The Mass Hysteria Involving Babies.

Anyone remember these?

Beanie babies from the company known as TY, was a huge phenomenon from the mid 90's to the early 2000's.  I never caught Beanie Baby fever but my younger cousin Conlee had six plastic tubs filled to the brim with them.  Funny thing was she not only collected them but played with them as well on a regular basis.  People were buying these cute stuffed animals for high prices & even the defective ones went for a high dollar amount.

T.V. poked fun at the craze with a popular sitcom called 3rd Rock From the Sun.  The main character Dick discovers a Fuzzy Buddy in his meal at a food establishment and you must collect them all.  Dick does just that.  By going overboard and spoofing on how some of the Beanie Baby collectors were eccentric and would go to any lengths to get what they needed.

 Also if Google Beanie Babies several stories have dropped currently.  Folks donating them to a hospital and one family losing it everything because of their collection.

Here's article from back in 1997 where the writer discusses among other things how the company would retire certain characters on specific dates and therefore made them more valuable or in demand to get them before they were gone. 
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-12-08/news/9712080067_1_beanie-babies-glendale-heights-flea-market

Now in recent years TY has given us Beanie Ballz which appeal to the now generation.  Your favorite animals or characters in the shape of a cute fuzzy fat ball.