Referred to by collectors as the “Original Nine,” the first line of Beanie Babies debuted in Chicago in 1994. The arrival of the bead-filled plush toys signalled the start of one of the greatest and longest-running collector crazes in history.
The bubble finally burst for Beanie Babies when the floppy animal dolls got so popular that they were no longer exceptional – but not before making their creator, Ty Warner, a billionaire several times over.