You probably have a bin of them in the attic. We all do. But if you’re digging through a pile of Ty Warner’s plush creations, you might be looking for a specific mistake. People talk about the September 14th Beanie Baby like it’s some kind of Holy Grail of collecting. Usually, they're talking about Millennium the Bear.
It’s weird.
Most Beanie Babies have birthdays. It’s part of the charm. But "Millennium" wasn't just a birthday thing; it was a celebration of the turn of the century. Then, the rumors started. You might have heard that if your bear has a specific date—specifically September 14th—it’s worth a down payment on a house.
Honestly? It's complicated.
The Truth About Millennium and the September 14th Beanie Baby Confusion
Let's clear the air. There isn't actually a Beanie Baby named "September 14th." What exists is a massive amount of secondary market confusion regarding the "Millennium" bear and its swing tag.
Millennium was released in 1999. It’s a bright fuchsia-purple bear with a copper ribbon and a globe embroidered on its chest. Because everyone was losing their minds over Y2K, Ty released this bear to commemorate the year 2000.
But here’s where the "September 14th" thing comes in.
On the inside of the swing tag, the "Date of Birth" for the Millennium bear is listed as January 1, 1999. So where does September 14th come from?
The Ty Inc. Internal Error Myth
Back in the late 90s, a rumor caught fire in collector forums (shoutout to the old Beanie Mom message boards) that a small batch of these bears was printed with a September 14th birthday. Some people claimed it was a tribute to a specific employee. Others said it was a prototype date.
The reality? Most of those "September 14th Beanie Baby" sightings are actually misreadings of other tags or, more likely, confusion with Valerie, a different bear entirely. Valerie, a bright red bear, actually has the birthday of September 14th.
So, you have two things happening:
👉 See also: Why People That Died on Their Birthday Are More Common Than You Think
- People looking for a "Millennium" error that doesn't really exist in the way they think.
- People owning "Valerie" and assuming she’s rare because of the date.
It's a mess. Truly.
Why Date Errors Drive Collectors Crazy
In the world of Ty collecting, a typo is basically a winning lottery ticket. Sometimes.
If you look at the Millennium bear, the most famous "error" isn't the date—it’s the spelling. On many Millennium bears, the word "Millennium" is spelled "Millenium" (missing one 'n') on the swing tag or the tush tag.
Because collectors were so desperate for "errors," the date thing got lumped in. People started searching for any date that didn't match the "standard" release. If someone saw a September 14th date on a tag, they assumed it was a "rare misprint" of a different bear.
It wasn't. It was just Valerie.
The Valerie Factor: Who is the Real September 14th Bear?
If you want the actual September 14th Beanie Baby, you’re looking for Valerie. She was born in 2000 and released in 2001. She’s a pretty standard bear. Red fur. White ribbon. Nothing particularly flashy compared to the neon fever dreams of the late 90s.
Is she worth thousands? No.
You can find Valerie on eBay for five bucks. Maybe ten if she’s mint with a tag protector.
The disconnect between "Internet Value" and "Real World Value" is massive here. People see a listing on Etsy for a "Rare September 14th Birthday Bear" priced at $10,000 and think they've struck gold. They haven't. Anyone can list a potato for ten grand on Etsy. That doesn't mean someone is buying it.
The "Gasport" and "Gosport" Legend
While we’re talking about tags and dates, we have to mention the location errors. This is usually what people are actually finding when they think they have a rare September 14th Beanie Baby.
✨ Don't miss: Marie Kondo The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: What Most People Get Wrong
On the swing tags, the location "Gosport" in the UK is often misspelled as "Gasport."
This is incredibly common. Like, millions-of-units common.
Ty Warner was notorious for these little hiccups. Some people think he did it on purpose to fuel the secondary market. Whether it was intentional or just a result of rapid-fire production in Chinese factories, it created a generation of people who think their "Millennium" or "Valerie" bear is a retirement fund because of a single letter or a date format.
What to Check if You Think You Have a Rarity
Don't just look at the date. If you're holding a bear and the date says September 14th, or you're looking for that specific Millennium error, you need to check the "Generation" of the tag.
- Tush Tags: Look for the red heart logo. Is there a stamp inside the loop? Collectors look for "mass production" stamps (like a 400 or 401). If it's blank, that can be more interesting, but usually, it just means it's an earlier run.
- The "S" Factor: Look at the poem on the swing tag. If there’s a space before a comma or a period, that’s a common "error" people try to flip.
- The Pellets: Check the tush tag for "P.V.C. Pellets" versus "P.E. Pellets." The P.V.C. ones were used earlier and are generally more sought after by the hardcore "O.G." collectors.
The Psychology of the Beanie Bubble
Why are we still talking about a September 14th Beanie Baby in 2026?
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. We want to believe that the junk in our basement is secretly valuable. It’s the "Antiques Roadshow" dream. During the pandemic, Beanie Baby interest spiked again because everyone was stuck at home cleaning out closets.
When people saw the Millennium bear with its "1999" date and the "Millenium" typo, they went down a rabbit hole. They saw other bears with different dates. They saw Valerie. They saw the "Gasport" error. Suddenly, the "September 14th rarity" became a piece of digital folklore.
It’s like an urban legend for the eBay era.
How to Actually Value Your Collection
If you want to know what your September 14th bear (Valerie) or your Millennium bear is actually worth, stop looking at "For Sale" listings.
Go to eBay. Filter by "Sold Items." That is the only number that matters. You will likely see that Millennium bears sell for $5 to $15. You will see Valerie selling for roughly the same. Even the ones with the "Gasport" typo or the misspelled "Millenium" rarely crack the $20 mark unless they are authenticated by a service like Becky’s Beanie Classics or PBB (Professional Beanie Babies).
🔗 Read more: Why Transparent Plus Size Models Are Changing How We Actually Shop
Actionable Steps for Beanie Owners
If you're staring at a red or purple bear right now, here is exactly what you should do:
1. Identify the Bear Properly
Match the name on the tag to the physical bear. If the tag says Millennium but the birthday is January 1, that’s normal. If the bear is red and says Valerie with a September 14th birthday, that is also normal.
2. Check the Condition of the Heart Tag
A "creased" tag instantly drops the value by 50% or more. Collectors want "Mint" tags. If you have a September 14th bear but the tag is ripped, it’s a toy for a kid, not a collector's item.
3. Look for the "Made in Indonesia" Label
Interestingly, bears made in Indonesia often used different materials and are sometimes rarer than the mass-produced Chinese versions. Check the tush tag. If it says "Made in Indonesia" instead of China, you might actually have something worth $50 or $100 to the right person.
4. Stop Worrying About the "September 14th" Myth
The date itself isn't the value-driver. The rarity of the specific production run is. Unless your bear has a very specific, documented "one-of-a-kind" mutation (like the wrong fabric color entirely), it's probably just a sentimental keepsake.
5. Get an Authentication Only if Necessary
If you truly believe you have a prototype or a unique error bear, don't just post it on Facebook. Send it to a professional authenticator. They will encase it in a plastic "coffin" and give it a grade. That is the only way to get "big money" for a Beanie Baby in today's market.
Ultimately, the September 14th Beanie Baby saga is a perfect example of how internet rumors can turn a common $5 toy into a legendary "find." Enjoy the bears for what they are: icons of a very specific, very weird time in pop culture history.
Keep your bears clean, keep the tags protected, and don't believe every "rare error" post you see on social media.
Next Steps for Your Collection
Start by sorting your bears by the generation of the swing tag. The oldest bears (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation) are the only ones consistently holding high value regardless of "errors" or specific dates. If your bear has a thin, starless heart tag, that's where the real money is. For everything else, focus on the "Sold" listings to stay grounded in the actual market value.