :)

... Ms Janie's May Contest
Ms Janie has now started a new Contest ... seven prizes for seven winning contest entries for seven days. There will also be a GRAND PRIZE awarded to one of the seven winning entries. Be creative ... and have some fun.
Click here for contest details

... Happy Mother's Day
Give a 'Mom' you know a special hug today! As many of you know, my Mother is not well ... having gone through 3 heart bypasses this year. She has just returned home from the hospital again (congestive heart failure) ... and is slowly recuperating, although very weak. The kids and myself will be spending some time with her this afternoon ... and planting some flowers in her garden. Share a smile, share a hug .. there IS a Mom out there that could use it !!!

... Sports Beanie Babies?
Although just a simple thought, with the upcoming debut of 'Addison' at the Cubs baseball game next Sunday ... wouldn't 'sports Beanie Babies' be an interesting collection? We already have 'Kicks' (soccer) ... how about football, basketball, etc. (My son is 12 years old and a big 'sports fan'; he has his Disney "sports Mickey's" lined up on his dresser ... referee, football, soccer, snowboarding, basketball, and hockey. Poor 'Kicks' looks a little lost.)

... RyeByPost Lottery Update
This week's winning numbers, prizes and winners have been announced on the RyeByPost lottery page. Only the 3 and 4 numbers prizes in last week's draw were won. Next week's winning lottery prizes are:

6 number prize - 'Billionaire #1 Bear'
5 + bonus number prize - 'New York Issy with Card'
5 number prize - 'Unity Beanie Baby'
4 number prize - 'Buckingham Beanie Buddy'
3 number prize - 'Buckingham Beanie Baby'

The weeks lottery is totally free to play. You can enter daily, you just need to register/join at RyeByPost to receive your own unique ID number.

www.ryebypost.com or www.ryebypost.net

... Addison Beanie Baby
The following was posted on the Ty Cyberboard regarding 'Addison':

Addison on Cubs game tonight......
Binger (09:19 pm. May 11, 2001 )
Message Id: 869244
Binger writes:

I happen to be watching the cubs game tonight and they showed Addison, who is
to be given away on Sunday May 20th.
Did anyone else see this? Chip Carrey's wife was holding him. He is a light blue color with a double bow of white and red and has a baseball on his chest. He looks to be made of the same fabric as fuzz and groovy. My kids can't wait to go to the game next Sunday--I hope I can bribe one out of theirs. Oh yeah he is the classic bear style and not the pooh style. If anyone else saw this please post.
http://www.ty.com/cyberboard/news/msg869244.html

Randy from Beanieholics shares the following information on Addison from a reader:
Hey Guys, I am in the process of watching the Cubs game tonight 5/11/01 and at approx. 7:50pm this evening I saw Addison. He is a Bear, med. blue in color sort of like the cubs blue has a baseball embroidered on his chest and fur looked like the texture of either fuzz or mellow. The announcer Chip Caray had his wife beside him holding up the bear for about a minute. I was so excited I could hardly get my computer turned on and typing was a nightmare. ~Cleo

... Finally!
'Glory' Beanie Buddy is appearing, at least in the midwestern U.S. ... as reported by a reader. This one will probably be grabbed quick ... at only six per store, might want to keep your eyes peeled.

And although slow (seems like there's always a 'slow' one in the bunch), Nectar Beanie Baby is finally showing up as well.

Have fun and good luck!

Update: 4:30 pm EDT ... What a beautiful Bear!!
Thanks for sharing, Norma!

(Picture Removed)
Glory Beanie Buddy™
Poem:
"The flag on Glory the Beanie Baby has 12 Stars and 13 stripes!"

Note: Glory Buddy is listed in the Current Beanie Buddies List on Ty's site.

... Another Ty Trademark Registration
Sly reports to Ms Janie:
On may 3,2001 Ty Applied to register a New Trademark on the word "BEANI" and listed "Plush Toys" as The goods and services. It could be That by registering for this trademark That Ty Inc Might be trying to prevent others from using The word "BEANI" on their products as it could be confused with Ty's "beanie" Or It could be that Ty is trying to register this Trademark for a New Product.
As Always...
Tyme will Tell!!
Sly The Beanie Guy

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
Ty has retired two more Zodiac Beanie Babies ... Rooster and Pig. (This follows the retirement on Tuesday of Monkey and Ox ... four down now, eight to go!)
Click here to view the announcement

... Next?
11:05 am EDT ... The retirement 'newsflash' on Ty's site has been removed. More retirements to soon follow? We shall see!

... The Collectibles Market
"Who is Analyzing the Market Anyway?" Don't be confused by numbers or outspoken analysts. Ms. Janie has summarized how people see (or should see) the collectibles market. It's worth a read!
Click here to read Ms Janie's article

... Site Changes
I have been working over the last few days on some 'remodeling' of the site, specifically the home page. Although a little more involved than I first intended, I'm getting there. (It should speed up the 'load time' a bit, still be easy to navigate around the site, and accessible to everyone.) So look for new and better things to come in the near future!

... Minor Changes to the Cyberboard
5:15 pm EDT ... Although minor, have you noticed the changes this afternoon on the Ty Cyberboard?

... Sewn-On Patch Britannia Beanie Babies
It was brought to my attention yesterday that a note of concern was posted on the Ty Cyberboard, concerning Sewn-On Patch Britannia Beanie Babies. (View the post here). The question of concern was regarding their availability and authenticity. RyeByPost was contacted, and the following response was received, which I wish to pass along:

hi ... we do have a quantity of sewn on patch britannias at the moment for sale. this was due to purchasing a large number of britannias from one of ty's largest accounts in the uk, in with these and a number of other 98 beanies we purchased were a few cases of sewn on patch britannias. i have sold these across the globe including the usa and becky has also looked at them. these came to us as normal britannias and hence we have been able to pass this on to our customers. we are one of the uk's longest running secondary market beanie retailers and my wife sam has a great ebay rating sam@ryebypost.net we guarantee all our product as being authentic and strive for 100% customer satisfaction. if you have any queries regarding these britannias then please contact us via the site.
many thanks sam and vic www.ryebypost.com

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
10:00 am EDT ... As a bit of a shock to many collectors, Ty has retired 'Hero' Beanie Baby this morning, along with 'Cinders'! (Hero has an official release date of 4/1/01 ... just a little over a month old!) ... Will Dearest follow soon? ... or is that too 'expected'? We shall see!
Click here to view the announcement

... Issy With 'Extra Tag'
Ms. Janie has been sent a photo from a collector, showing Issy with a small extra tag attached to the tush tag ... It has the number 27 printed on it.
Click here to read more info and view the picture

... 'Collarless' Regal
8:30 pm EDT ... As many have reported, 'Regal' has shown up in stores now, but without the collar ... as noted on Ty's site when first introduced. A reader has pointed out to me that the introduction of Regal (found in Ty's Archives section of May 2001 releases) now shows this dog WITHOUT his collar. Interesting! (The current list of Beanie Babies on Ty's site still shows him with a collar.) Poor doggie!

... Thank You Bear Auction
I have been made aware of an auction, which I wish to pass along ... Three (3)'Thank You Bear' Beanie Babies, with original "Thank You Cards". All proceeds from this auction are to be donated to the Spinal Cord Society of Washington.
Click here to view the auction

... Ty Newsflash - Retirement
Ty has retired two Zodiac Beanie Babies this morning ... the Monkey and the Ox. These are the first Zodiacs to retire ... more to follow soon?
Click here to view the announcement

... May Daze are Here
Today Beanieholics has begun a series of giveaways that will lead up to their 'Big Birthday Blow Out' next month. Currently, they have three of the 'Mom' bears (from Celebrity Bears) to give away in celebration of Mother's Day. Check out their site for all the details!

... Celebrity Autographed Ariel Auctions
On May 1st, we noted that the last autographed Ariel, on Ty Trade's featured auctions, was signed by Chad Lowe ... that auction ended on April 6th. With the recent introduction of the Ariel Buddy, and the lack of Celebrity-signed Ariel Beanies over the last month, we suspected perhaps a retirement of the Ariel Beanie? Brent at BeaNGO has contacted Adam Coyne, Communications Manager at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and informs us that Adam has stated ... "The auction is officially over." Well, that answers part of our question now!

... Still Inaccessible! (see update)
It appears to be a safe assumption that Ty is preparing for 'new things'/changes on the Ty website in the near future. The links mentioned in yesterday's news are still inaccessible, no featured auctions have been added recently on Ty Trade (although the Ty Trade link IS up and running), and the Ty Cyberboard has not been updated since Saturday afternoon. (However, the Info Beanie has posted in the Diary this morning.) ... Might want to keep a close eye out on the Ty Website!!!

Update: 3:20 pm EDT ... The above mentioned links are now working.

Update: 4:35 pm EDT ... The Ty Cyberboard is back up and running now.

(I still "sense' some changes are around the corner! :)

... Ty Website - Updating?
When clicking on any of the Ty product information sites on Ty's website ... Beanie Kids, Beanie Babies, Beanie Buddies, Classics, Attic Treasures, or Baby Ty ... an 'error' message comes up on the screen ...
This Ty.com feature is currently unavailable. Please try again later. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Regards,
Ty
Click here to visit the Ty Website

Perhaps a whole new look in the next couple of days? We shall see!

... Old Ty Accounts
Do you know of a retailer/florist that 'lost' their account with Ty? Perhaps you should check back by and see if their account has been 'reinstated'. A reader has written in stating that "an old Ty account that sold flowers' is 'back in business with Ty'. They have recently ordered Ty products and should be receiving them any day now!

... Trademarks
Upon browsing around (very early) this morning, I noticed Ty has registered the trademark names for Classy AND Fancy (on April 27th ... Gem's elimination date). I would imagine Ty was preparing for the win of either Beanie Baby for the People's Beanie ... (maybe 'Fancy' is a 'hopeful' on down the road) ... gives a bit of room for thought anyway! :)

... RyeByPost Lottery - Update
I'm not surprised ... with the prizes offered on the RyeByPost lottery ... the number of entries caused a 'server overload'. The problem HAS been resolved and the lottery will open tonight at 9:00 pm UK time. (Unfortunately, this past week's lottery had to be voided.) As a form of apology, RyeByPost has added extra prizes to next week's drawing, in addition to the prizes already in place to be awarded:

6 Number Match - Billionaire #1 Bear
5 Numbers + Bonus Number Match - New York Issy with Card
5 Numbers Match - Unity Bear
4 Numbers Match - Sewn-On Patch Britannia Beanie Bear
3 Numbers Match - Chinook Beanie Bear

ALSO ... there will be a possible SIX (in total) 4 number prizes up for grabs (subject to winners - if only 5 winners match 4 numbers then only 5 prizes will be issued) and THREE (in total) 3 number prizes.

Have your ID number ready ... or register while visiting. You can't win if you don't enter.

www.ryebypost.com

... Ty 'Newsflash'
10:05 am EDT ... Ty has posted a "Happy Mother's Day" 'newflash' on the site this morning, with a Screensaver, Desktop Wallpaper, Beanie Greetings and Gift Ideas.
Click here to view

... New May Beanie Pictures
12:15 am EDT ... Beanie Mom has posted some great close-up pictures of the seven new Beanie Babies, as well as hang tag scans. Click here to view.

Note: Lisa at Planet Beans also shares a link showing six of the new Beanies. However, I did notice Regal is missing his collar in the picture. Click here to view the picture. The introduction picture of Regal on Ty's site clearly showed a red collar ... perhaps removed from the Beanie by Ty for safety reasons? (Mention is also made of the missing collar on the Ty Cyberboard here.) We shall see!

... New Beanie Babies ... Poems and Birthdays
11:15 am EDT ... Ty has listed the poems and birthdays of the newly released Beanie Babies ... well, except for the bears Cheery and Patriot. (See below)
Update: 4:00 pm EDT ... Cheery and Patriot poems and birthdays have now been added as well. (See below)

It has been reported that the new Beanies are now shipping. Be on the lookout ... and happy hunting!

Cheery Birthday ... August 18, 2000 If you're feeling sad and blue Cheery wants to be with you Hug him and he'll make you smile You'll feel better in a while!	Patriot Birthday ... May 29, 2000 I'm proud to wear flag USA I wear it each and every day I think we all should celebrate Because our country is so great!
Kooky Birthday ... October 24, 2000 If you want to have some fun Kooky will be number one This cat loves to dance around To his favorite groovy sounds	Poseidon Birthday ... September 14, 2000 He sports a rather silly grin Wearing spots from head to fin Look around and you'll agree Nothing's bigger in the sea!
Midnight Birthday ... December 23, 2000 Walking silent through the night Always keeping out of sight Not a single noise or sound This is how he moves around!	Regal Birthday ... November 11, 2000 It's not easy being King I just want to do my thing I would rather jump and play Than sit on my throne today!
Nectar Birthday ... July 30, 2000 The smallest bird you'll ever see Flies as swiftly as can be You might miss her if you blink She moves faster than you think!

... Celebrity - Tribute Bear Retires
Celebrity Bears has announced the retirement of the Star #59 Tribute Bear. This bear only had a production run of 4,500. Celebrity Bears produced this limited edition bear after receiving numerous calls and requests to make a Tribute Bear in honor of the NASCAR legend who passed away earlier this year.
Click here for additional info on this Bear

... Source: Beanieholics

... Unity Bear Auctions
Many collectors have recently noticed the quantity of 'Unity' being sold on auctions. Please BEWARE that Holybears offers a Unity Bear. Some auctions indicate "Unity in Hand" ... but do not state if they are Ty or Holybears. Make sure you know what you are bidding on!

Some have also questioned Unity's name as a possible trademark problem. Unity is a "European Exclusive", therefore the name only had to be registered there and not in the USA.

... Source: Ms Janie

(Note: I have also been made aware that 'Patriot' is a Puffkin® Eagle, which retired July 4, 1998. Just wanted to reitirate the fact to be cautious ... do your homework - know what you are buying!)

... Ty Hotel Planning Facelift
Underground parking, additional acres of landscaping, a private spa and an ocean-view restaurant on the Coral Casino's second floor are among changes to the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel in Montecito planned by billionaire owner Ty Warner, the maker of Beanie Babies. Warner, who is also building a mansion in Montecito, purchased the 236-room seaside hotel a year ago for an undisclosed sum and immediately began planning changes there. Detailed applications and supporting documents describing Warner's vision for the Biltmore were submitted to county planners late Monday, launching an extensive permit review process expected to last one to two years.
Click here to read the story

... Source: Beanieholics

... Socrates and Mom Attic Treasures
Although still listed as current on Ty's website, Ms Janie has received information that Socrates and Mom Attic Treasures are not available for ordering on the Ty Retailers online order form. Perhaps an indication that they will retire soon??

... Lottery at Celebrity Bears UK
A new Contest has been launched at Celebrity Bears UK - a lottery. The lottery will be drawn every Wednesday evening, based on the Wednesday UK lottery numbers. You do not need to register; it is by email address - once per day. All entries will roll over if all prizes are not won. So if one prize is won in a week, all entries and remaining prizes continue on to subsequent weeks until they are all won. The prizes are:
- Match 5 - Stars 59 and 60 + the Star 59 Tribute Bear
- Match 4 - Stars 41 through 45 (Wizard of Oz set)
- Match 3 - Star 32
Click here for further information on the Celebrity Bears UK site
Click here for link to the lottery

... May Ordering Parameters
For the month of May, retailers are allowed to order the following items / quantities. (Orders may be entered today, starting at 7:00 am CST.)

- Beanie Babies - 36 pcs. per design per location
- Issy - 24 pcs. per location

Beanie Kids and Ty Gear - are now available for ordering together under the "Kids and Gear" product category.
- Beanie Kids - 12 pcs. per design per location
- Ty Gear - may be ordered in ANY quantity of styles providing the order contains a minimum of 4 boxes of 12 or more. Maximum qty. per style is 48 pcs.
Ty Gear Assortments now available! ... Under the new "Kids and Gear" category, you can now order assortments of Ty Gear Outfits. The (3) assortments are:
- Assortment 1 = Cheerleader, Party Time, Soccer & Witch
- Assortment 2 = Princess, Summer Fun, Doctor & Firefighter
- Assortment 3 = Pajamas, School Days, Ballerina & Baseball
Each assortment contains 3 pcs. of each style.
Now you can combine an assortment of Ty Gear outfits with Beanie Kids on one order.

- Beanie Buddies - 6 pcs. per design per location
- Flitter and Batty are limited to multiples of 12 only
- Jumbo & Extra Large Buddies - 1 pc. per design per location
- Large Buddies - 2 pcs. per design per location
- Attic Treasures - 24 pcs. per design per location
- Baby Ty - 4 pcs. per design per location
- Ty Classic - 12 pcs. per design per location
- Ty Heart tag protectors - 24 pcs.

... Source: Ms. Janie

... Ariel Beanie Baby
The last autographed Ariel, on Ty Trade's featured auctions, was signed by Chad Lowe. The auction ended on April 6th; it's been almost a month now since the last celebrity-signed Ariel auction. With the recent introduction of the Ariel Buddy, perhaps the Beanie will retire soon?? We shall see!

... Lots of Contests!
The webmasters of the following sites have shared contest information you might want to check out ...

Planet Beans has started 2 new contests for May. In one contest sponsored by Andrea's Attic, you can be one of 3 lucky ISSY winners. In the other contest, Nathan of the Beanie Zoo is donating 6 Beanies (Buzzie, Dart, Dearest, Hero, Jester, AND Smart) to be given to one lucky winner.
BeanKid's NewsCenter has now reopened with a new format to help kick off their new contest ... Who Wants to be a BeanBagaire! Visit the site for more info!
Collectiblez has started a new contest with a chance to win an Issy Beanie Baby with Scotsdale tags! Visit their website for more details!
The Daily Bean announced 'Beanie Chase' - a Beanie collecting contest. Participants will move about a gameboard - roll the dice and land on spaces to collect Beanies. At the end of the contest, the persons who have the most valuable collection will win. ... Prizes: Ariel Beanie, Bones Beanie, Bones Buddy, Bubbles Buddy, Buzzie, Dart, Dearest, Glory Beanie, Hero, Jester, Smart, Britannia.