Category Archives: Uncategorized

Three “complete” original 9 sets have been assembled/documented to this point (early 2025). This article is to put all in one post the pieces of “The Executive Set” and to summarize the other two ‘complete’ sets. These pieces based on their provenance, story, and current whereabouts have fallen into category sets. The three known “complete”Continue reading “Original 9 Prototype Set: Executive Set”

The third and final white alternate Tyriffic set that Ty created – and perhaps the most famous – ERIN! This set of six fully alternate Erin bears, without pax tags (Tyriffic standard) has orange, green, maroon, red, violet, and blue colored shamrocks and ribbons. The most famous piece of all is the green example, whichContinue reading “Tyriffic Erin Set: Solid WHITE”

Continuing on with Ty’s prized Tyriffic favorites, we have an INSANE set of fully alternate PRINCESS beanies. These are full departures in white, and have alternate color ribbons and chest roses – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. August 97 pax dates means these were made right before Princess’s release in October 1997. TyContinue reading “Tyriffic Princess Set: Solid WHITE”

Interestingly, Ty made three very special sets for his famous Tyriffic stores of his most famous teddy styles – Valentino, Princess, and Erin! This set is the Valentino set of six bears. Pax tags removed for all pieces – typical for pieces displayed at the Tyriffic Store (tags tipped off Ty’s manufacturer, and distracted fromContinue reading “Tyriffic Valentino Set: Solid WHITE”

Send in the clowns! Always exciting to stumble upon completely unproduced prototypes. The “small face” clown (clown #1) (green, yellow, blue face + yarn hair) originally showed up with the Picasso teddy lot. It fell into a famous black hole collection with a collector who has a penchant for oddities and “weird” Ty items. ChangedContinue reading “The Prototype Clown Trio!”

This is it! The Ty Executive Billionaire Teddy set! This is the second of two known “complete” full departure top caliber Billionaire prototype sets. We reviewed Mr. Warner’s set in the previous post. Link to that set is here: https://rarestbeans.com/2024/12/24/billionaire-prototype-set-the-ty-warner-set/ To be sure, outside of both sets, there are a few top tier Billionaire prototypesContinue reading “Billionaire Prototype Set: Ty Executive Set”

Once upon a time a senior Ty executive brought in a set of 15 unbelievable Billionaire Bears to True Blue Beans. Pictured below as an insane group. These pieces we were told were a special set created specifically by Mr. Warner. It is unclear why he let this set go – but it is suspectedContinue reading “Billionaire Prototype Set: The Ty Warner Set”

This is the 3rd and final famous Teddy in the bear triumvirate also containing Picasso and the Dollar teddy – both famous pieces reviewed in previous articles: https://rarestbeans.com/2022/12/08/the-dollar-teddy-bear-prototype/ and https://rarestbeans.com/2021/12/09/the-picasso-teddy-bear-prototype/ . These bears came to light in an extraordinary find/pull of pieces by one of the very reputable dealers selling prototypes during the 2003/2004 proto-gateContinue reading “THE Shaggy Teddy Bear Prototype”

The final known set of original 9 prototypes, here in living color! This set has come to be known as the “Design set” – it has many similarities to the original 9 “Faith” set just recently reviewed. Less overlap with the third “Executive” set we reviewed individually. And some pieces that are just absolutely WILDContinue reading “Original 9 Prototype Set: Design Set”

These two bears are extraordinary. While our site hasn’t delved too deeply into the Billionaire prototypes that exist, we wanted to do a 2-in-1 post about two very special Billionaire prototype examples. A couple of examples per Billionaire were created specifically as a set as special gifts for Ty Executives. Others were the true originContinue reading “Billionaire 1 and 2 Original Prototypes: Solid white and green!”