THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
This is the text of a page I recently found. Here is the link if you want to go to it. http://www.webzone.net.au/beanies/oldnews.htm
Here is the text only page Beanie Archived News
more will be added in time.
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There are 4 to 5 new beanie kids (BKs) released each month, as I stated there is always a Premier Exclusive (PE) and the rest General releases. A few large chain stores get one Retail Exclusive (RE) each year and this year the independent stores like Toy Kingdom will get their own RE for the first time. So as not to flood the market the PE’s and RE’s are retired immediately, so when stock runs out, they start going up in price. Each month 2 to 4 general release BK’s are also retired to keep the number of current BK always around 45 to 50. There are 4 editions of the BK collectors guide released each year to help you keep track of what is current and retired and which BK has what Birthday.
For people interested in starting collecting there is no need to worry about the expensive ones to start with as you can always get about 50 current releases and most stores carry from 20 to 40 of those at any given time! Locations of Premier stockist can be found on the beanie kids web site, www.beaniekids.com under the “where can I get them” link. If you visit a few stores you usually find between 10 and 30 other retired ones along with the current ones.
Sometimes the general releases are Limited Editions like February’s release had Cupid, and last year there was Cozzie the Aussie Bear for the Olympics. Usually there is a mother’s day and Easter limited edition as well. One BK each year is released as a fun raiser. So far they have helped Make a Wish, Camp Quality and this year the Australian branch of WWF benefited from Bamboo the Panda Bear. $1 from each BK goes to the charity that the BK sponsors.
All these BK’s are $9.95 each and most stores if you buy regularly at will give a free one after you buy 10, making them $9.05 and if you buy into the redemption program and get the Gig Guides stamped 8 times Skansen will award you one more BK for the cost of the Guide and postage so that one will cost you $5.50 approx. If you do a complete set of 5 redemption BK’s all at the same time you get a full set of 5 redemption BK’s plus a free BK from Skansen as well. In one year, that can mean 50 BK’s at less than $8.50 on average. So it can become a lot cheaper hobby as well. Especially if you go to BK parties at different stores and win more free ones.
Apart from the mainstream BK’s that are 21cm, there are Mini Kids. 2 come out on the BK pyjamas each year and sold through Target. These mini kids are about 2/3 the size of normal BK’s. There are also Cuddly Kids (CK) that are 42cm and then there are Great Big Kids (GBK) which are 80cm tall. Only 1 CK is released each month and only 2 GBK each year apart from special promotional ones. This year they released 1 GBK Bamboo that was auctioned on Ebay and raised over $2400 for the Australian WWF as well as what was raised from the BK sales.