Authentication Help

Top three giveaways: 1) Mismatched swing/tush tag generations. 2) Tush tag has wrong country of origin for the year. 3) Embroidery is messy / fill feels wrong (plastic vs PE pellets). When in doubt, submit for BX Authentication or True Blue before paying serious money.

BeanieX Team · 2026-05-27 · 1 reply

Quick reference: 1st gen tags (1993–1994) are single-sided with no star. 2nd gen (1994) added a star. 3rd gen (1995) added a yellow star and "Original Beanie Babies". 4th gen (1996–1997) red border tag. 5th gen (1998–1999) fancier font. Tag gen affects value massively — post a clear photo if you're not sure.

BeanieX Team · 2026-05-27 · 0 replies

A mismatch between a tag generation and its country of origin is one of the fastest counterfeit tells. General guide: early/mid-90s production was largely China and Korea; later runs shifted to Indonesia. If a tag claims a year/style that doesn't line up with where Ty was producing that piece, be cautious. Post clear photos of BOTH the swing and tush tag in Authentication Help and we'll take a look.

BeanieX Team · 2026-06-19 · 0 replies

Faster, more accurate authentications start with good photos: 1) Bright, even, indirect light (no flash glare on plastic protectors). 2) Both sides of the swing tag, in focus. 3) The full tush tag, flattened. 4) A wide shot of the whole Beanie. 5) Close-ups of any seams/embroidery you're unsure about. Blurry tag photos are the #1 cause of slow turnarounds.

BeanieX Team · 2026-06-16 · 0 replies