The Great Beanie Baby Bubble

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

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It‘s just utterly fascinating that people looked at cheap, mass-produced bean bag animals as a long-term investment?! I mean really. But who didn‘t know someone circa 1998 (my aunt) that owned tag protectors. 🤷🏻‍♀️

And Ty Warner is a fascinating person. He‘s full of sorrow, yet completely cunning. Really interesting #audiobook! 4⭐️

L_auren

k.reads.5 I loved this one as well! Agreed, so fascinating! One of my favorite business biographies. 5y

Amiable Oh my god, my mother had buckets of these—with tag protectors! I think she really thought they would be worth a fortune some day. 🙄 5y

sarahs.thoughts.on.books I had a few. Though I did remember buying lots of stuffed Winnie the Poohs between 1999-2003 hoping that one day I'll be able to resell 5y

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Megabooks @k.reads.5 For sure! This is definitely a book I wouldn‘t have heard about without Litsy, and I‘m so glad I read it. 5y

Megabooks @Amiable it‘s just so crazy! You‘d probably find this book interesting. 5y

Megabooks @essayareayaitch I don‘t remember that, but I was in college then, and you‘re tuned into different then. 5y

TheAromaofBooks haha we just played with ours anyway! 5y

Megabooks @TheAromaofBooks I only had one because I was 18 during the craze. I cut the tag! #rebel 😉 5y

Amiable @Megabooks My mother also collected Cabbage Patch Dolls. Those things still give me nightmares. 😬 5y

Megabooks @Amiable I had one but I can see how multiple would be creepy! 5y

sarahs.thoughts.on.books @Megabooks those were my college years too. The first few I got because they were cute, and my room needed decor. Then it became a “it's Disney, these will be collector's items one day" thought. Then it just became a hoarder problem 5y

Megabooks @essayareayaitch interesting! 👍🏻 I didn‘t have anything except the beanie baby that a (thoughtful) guy I went on a few dates with gave me. The toy is a dachshund-looking one, which is my favorite breed of dog. 5y

L_auren Yay I‘m glad you tagged me and that you enjoyed it!!! Such a great book on the craze 5y

Megabooks @L_auren It really is! Thanks for recommending it! 5y

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Magpiegem

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

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I agree with some other reviews that this was quite dry in places but I still found it fascinating! Here‘s Teddy with one of his Ty Beanie Boos 😊

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 6y

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Magpiegem

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

A couple of weeks ago my little boy found this “sammy” beanie baby at a car boot sale and fell in love. The lady kindly gave it to him for free and he promptly tore the Ty heart label off and gave it a big cuddle. Even now my instinct was to say “no don‘t tear off the tag!!!” 😄 I‘m enjoying listening to the tagged book and hearing just how much craziness there was around Sammy and his friends! And what went into his design!

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Megabooks

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

It‘s #Easy to see why people wanted #TheMostToys from Ty. They thought collecting stuffed animals would make them overnight millionaires. (Uh, the ‘90s were weird. 🤩🤪)

This is still on my #TBR, but I‘ll get to it. #StarTrekSummerMay #MayMovieMagic #Audible #audiobook

Megabooks, Cinfhen, RohitSawant

TheWordJar I had no idea there was a book about this! I have to read it! My sister (9 years older than me) had tubs and tubs of those things thinking she could make money off them. Spoiler alert: she didn‘t. 😂 6y

Cinfhen Ha!!! Great choice!! I totally forgot about this book. It was a decent read. Fascinating in parts 6y

Megabooks @TheWordJar @L_auren said it was one of her top ten books of last year, which is why I got it. I just haven‘t read it yet! My aunt was a big collector. 6y

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Megabooks @Cinfhen Thanks! I hope to get to it soon! 👍🏻 6y

Cityofamber I still have a few trash bags full of beanie babies somewhere from all the ones my grandmother got me 😂😂 6y

CuriousCaterpillar I NEED TO READ THAT BOOK!!! 6y

marleed Omg - every time I think I‘ve donated or given away my last Beanie Babie we discover another box of those critters. What the hell was I thinking. Those lines! And the McDonald‘s for the teeny beanies! 6y

Megabooks @Cityofamber 😂😂😂 I think I donated all of mine except for the dachshund! 6y

Megabooks @CuriousCaterpillar Maybe we could do a buddy read?? 6y

Megabooks @marleed I donated mine, too. Those McDonald‘s lines were CRAZY!! 🤯🤯🤯 6y

CuriousCaterpillar @Megabooks I would have to find time to read it. I was surprise when I saw your post. I did not even know there was a book on beanies baby. It my next book to read, but I‘m too busy right now with school work, but thanks for the invited 6y

Megabooks @CuriousCaterpillar No problem! I hope you enjoy it. It‘s so hard to find time for pleasure reading when you‘re in school!! 6y

L_auren @Megabooks Okay my friend brought this up at book club tonight and said it was her fave recommendation ever from me!!! 6y

Megabooks @L_auren Damn! I need to start this! 6y

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Cinfhen

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

so-so

Thanks to a previous post by @L_auren I fulfilled my final prompt for #NonFiction2019 🎉❣️🙌🏻 This is the story of Ty Warner, an eccentric toy developer who turned a passion for plush novelty toys into a billion dollar collectible frenzy. In the course of 4 years he saw his $5 beanie babies selling in the upwards of $5000. 3 🌟for book content, 5 🌟for fun memories. I read so many great books, thanks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m so glad you enjoyed it! And I believe you are the first completed coverall board! Congratulations 🎉 6y

tdrosebud Great job getting a coverall! 6y

merelybookish Rock 🌟! 6y

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CarolynM My kids used to collect beanie babies. I had no idea anyone thought it was an investment🤔🙄😂 6y

mhillis Awesome!! 😎 6y

TrishB You nailed that challenge 👍🏻 6y

Amiable Congratulations! 6y

KarenUK Which were your favorites? 💕 6y

Cinfhen Thanks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tdrosebud @merelybookish @CarolynM @mhillis @TrishB @KarenUK @Amiable if I had to choose my favorite 5 were Trauma Cleaner, Bad Blood, Not My Father‘s Son, Devotion and 👇🏼

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks

(edited) 6y

Cinfhen But honestly they were all at least 3 stars and most were 4 and a few 5 stars 6y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa That‘s great to hear, and just so you know, I am already working on next years card. 🙄 6y

Cinfhen Woohoo 🙌🏻 🎉 🥳can‘t wait @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 6y

L_auren Glad to help and your bingo card is awesome! Lots of great ones!! 6y

AnneFindsJoy Woohoo! Congrats on filling your card! I‘ve got 10 more to go! 6y

Cinfhen Thanks @AnneFindsJoy @L_auren I read so many great books for this challenge 🤓🥰🤩 6y

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Cinfhen

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

Almost done! Sun is shining today and nothing is gonna burst my happy bubble☀️🌴🍹Reading this book about the biggest marketing scam to ever hit suburbia... my mom actually thought collecting these $5 bean bag dolls were going to put her 16 grandchildren through college 🙄book is a little dry at times but still a fascinating read.

HeathHof My grandparents did the same thing! 😅 6y

Beatlefan129 I had sooo many Beanie Babies when I was growing up. But at least we played with them, we had no illusions that they‘d make us money 6y

Cinfhen It‘s sheer craziness @Mynameisacolour 6y

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Cinfhen By the time my mom realized they were valueless my kids had moved on to Bratz dolls & Pokemon cards @Beatlefan129 😏😜 6y

IamIamIam Lol, I worked with a woman who was doing the same thing! We all enabled her by cleaning out the local McDonald's when they were offered in Happy Meals!!! I must have put on 20 lbs because of those freaking things!!! 😂 6y

GripLitGrl I think more mom's wanted to collect then kids at the time 😄😄👍 6y

Cinfhen Yup @GripLitGrl the mom‘s basically took the beanie baby from a toy to a collectible and killed the joy 6y

Cinfhen I so remember those teeny beanies @IamIamIam and all those Happy Meals 😂 6y

Reviewsbylola We had a few Rubbermaid containers of these. My mom tried to give me one a few months ago for my kids to play with but I wanted nothing to do with it. 🙅🏼‍♀️ 6y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa And great beanie memories in this discussion, and I‘m betting we will look back on the mountains of Funko Pop‘s the same way in ten years...it‘s the big eyes, they suck us in every time! 6y

KT1432 Why is our society so gullible, lol? Even as a kid, the cynic in me didn't understand what made them so special and why they were thought to be valuable lol. 🤷🏽‍♀️ 6y

rubyslippersreads I knew someone at that time who spent a fortune on them; she staked out the Hallmark store every week to get the new ones. I bet she wishes she had her money back now. 😏 6y

Cinfhen I know @rubyslippersreads people were just CRAZED!!!! What a huge waste of money 😫 6y

Cinfhen @lele1432 even kids lost interest early on because they didn‘t do anything!!! 6y

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Megabooks

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

Pre-birthday splurge! 📚🎂🎉 Thanks to @L_auren and @Cinfhen for the rec on the tagged book! I can‘t wait to start.

Everyone is raving about Daisy Jones, so I splurged on that, too! (Six month wait at the library 😱) I loved 7 Husbands.

Cinfhen Woohoo!!!! You choose well😁Im excited for both of those books, myself!!! And pre bday hugs 💓💓 6y

Megabooks @Cinfhen Thank you!!! Hugs right back!! 💕💕💕💕 6y

L_auren Happy early birthday! Hope you enjoy beanie baby :) I must have been the first person to request daisy jones because it came into the library today. Hoping we have matching hugh ratings for it!! 6y

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KT1432 Happy Birthday!! Ooohh and the beanie baby book looks fascinating! I'm adding it to my TBR! The premise sounds similar to

Tulipomania: The Story of the World's Most Coveted Flower & the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused

Megabooks @L_auren Thank you friend! I‘m excited for the book. I have a few library books ahead of Daisy. High five ✋🏻 fellow library patron! Have you read

My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Novel

Megabooks @lele1432 Yes it does!! I‘ve added Tulipomania to my TBR! 🌷 6y

L_auren @Megabooks yes I did!! Really enjoyed it. You?? 6y

Megabooks @L_auren I‘m really liking it so far!! 👍🏻 6y

L_auren @Megabooks k I hated daisy jones 😳 6y

Megabooks @L_auren Wow! Holy #unpopularopinion Batman!! I‘m 10 or so % in. I‘m liking it so far, but I have awhile to go. 6y

L_auren @Megabooks It‘s so blah. Like no creative energy exerted whatsoever. Every voice sounds the same. Wah wah wah. 6y

Megabooks @L_auren I thought it was me!!! I can barely tell the members of The Six apart in these early chapters. Now that you‘ve said it, I can‘t totally see it!!! 6y

L_auren @Megabooks 😈 6y

Megabooks @L_auren you are 😉😉😂 6y

Reviewsbylola Beanie babies still blow my mind. 😆 I‘ll never understand the popularity but we had hundreds of them. 6y

Megabooks @Reviewsbylola My cousin and aunt had tons, but all I had was a dachshund named Peter! 😁😁 6y

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maximoffs

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

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I LOVED this book. It was so fantastic. Although it was short, it was full of information on how the Beanie Baby craze started, the background on Ty Warner and even where Ty is today. A very informative, fun book that was written extremely well!

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maximoffs

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

Trying to make this my last book of 2017

AmyG Hahahaha. I have a million of those in my attic. I have twin girls who were obsessed. 😳 7y

Suet624 @AmyG my grandkids love these things. Fortunately we had a bunch in the attic too. 😀 7y

BethM Oh Lordy lol. My Gram would stand in line every day at McDonald's just to get us some. God I miss that woman! 7y

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JennaRoot

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

Finishing up this audio on my new favorite app #playster. I had no idea Beanie Babies came to life in the Chicago suburbs so I might have been hooked on this story for that reason. Although, I did find myself cleaning just to continue listening to the crazy stories!

Reviewsbylola I think my parents have some tubs of beanie babies hanging out in the depths of their basement somewhere. 😂 8y

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Bookworm54

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

#octphotochallenge #90stoysinbookform #beaniebaby

I have literally just discovered the existence of this book, but it sounds really interesting!

I remember this craze, and still have a couple of my first beanie babies 😍

LibrarianRyan

tpixie I have 4 now adult kids- two grandmas ( now deceased and missed) And about 6 big Rubbermaid boxes of Beanies!! I need to get them to the kids and out of my storage!! 😂 8y

Bookworm54 @tpixie bless you! Get them told 😋 8y

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I still have some floating around my house too! 8y

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rubyslippersreads

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute | Zac Bissonnette

My #90stoyinbookform is a rather sad tale about a very cute toy. 😿 #octphotochallenge

LibrarianRyan

DivineDiana Interesting! So many Babies are stored in the attic! 😬 8y

BookInMyHands My kids were given beanie babies at 3 & 5 years old from a Great-great-aunt. She told them they should keep the tags on 😂. I was just glad the tags lasted until we left her house! 8y

Merethebookgal Interesting! My sisters and I actually played with our Beanie Babies and really liked them, but my mom definitely went overboard on how many she bought us 😄 8y

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katedensen My mom once drove to every McDonald's in a ten mile radius to buy Happy Meals when the toys were mini Beanie Babies. She donated the meals to homeless shelters because we weren't allowed to eat fast food, but she gave me the minis. 8y

rubyslippersreads @BookInMyHands @Merethebookgal Based on the title of this book, I'd say you did the right thing just enjoying them at the time. 😄 8y

rubyslippersreads @katedfisher What a sweet thing for your mom to do. 😀 8y

rubyslippersreads @DivineDiana I think I've heard that some are still worth $$. Maybe you have a treasure in your attic. 😺 8y

katedensen @rubyslippersreads She was (and still is) pretty badass when it came to parenting and going above and beyond for her kids. 8y

Suzze During the Beanie craze, I managed an indie bookstore next to a Hallmark store. People would park in front waiting to see the UPS truck make a delivery and run in too see if any new Beanies had arrived! I'll admit I bought 10 or so that I thought were cute. 8y

rubyslippersreads @Suzze I bought a few too, but I knew a woman who "stalked" a Hallmark store and bought them all. I bet she wishes she had her money back. ? 8y

DivineDiana @rubyslippersreads I'll have to look into that! 😀 8y

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