Somewhere around the year 2000, thousands of serious Beanie Baby collectors came to the realization that they had invested in a commodity that consisted of no more than 20 cents worth of cloth and plastic beads. Many were stunned when the collector's market plummeted because they had anticipated that their investments of $25, $50 or $100 would soon be worth even more -- maybe even thousands of dollars. Alas, their dreams of untold wealth vanished when Beanie Babies returned to what they were intended to be, an inexpensive gift for a child or loved one.  Read more >>