You’ve seen the listings. Maybe you were digging through a dusty plastic bin in the attic or scrolling through a frantic Facebook marketplace thread when it hit you. A tag with a specific date. If you’ve got a Beanie Baby with an October 15th birthday, you’re likely looking at Fortune the Panda. People get weirdly intense about this specific date. Is it a hidden goldmine? Or just another piece of 90s nostalgia that's more sentimental than spendy? Honestly, it’s a bit of both, but the reality is way more nuanced than those "rare $10,000 find" headlines suggest.
Ty Inc. was a master of artificial scarcity. By giving every plush a specific "birth date," they turned simple toys into personalities. Fortune was born on October 15, 1997, and released into the wild in 1998. He’s a classic black-and-white panda, simple in design but heavy on the lore.
What Really Makes the October 15th Fortune Special?
It’s not just the date. It's the poem.
Most collectors aren't just looking at the black patches or the fuzzy tail. They are obsessing over the hang tag. Fortune's poem is a bit of a vibe: Nibbling on a piece of bamboo / I am so much like all of you / If you look at me you will see / How happy a panda can be! But here is where it gets tricky for the "rare" hunters. Fortune was produced during the height of the Beanie craze. Millions were made. If you have a standard 5th generation Tush Tag and a 5th generation Hang Tag, your October 15th friend is probably worth about the price of a fancy latte. Maybe $5 to $10 on a good day.
So why do some listings show him for thousands?
Usually, it's a mix of money laundering, "keyword stuffing" by hopeful sellers, or genuine errors. There are specific manufacturing variations that actually matter to the high-end hobbyist. For instance, if your Fortune has a 4th generation heart tag (which is rarer for this specific release) or a "Made in Indonesia" stamp instead of the common "Made in China," the value might tick up. Indonesia-made Beanies often used different pellets—PVC instead of PE—and some collectors prefer the "feel" or the scarcity of those specific regional runs.
🔗 Read more: Monroe Central High School Ohio: What Local Families Actually Need to Know
The China vs. Indonesia Debate
Let’s talk about the pellets. Most October 15th pandas you’ll find are stuffed with PE (polyethylene) pellets. They are standard. They are fine. But the ones stuffed with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pellets? That’s where the "OG" collectors start pay attention.
PVC pellets were used earlier in the production cycles. They are heavier. They give the Beanie a different weight in your hand. If your Fortune has a tush tag that explicitly lists PVC pellets, you’ve stepped out of the "common" territory and into the "collector" territory. It’s still not "retire to a private island" money, but it’s definitely "nice dinner out" money.
Decoding the Tag Generations
If you want to know what you actually have, you have to look at the "Ty" logo on the heart tag.
- Is it flat?
- Does it have a star?
- Is the font puffy?
Fortune mostly appeared with the 5th generation hang tag—the one with the yellow star that says "Beanie Original Baby." If yours doesn't have that star, or if the "o" in "original" is capitalized when it shouldn't be, you might have a prototype or a rare transitional piece. These are the details that separate the experts from the people just cleaning out their garages.
Common Misconceptions About the October 15th Birthday
The biggest lie on the internet is that "errors" make every Beanie worth a fortune. You’ll see people pointing at a space between a word and a comma in the poem and claiming it’s a "rare printing error."
💡 You might also like: What Does a Stoner Mean? Why the Answer Is Changing in 2026
Usually? It’s just a Tuesday at the printing press.
Ty Warner, the man behind the empire, wasn't exactly running a high-precision Swiss watch factory. Small spacing issues happened constantly. Unless the error is egregious—like the wrong name on the tag or a completely missing holographic stamp on the tush tag (for later versions)—it rarely adds thousands to the value.
Actually, the "Original" spelled "Origiinal" (with an extra 'i') is one of the few typos that consistently draws eyes. But for Fortune the Panda, most of those "error" claims are just hype.
Where Does Fortune Fit in the Beanie Pantheon?
He’s not Peanut the Royal Blue Elephant. He’s not Chef Robuchon. But he represents the Global Era of Ty.
Back in the late 90s, Ty was trying to appeal to international markets. A panda was a safe, adorable bet for global appeal. It’s why Fortune is so ubiquitous. You could find him at Hallmark stores, gas stations, and airport gift shops from Chicago to London. Because he was so popular, people took care of him.
📖 Related: Am I Gay Buzzfeed Quizzes and the Quest for Identity Online
And that’s the irony of collecting. Because everyone thought he would be valuable, everyone kept him in a plastic case. This means the market is currently flooded with "Mint Condition" Fortunes. Scarcity drives price. If everyone has a perfect one, no one has a rare one.
How to Actually Sell or Value Your Collection
Don't go to eBay and look at "Active Listings." That’s a trap. Anyone can list a sandwich for a million dollars; it doesn't mean it’s worth that.
Instead, filter your search by "Sold Items." You’ll see a sobering reality. Most Fortunes sell for $2 to $12. The ones that sell for $50+ usually have a very specific provenance or are part of a verified "Indo" (Indonesia) run with PVC pellets.
What to look for right now:
- The Tush Tag: Check for a red stamp inside the loop. These numbers (like 400, 401, etc.) indicate the "factory" where it was made. Some collectors hunt for specific factory stamps.
- The "Oak Brook" Spelling: Check the address on the back of the tag. If it says "Oakbrook" (one word) versus "Oak Brook" (two words), it can indicate an earlier or later print run.
- The Birthday: Ensure it definitely says October 15, 1997. If the year is different, you might have a different version or a "Beanie Buddy" (the larger, fluffier version), which has a completely different value profile.
The 90s were a wild time for toys. We really thought these little bean-filled animals were going to fund our kids' college educations. While that didn't happen for 99% of us, the October 15th Beanie Baby remains a fascinating case study in how we assign value to things. It's a mix of nostalgia, color-block design, and the eternal hope that we’ve got a "rare" one hidden in the closet.
Actionable Steps for Owners
If you're holding onto a Fortune the Panda and want to know your next move, start with a physical audit. Use a magnifying glass to check the tush tag for the "P.V.C. Pellets" text. If you see "P.E. Pellets," it’s a common version meant for hugging, not retiring on.
Next, inspect the "Hang Tag" for a plastic protector. If the tag is creased or torn, the value drops by about 50-80% immediately in the eyes of serious collectors.
Finally, if you truly believe you have a rare manufacturing variant—like a missing "UK" after the P08 5HH postal code—consider getting it authenticated by a service like Beckett or a reputable Beanie-specific grader. It costs money upfront, but a "Certified" rare tag is the only way to actually get those high-dollar amounts you see in the news. Without a certificate, it’s just a story. Keep it because you like it, or sell it for a few bucks to someone who will. There’s no shame in either.