Spotting fake beanie babies
Spotting Fake Beanie babies
When trying to spot fake beanie babies, it is important to follow the listed steps to spot a fake beanie baby and getting ripped off.
Counterfeit Beanie Babies
Counterfeit Beanie Babies began to surface in 1997. Early on, cheap knock-offs and fakes of commons were widely available at discount prices [10], but when the Beanie craze began to fade, counterfeiters started focusing on rarer releases and country exclusives. Although it is unlikely that people are still manufacturing fakes,[citation needed] older fakes continue to surface on eBay.[citation needed]
Some counterfeit versions of real beanies were made that had never been produced by Ty. For example, there are some red fake "Pinky" the flamingo and mint green fake "Quackers" the duck out there.
Cases
The FBI strictly cracked down on counterfeit beanies in the late 1990s, and some people were prosecuted for direct known involvement in their commerce. For example, a St. Louis Park, MN couple was sentenced to prison, probation, and fines for their involvement in smuggling counterfeit beanies [11]. York, England authorities seized more than 6000 Princess and Britannia from a ring.
Spotting Fakes
Step 1
Look for the tush tag that identifies the Beanie Baby. This tag is usually on the toy's bottom and will have its name on it in red, not orange. There should not be a space between the name and the trademark symbol: Chilly' not Chilly '.
Step 2
Check the heart-shaped hang tags. Does the year match the production year of that particular Beanie? Does the font type and size match other Beanies from the same generation? Fakes will have larger fonts. Is the gold outline foil (authentic) or ink (fake)?
Step 3
Notice the tags. Are there misspellings? Are the colors too bold or too muted? Are there circles around the copyright (©) and registered trademark (®) symbols?
Step 4
Feel the toy. Does it seem heavy? Counterfeiters tend to overfill the toys. Are the proportions right? Fakes sometimes have bigger-than-normal heads and the eyes may be too close together or too far apart.
Step 5
Compare the Beanie to a known authentic one. Are the colors, texture and birth dates the same?
Step 6
Examine the ribbon. It should be shiny on both sides and tied with the ends hanging down loose, not sticking out to each side. Make sure that this particular Beanie originally comes with a ribbon. Some don't.
Watching Out for Scams
Step 1
Beware of deals that seem too good to be true. Know the asking price of the Beanies you are looking for so that you will recognize a sour deal.
Step 2
Buy your Beanies from quality dealers or individuals. If they mistakenly sell you a fake Beanie, they are more likely to reimburse you, while a scam artist will not.
Step 3
Don't be afraid to ask for references from past customers.
Step 4
Check Ty's Web site or a collector's guide to determine which flawed Beanies exist. These sources publish a list of such Beanies so that you can recognize whether a Beanie is counterfeited or considered flawed by Ty.
Some more sites:
Ty Official site - Official Ty Beanie Babies Site
Beanie Babies - A great Beanie Babies resource site
Counterfeit Beanie Babies
Counterfeit Beanie Babies began to surface in 1997. Early on, cheap knock-offs and fakes of commons were widely available at discount prices [10], but when the Beanie craze began to fade, counterfeiters started focusing on rarer releases and country exclusives. Although it is unlikely that people are still manufacturing fakes,[citation needed] older fakes continue to surface on eBay.[citation needed]
Some counterfeit versions of real beanies were made that had never been produced by Ty. For example, there are some red fake "Pinky" the flamingo and mint green fake "Quackers" the duck out there.
Cases
The FBI strictly cracked down on counterfeit beanies in the late 1990s, and some people were prosecuted for direct known involvement in their commerce. For example, a St. Louis Park, MN couple was sentenced to prison, probation, and fines for their involvement in smuggling counterfeit beanies [11]. York, England authorities seized more than 6000 Princess and Britannia from a ring.
Spotting Fakes
Step 1
Look for the tush tag that identifies the Beanie Baby. This tag is usually on the toy's bottom and will have its name on it in red, not orange. There should not be a space between the name and the trademark symbol: Chilly' not Chilly '.
Step 2
Check the heart-shaped hang tags. Does the year match the production year of that particular Beanie? Does the font type and size match other Beanies from the same generation? Fakes will have larger fonts. Is the gold outline foil (authentic) or ink (fake)?
Step 3
Notice the tags. Are there misspellings? Are the colors too bold or too muted? Are there circles around the copyright (©) and registered trademark (®) symbols?
Step 4
Feel the toy. Does it seem heavy? Counterfeiters tend to overfill the toys. Are the proportions right? Fakes sometimes have bigger-than-normal heads and the eyes may be too close together or too far apart.
Step 5
Compare the Beanie to a known authentic one. Are the colors, texture and birth dates the same?
Step 6
Examine the ribbon. It should be shiny on both sides and tied with the ends hanging down loose, not sticking out to each side. Make sure that this particular Beanie originally comes with a ribbon. Some don't.
Watching Out for Scams
Step 1
Beware of deals that seem too good to be true. Know the asking price of the Beanies you are looking for so that you will recognize a sour deal.
Step 2
Buy your Beanies from quality dealers or individuals. If they mistakenly sell you a fake Beanie, they are more likely to reimburse you, while a scam artist will not.
Step 3
Don't be afraid to ask for references from past customers.
Step 4
Check Ty's Web site or a collector's guide to determine which flawed Beanies exist. These sources publish a list of such Beanies so that you can recognize whether a Beanie is counterfeited or considered flawed by Ty.
Some more sites:
Ty Official site - Official Ty Beanie Babies Site
Beanie Babies - A great Beanie Babies resource site
