The Memorial Princess Diana teddy is a very rare piece, indeed. We have a dedicated blog post to this bear that you should pursue if you haven’t had a chance yet. But Ty signed and numbered (officially) 24 bears (there is still uncertainty if these bears have a unique colored stitching that sets them apart from the original shipment of bears that hit store shelves in October of 1997) to be specifically auctioned off by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Now, owning any one of these 24 bears is a beyond impressive accomplishment, but here we have the first signed in the series – the #1 of 24. This piece continues in the “1 of xxx” corner of the hobby we are working to demystify. The first in a series have always been long rumored to have been kept by Ty Warner himself/given to his family. Now, for a piece like this, with all 24 examples designated for charity, it is easier to believe this piece was intentionally sent out with the other 23 bears to board trustees to auction off. What a stunning piece!
Rarity Tier: UNIQUE Rare
A unique piece to be sure. A true gem. It makes you wonder where the #1 signed decade piece may be lurking, if it even survived. A fine addition to the “#1” club.
Rarest Beans 