If you were anywhere near a shopping mall in the late nineties, you remember the fever. It wasn't just about cute plush toys filled with plastic pellets. It was a speculative bubble that rivaled the dot-com boom. People were genuinely convinced that a Beanie Baby November 29 release or a specific swing tag error could pay for their kid’s college tuition.
Looking back, it’s easy to laugh. But for Ty Warner and the millions of collectors tracking every "retirement" announcement, the dates mattered. November 29, 1999, stands out as a pivotal moment in the Beanie timeline because it marked the beginning of the end for the original craze. It was the day Ty Inc. basically tried to pull the plug on the whole brand, only to have the fans scream so loud that the company did a total 180.
Why the Beanie Baby November 29 Announcement Broke the Internet
In 1999, the internet was still making that screeching dial-up noise, but Beanie Baby forums were already the Wild West. On November 29, Ty Warner made a shocking announcement: all Beanie Babies would be retired on December 31, 1999.
Imagine the chaos.
Every collector who had invested thousands of dollars suddenly thought their collection was about to become a finite piece of history. Ty’s website featured a black background with a somber message. It felt like a funeral for a toy line. This wasn't just a marketing gimmick—or at least, it didn't feel like one at the time. It was a strategic move that fundamentally changed how people viewed the "investment" side of Beanie Babies.
The Great "End of the Era" Vote
Ty Inc. didn't just say they were quitting. They turned it into a democratic event. After the Beanie Baby November 29 bombshell, they asked fans to vote on whether the Beanies should stay or go.
- The cost to vote? Just a few cents via a long-distance phone call or online.
- The result? An overwhelming "Yes" to keep them alive.
- The reality? Most experts now believe this was a calculated play to clear out old inventory and reignite a flame that was starting to flicker.
By December, the "The End" bear was released. It was a black bear with a gold ribbon, symbolizing the supposed death of the brand. But, predictably, the brand didn't die. It just entered a weird, bloated phase that eventually led to the 2000s market crash.
The Value Myth: Is Your 1999 Beanie Actually Worth Anything?
Let’s get real for a second. If you have a tub of Beanies in your attic, you probably think you’re sitting on a gold mine. You've seen the eBay listings for $50,000.
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Honestly? Most of those are fake.
The Beanie Baby November 29 era produced some of the highest volume of toys in the company's history. Because everyone thought they would be valuable, everyone kept them in pristine condition with tag protectors. Value comes from scarcity. When everyone has a "mint condition" Peace Bear, nobody has a rare item.
The Peace Bear and the 11/29 Factor
The Peace Bear is the poster child for this era. Released in 1996 but produced heavily through 1999, it’s famous for its tie-dye fabric. No two are exactly alike. That sounds rare, right?
Well, no.
They made millions of them. However, if you have a Peace Bear with a specific birthday or a tag error that coincides with the late '99 production run, you might have something worth more than a Happy Meal. Collectors look for:
- Gasport Errors: Look at the swing tag. If it says "Gasport" instead of "Gosport" (the town in England), you’ve got a slight premium.
- The "Origiinal" Typo: Look for the extra 'i' in the word "Original" on the front of the tag.
- Indonesian vs. Chinese production: Some Indonesian versions have different pellet types (PVC vs. PE) which nerds—I mean, high-end collectors—actually care about.
Most "common" Beanies from the 11/29 era sell for about $5 to $10. The shipping often costs more than the toy itself. It’s a tough pill to swallow for people who spent $500 on a rare "authenticated" bear back in the day.
The Psychology of the 1999 Crash
Why did we fall for it?
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The Beanie Baby November 29 announcement was a masterclass in FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Ty Warner was a genius at manipulating supply and demand. By announcing a total retirement, he created a "liquidity event" where people scrambled to buy whatever was left on the shelves.
Zac Bissonnette, who wrote The Great Beanie Baby Bubble, points out that this was the first time a collectible was marketed specifically as a collectible to the middle class. It wasn't about the toy; it was about the potential profit. When the 11/29 announcement was eventually retracted and new Beanies were announced for January 1, 2000, the spell was broken for many. The "scarcity" was revealed to be a choice, not a fact.
How to Spot a Real Rare Beanie Today
If you are still hunting for the "Big Ones" from that era, you need to ignore the date on the tush tag and look at the generation of the swing tag.
A "1st Generation" tag is a single heart-shaped piece of cardstock with no opening. By the time we got to the Beanie Baby November 29 drama, we were on the 5th generation tag.
If your bear has a 5th gen tag (the common one that opens like a book), it’s probably not worth much unless it’s a specific "Holy Grail" like the Royal Blue Peanut the Elephant or an authentic Chef Robuchon bear.
What Most People Get Wrong About Tag Birthdays
There’s a common misconception that the birthday printed on the tag is the day the Beanie was "born" or released. For example, some people see a birthday near Beanie Baby November 29 and assume it’s a special commemorative edition.
It’s not.
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The birthday is just a flavor text detail. The actual "rarity" comes from the production run. For instance, the bear "1999 Signature" has a birthday of January 1, 1999. It was part of the final push before the supposed retirement. While it's a beautiful bear with a red heart embroidered on its chest, it was mass-produced to the point of exhaustion.
Actionable Steps for Beanie Owners in 2026
So, you’ve found a box of Beanies. Maybe you even have the 1999 "The End" bear or a "Peace" bear from that final 11/29 era. What do you actually do with them? Don't just list them on eBay for $10,000 and hope for a miracle. That’s a waste of time.
First, get a magnifying glass. Check the tush tag for the stamp inside. A small number or mark inside the tush tag can indicate which factory it came from. Collectors sometimes pay a premium for "Made in Indonesia" versions because the colors often vary slightly from the Chinese versions.
Second, check for the "Ghost" versions. Some Beanies from the late '90s were produced with "No Name" on the tush tag. These are genuine factory errors. If you have a Peace bear where the tush tag is completely blank or has a different name than the swing tag, you might actually have a three-figure item.
Third, be realistic about "Authentication." Services like Becky’s True Blue Beans still exist. If you truly think you have a rare variant, pay the $20-$30 to get it authenticated. An unauthenticated "rare" Beanie is just a toy; an authenticated one is a commodity.
Fourth, look at the "New Face" vs. "Old Face" Teddy. While the 11/29 announcement focused on the 1999 roster, the real money is in the early 90s transitions. If you find an "Old Face" Teddy (where the eyes are on the side of the head like a real bear) mixed in with your 1999 stash, that’s your winner.
Finally, consider the sentimental value. For most of us, the Beanie Baby November 29 memories are worth more than the cash. They represent a specific slice of 90s optimism. If they aren't worth a fortune, give them to a kid who will actually play with them. They were, after all, designed to be hugged, not stored in plastic coffins for thirty years.
The bubble may have burst, but the history of how a tiny plush toy nearly broke the retail world remains one of the most fascinating case studies in American consumerism. Use sites like Beanie Price Guide or recent "Sold" listings on eBay—not "Active" listings—to get a pulse on what the market actually looks like today. Realized prices are the only metric that matters in a post-bubble world.