I remember when we finally got our hands on one of the Princess Diana Beanie Babies. Sold through the proper retailer, sales benefitted The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. Our beanie baby had it’s own protective case. Despite the protective case, the tag had it’s own protective case. Because experts swore up and down that one day… Princess Diana Beanie Babies would be a collector’s item. It was like having a Warhol in the living room. Look but don’t touch.

A quick google search of what the bears are going for now might give you a thrill! I counted over 10 Etsy users selling Princess Diana Beanie Babies for over $50,000. That’s… a salary.

But how realistic is that price tag?

According to antiques appraiser, Dr. Lori Verderame, an item’s worth should be based on what it’s actually sold for. “When you see… $507,000, that’s not credible because you have to find a sales record for someone (who) actually paid the bill for that,” she told USA Today.

Is anyone actually paying $50,000 for Princes Diana beanie babies? That’s a hard no.

In fact, on the same site, Etsy, I found Princes Diana beanie babies for as low as $10. That’s… cheaper than a movie ticket.

So, how much are they really worth? That answer does not exist. Dr. Lori told USA Today that multiple factors come into play, for instance condition, version, attached tag, etc. Additionally, different versions of the Princess Diana beanie babies were made around the world with different materials. According to experts, the bears filled with PVC pellets are key to a high evaluation.

What do you do if one is sitting in your closet? Hold on to it. At least for another two years. August 2022 will mark the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.

“These two weeks before the end of August… is really the time when people should be focusing on ‘This is the time to sell my Diana Beanie Baby,’ because the market only spikes at certain times — usually at 25 years, 50 years, 100 years,” says Dr. Lori.

Don’t throw it away or toss it in the garage sale pile! “Because it’s a Beanie Baby, we all think automatically, ‘Oh it can’t be worth anything,’ and that’s really a mistake,” explains the antiques appraiser. “Collect stuff that relates to history, because it will increase in value.”

$50,000 value? Only time will tell.

Kinsey Schofield is the Editor-in-Chief of To Di For Daily and you can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. 

PS. If I’m spending $50,000 on a beanie baby, the least you can do is offer free shipping!