Prototype SOLID BLACK Original Stripes with patch

This is a real treat to see. From a distance, this may look like a Velvet beanie baby, but upon closer inspection, we see the piece has solid black eyes, nose, and whiskers. It also has a black and orange striped patch – a patch of fabric used on the original. This is in factContinue reading “Prototype SOLID BLACK Original Stripes with patch”

Prototype INVERSE Ty Billionaire 2 Teddy Bear: Green and Magenta!

Billionaire 2 to this day is still the most challenging and expensive bear in the billionaire series to secure. The production version has a unique “tylon” fabric with two bright green dollar signs adorning its chest. This is another production piece that is still quite challenging to secure. This is our absolute favorite surviving prototypeContinue reading “Prototype INVERSE Ty Billionaire 2 Teddy Bear: Green and Magenta!”

Prototype Ty Billionaire #1 Bear: Green and Brown!

The original Billionaire #1 bear was released to Ty Employees on 9.26.1998. Several prototypes for this piece were made, but this one is perhaps our favorite, and most distinctive. A distinctive green sparkle nose paired with green ears, arms, and feet really make this piece pop. This piece still has the unique two-toned brown furContinue reading “Prototype Ty Billionaire #1 Bear: Green and Brown!”

Ty-Riffic Store + Prototype Ty-Riffic ORANGE and BROWN Roary

In ~May 1998, Ty opened a few Ty-Riffic stores in prominent airport terminals. Chicago (O’Hare) held the first/flagship store, with at least one other store (in Pittsburgh) that followed. These stores carried only Ty products and became huge collecting draws because they housed many of Ty’s best prototypes on loan from Ty. Ty removed allContinue reading “Ty-Riffic Store + Prototype Ty-Riffic ORANGE and BROWN Roary”

United Kingdon (UK) “GRAY” Billionaire 1 Bear

This is the elusive and mythical UK Billionaire #1 Bear. Its story is similar to the Canadian Billionaire #1 bear – Ty released this piece in an extremely limited quantity to top executives of Ty UK. It is also signed and numbered out of three (!) and has an identical hang and tush tag toContinue reading “United Kingdon (UK) “GRAY” Billionaire 1 Bear”

Canadian “GREEN” Billionaire 1 Bear

Little known fact, Ty created multiple versions of the original Billionaire 1 bear released back in 1998. The regular (rare) Billionaire 1 bear is said to have had ~1400 examples made – with each Ty employee receiving two examples. The history, rarity, and pricing of this capstone piece is widely available on other sites. ButContinue reading “Canadian “GREEN” Billionaire 1 Bear”

The SOLID Black Nose MC Beanie Bear

Ty is a big fan of symmetry. The SOLID Black Nose MC Beanie Bear is quite similar in story to the solid brown nose MC Beane Bear – Ty also made three (3) of the solid black nose variety that also went out with the other original MC bears. One was not officially graded untilContinue reading “The SOLID Black Nose MC Beanie Bear”

The SOLID Brown Nose MC Beanie Bear

Here is another legendary bear. The SOLID Brown Nose MC Beanie Bear. When the original brown nose emblem variations popped up, there were rumors that a solid black nose and solid brown nose variation existed that had gone out to bank executives. This turned out to not be the case. Ty did in fact createContinue reading “The SOLID Brown Nose MC Beanie Bear”