Why Beanie Baby Patti the Platypus is Worth $6,000
In the 1990s, the Beanie Baby craze took over the toy market as the Ty toy became a highly collectible item that sent buyers into a frenzy. Although the craze crashed as the new millennium began, some special Beanie Babies remain collectible — and lucrative. One notable example is Patti the Platypus. Patti the Platypus has been listed for $6,000 or more on eBay and at auction houses. Patti has become one of the most collectible Beanie Babies of all time, but what’s all the fuss with Patti the Platypus, and why do people want this toy so badly?
Patti is a stuffed platypus toy created by Ty, and it comes in colors like fuschia, maroon, raspberry, and maroon. As far as stuffed animals go, Patti is not all that unique, but it is a sought-after treasure for Beanie Baby lovers. Part of the fun of trying to find Patti is that not all versions are created equally, so each version will have a different value. Some are worth thousands of dollars, while others are only worth a few bucks. Accordingly, if you want to buy a Patti the Platypus, you need to know all the factors that make Patti worth thousands of dollars.
Whether you know a lot about Beanie Babies or only know a little, read on to learn about Patti’s history, her value, and how to get your hands on one of your own without having to break the bank. If you happen to already have one of these beauties, you may be sitting on a goldmine!
Patti’s History
It’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts of this particular Beanie Baby. It was relatively long, being introduced in 1993 and then discontinued in 1998. Of course, Patti’s legacy has lived far beyond that, and this little platypus continues to charm collectors and resellers alike.
Debuting on January 6, 1993, Patti the Platypus quickly became popular because of its deep color and velvety soft texture. Because she was produced early in Ty’s Beanie Baby production, fewer numbers were made, and the low supply put the original version in high demand.
Throughout Patty’s history, four colors, all in the pinkish-purple-red range. What will probably surprise you is that depending on the condition of the individual example you’re selling and the color, one Patti the Platypus example might be worth a lot more money than another. Colors were introduced at different stages of the production of Patti, so you can learn a lot about your Patti based on its color. The first release was in a deep fuschia shade, so you know that fuschia versions are more likely to be from the first release.
This Beanie Baby has six tush tag generations (fabric tags sewn into the tush of the Beanie Baby) and three swing tag generations (paper tags attached with plastic). The generation that a Beanie Baby belongs to also affects the toy’s value. Because she was made for so long, finding a version of Patti is relatively easy, but not everyone will find the expensive version.
When you know a little bit about Patti’s history ahead of time, you can make better decisions when buying a Patti of your own because you won’t waste money on something that isn’t going to be a good profit. You also won’t have to stand there and frantically search through your phone in hopes of finding some concrete information regarding how much you stand to make from selling a particular item.
The Unique Nature of Patti
Patti the Platypus is known for its whimsical design. While many Beanie Babies are colorful, Patti stands out, especially for its rich colors and charming details. Patti’s flippers stand out as a large and bright feature, and its large eyes and beak give life to its face. Collectors love that Patti may be a toy, but it has a lot of personality. When making Patti, the Ty Silk technique was used to give Patti a famously soft and luxurious feeling. Although Patti was initially intended for children and young people, it quickly became a hit with adult collectors as well.
A Rare Beauty
Many people ask, “What makes Patti the Platypus rare?” because this Beanie Baby doesn’t seem all that special at first glance. It’s a small purple platypus that’s cute but has no outstanding features. Patti is rare because it is an early model of Beanie Babies, so it is much harder to find. Plus, this Platypus is so collectible that it is often coveted by collectors, many of whom are unwilling to ever give up their Patti. Thus, there aren’t too many original Pattis on the market.
One of the Originals
Remember how we said it was rare? Well, Patti is also old. A prominent reason that this particular Beanie Baby is worth so much money is that it was one of only nine of the originals that were produced in the Beanie Babies collection. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one of these, you should never pass up the opportunity to purchase it, provided it can be purchased for a reasonable price, and you can ensure it is one of the initial releases.
Not only was Patti one of the originals, but when the original nine were first at the 1993 toy fair, only Patti the Platypus and Brownie the Bear were available for purchase. The other seven Beanie Babies were displayed but were not sold until later. Thus, Patti is special even among the originals!
Even if you’re asked to cough up a few hundred dollars for a prime example, you can still make several times more than you spent by selling it online. After all, a few hundred dollars isn’t much when you compare it to $6,000, so it’s worth considering, at the very least.
The truth is, you can do a simple search on eBay and find a lot of information about the amount of profit you potentially stand to gain. Remember that many people selling on eBay have no idea this is a collectible item in the first place. Others overprice their Pattis, resulting in them sitting on the market for a while.
Others simply want to get rid of their supply for one reason or another, and they would rather sell cheaply than wait for the right buyer to come along. As a result, that search on eBay will yield a number of different results in all price ranges.
In some cases, you can expect to spend as little as six dollars to get your hands on one of these examples, while others sell for more than $10,000.
The Not-So-Originals
While Patty is one of the original Beanie Babies, not all Pattis you see will be from Patti’s original release. Although Ty retired Patti in the 1990s, this toy did have a revival with the release of the Patti the Platypus Beanie Baby Official Club (BBOC) version in 2005. This Beanie Baby was retired in 2006 and came in four of the original colors.
There was also another release for the Ty’s Beanie Babies 2.0 campaign. In 2008, a new Patti, the Platypus, was released as a spin-off. While these versions may not be worth much on the Bean Babies market, this Patti was connected with a good cause. Some of the proceeds from this Patti went to a charity that sought to preserve endangered species habitats. Thus, even the “less valuable” Patti toys still have a special place in our hearts.
Patti II was introduced in July 2023 for the Beanie Baby’s 30th Anniversary, and again, this Beanie Baby isn’t worth that much, but it marks a huge shift as it came with an orange body and blue bleak flippers. It uses plastic pellets with a 15th-generation tush tag and a 20th-generation hang tag. The good news is that you can easily spot this not-so-original in a Patti lineup.
Sorting Through Color Versions
We’ve already talked a little about Patti’s color variations, which you must look at to understand the value of any Patti the Platypus. Because of the fact that there were four different color variations made, one color may be worth more or less than another. It’s imperative that you find out how these color variations affect the worth of the particular example you have before you decide to sell it. Otherwise, you risk letting something go for far less than you ever should have sold it for.
It’s clear that if you want any color, you want the fuchsia color because that is the color of the original Patti that was introduced in November 1993 at the Gatlinburg Gift Show in Tennessee. This specific Patti was only produced for around two months, so the numbers of this Patti are very limited. Add that to Patti being among the first Beanie Babies on the market, and you have an expensive item.
In January 1994, a new color hit the market. The Raspberry Patti still retained a rich color, but this Patty was a little more subdued. It was discontinued before 1995 even hit, so this Patti didn’t last too long. This version was either made in Korea or China and uses PVC pellets. This version has 1st generation and 2nd generation hang tags with 1st generation tush tags.
In 1995, the Magenta Patti was released and discontinued that June. Magenta Patti was produced in both China and Korea and has 3rd generation hang tags with 1st generation tush tags. Like all original run Pattis, it has PVC pellets. One Magenta Patti stands out as having extra value. Magenta Pattis with italicized hang tag text were produced, but they were only released in Germany, so the number of these is highly limited, making them extra valuable.
The fourth Patti was a lighter fuschia-colored Patti. This lasted until May 1998. During production, Ty began making this Patti with PVC pellets but switched to PE pellets at the end of the run. These Pattis were made in Korea, China, and Indonesia, and tush tags span the first 6 generations, while hang tags span the 3rd-5th generations.
For the most part, earlier versions are more expensive, but the value you can get from a Beanie Baby also depends on factors like the tags, condition, materials, generations, and production errors.
Looking at the Tags
It’s also important to look at the tags. People who collect Beanie Babies are huge about ensuring that the original tags are still attached, as they often contain errors that make that particular example worth more money.
If the one you’re selling has all of the tags, you stand to make a great deal more money than you would on one where the tags have been removed.
You also want to look at the type of tag. There are ideally two tags on your Beanie Baby: tush tags and hang tags.
- Tush tags, or fabric tags that are attached to the tush of the Beanie Baby are often needed to identify the generation of the Beanie Baby and add to its overall condition. The name of the Beanie Baby will be written in red letters, and there is no space between the trademark and the name.
- Hang Tags, also known as swing tags, are paper tags attached with plastic to Beanie Babies. You want to make sure that both tags match. These tags are heart-shaped and have a smooth foil.
Look over these tags carefully for issues like erroneous production years, misspellings, or fonts. Look at other Beanie Babies of the same generation to look for any inconsistencies as forgeries can be close with slight errors.
Identifying the Generations
Earlier generations tend to be worth more than later generations. The first three generations of Beanie Babies tend to be the rarest because these were produced in smaller quantities, and generally, only a few thousand of each were produced. Starting with the fourth generation, sometimes millions of toys were produced, so it’s quite easy to see why there can be such disparity in the value of different generations of Patti the Platypus.
What’s Inside?
When trying to identify older Beanie Babies, the studding type matters. Before 1998, Ty used PVC to stuff its Beanie Babies, and then, they switched to PE pellets because of environmental concerns. Beanie Babies with PVC pellets are usually more valuable because they are less common. Most generations of the original Patti, the Platypus Beanies, have PVC pellets, but revival Pattis use PE pellets. The tush tag will tell you what type of stuffing is in a Beanie Baby. PE pellets are preferred because they are original.
Mistakes That Matter
While in most cases, defects result in lost value, in some cases, certain mistakes can make a Patti the Platypus more valuable. When a buyer damages the tag, that is a problem, but when there is a production mistake on a tag, the error often increases the value of the Beanie Baby because it makes it rarer. Look for Beanie Baby quirks, but be careful to distinguish quirks from errors from forgeries!
What’s the Condition?
You also need to pay attention to the condition of Patti the Platypus. You want them to look as unused and unaltered as possible. Beanie Babies lose a lot of value if they have clearly been played with, tags have been removed, or damage has occurred from storage or incidents. Look for any noticeable marks, fading, etc. Any damage can result in Beanie Babies selling for 5 to 35 percent of the original value. Defects or small issues like bent tags can lower the value of Beanie Babies by 10 to 40 percent, depending on the nature of the defect.
On the Hunt for Patti, the Platypus
If you want to find a Patti the Platypus or other valuable beanie babies, it can be a challenge, but some collectors have gotten lucky by stumbling on valuable beanie babies at a relatively low cost. The key is to start collecting these types of things at garage sales, swap meets, and flea markets. Use the tips above to ensure you aren’t overpaying for a less valuable Patti, the Platypus. You don’t want to buy an impulse and then realize that the Patti you bought is only worth a few bucks.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to purchase an example from somebody who has no idea that they’re getting rid of a collectible that could potentially be worth thousands of dollars. It might sound a little dishonest and even make you feel a bit uncomfortable the first time or two, but you have to remember that in almost every case, one person’s trash is indeed another person’s treasure.
You don’t need to feel obligated to inform a seller that they are losing a lot of potential profit if they sell Patti the Platypus for three dollars. As harsh as it sounds, that’s really the name of the game when it comes to buying and selling collectibles.
What you’re willing to pay on a Patti the Platypus will depend on how much this particular Beanie Baby is worth to you. Some people can justify paying thousands of dollars for specific Beanie Babies they want for their collections, while others are always searching for an affordable but valuable treasure that may appear and don’t want to overpay.
Once you find your Patti, you can keep it as part of your personal collection or resell it online, depending on your intentions. When you find a treasure like Patti, it can be hard to let such a valuable go, and many people quickly get attached, but the big payday may sway you!
Whatever your situation, deciding how much you will spend in advance will help you make smart financial choices. Pay attention to the market and how prices change, so that you are always getting the best deal and are actually making money if that’s your ambition.
If you make a find….
What should you do if you quickly search your attic or basement and find that you have had one of these sitting in a box for years, collecting dust? First and foremost, don’t be willing to sell it until you know exactly what you have.
You also want to remember that while something may be valuable, that doesn’t mean it will sell well. There is a limited market for people who are willing or able to pay thousands of dollars for a Patti the Platypus; thus, if you want to sell one (or get one for a steal), you have to be patient. When you are patient, you don’t rush into decisions that hurt you in the long run, and you can get the most out of your Beanie Babies experience.
Getting the Best Value
Patti the Platypus is one of the most well-known of all Beanie Babies, and if you have one, you may have a good shot of making hundreds or thousands of dollars. Because this is one of the nine original Beanie Babies, it will likely be worth more than many of the later Beanie Babies.
However, it can be hard to tell if your version is highly coveted if you aren’t heavily familiar with Beanie Babies, so it’s worth taking the time and expense to have the value of the particular example you want to sell verified by a third party. If you’ve already got one, this method can help you get even more money from your Patti the Platypus.
If you don’t trust this or don’t want to spend the money, then you have to be willing to do the required legwork to find this information out for yourself. It’s the only way to ensure you get every penny you deserve.
Patti the Platypus can be a great investment piece as long as you go into your purchase and reselling, knowing what you are getting into and understanding the complexity of valuing Patti.
Ultimately, if you have a Patti the Platypus or are still on the hunt for one, it should be fun to collect and sell Patti the Platypus Beanie Babies. This classic toy will always have a special place in toy history.
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