06/18/2019

Claude Ty Beanie Baby in the Spotlight

Ty Beanie Baby Claude the Crab by Karen Boeker

Currently the most valuable Beanie Baby is Chef Robuchon.  The last Chef sold for $6,499.99.  With the exception of some prototypes or some private sales of extremely low production Beanies you are not going to find one worth more.  The lists claiming “errors” are false and misleading.  There are no $25,000 beanies.  Sorry.

Claude is another Beanie Baby currently making the rounds on the internet “rarest beanies” lists.  How it got there is a mystery to anyone with even a basic knowledge of Beanies. Claude is one of the most common, mass produced Beanies ever made.  It is not rare and it’s not desired by collectors.  The only thing that could possibly make Claude worth a few more dollars is if it has the Claude spelled in ALL CAPS like below :
This tag is only worth around $10. It is the most common of the “all caps tags”. The “all caps tag” will sometimes come with the additional Canadian tush.

So why do we see alleged “sales” on eBay?  First, we have to separate what looks sold from what sellers are asking.  Sellers can ask whatever they want.  The high dollar asking prices are from people who believe what they read on the internet.  You know, because everything you read on it is true.

The alleged “sold” prices are a different matter.  They usually fall into 4 different categories.

  • Seller sets up a “fake” sale and has someone “buy” it to keep the rumors going. Remember, payment does not have to be made for it to show sold.
  • Vigilante bidders trying to teach the seller a lesson. This can only happen if the seller has “make an offer” or doesn’t have instant payment required.  The buyer never pays. Our understanding of this is twofold.  One, to take the item off the market.  Two, hoping that the seller has to pay final value fees before filing non paying bidder.
  • Money laundering – yes, it happens. Don’t understand it?  Watch Breaking Bad.
  • Drugs. This is a new one that has been passed around from collectors of other items.    We have no idea how it works or if it’s been proven.  It does go hand in hand with money laundering.

So, let’s take a look at some high prices and dig into the details.Best offer shown below:Low feedback seller & buyer.  No feedback left at all on either side.  And ……..

Relisted.  In fact, 2 of them.   This is probably a vigilante bidder.NEXT

This is an auction style listing. 1 bid.   Seller has 0 feedback.

Another buyer on the same day as the first example with 5 feedback.  Hmmm.  eBay masks ID’s so let’s click on that too.

Same buyer as the 1st.  Obviously a vigilante bidder.

NEXTFirst, no Claude can come with the “rare German tag” but that’s another topic.

Auction style with best offer0 feedback seller and 1 feedback buyer.  This sale won’t happen.

NEXTeBay has already caught up with the one above and it’s been removed.  Unfortunately it still shows as sold.NEXTAuction style with best offer.   Looks like $3K but actually:The seller has never sold anything, just bought.Uh oh.  Low feedback buyer.  No feedback exchanged.  For some reason I clicked on the name.  This “buyer” is hitting multiple sellers.  Obvious what’s going on.  Vigilante.  Buyer has 17 bids on items ending within the next hour.  He’s doing some Van Damage.Hopefully this is enough to give you an idea that not all is what it seems with sold items and Ty Beanie Baby Claude the crab.

You have to stop and think: Why would someone pay so much when they can almost always find one available for $5 shipped? They wouldn’t.There ARE rare Beanies.  They just aren’t the Beanies listed in these articles.  The link below takes you to some rares.  Happy Hunting !!

Which Ty Beanie is the Rarest?

Please visit our Claude Beanie Fact page.

 

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