---Why I Bought It---

I was not one of those who was an avid collector in the 1990s.
I stumbled upon the Beanie Babies when I found a gorgeous stars and stripes teddy on Ebay. After that I was hooked!
Since then I have bought quite a few - not to collect - but just because I like them, and some for presents.
This special sitting bear is covered in clover leaves and was bought as part of a job lot with loads of others from Ebay.


---The Brand---

A Beanie Baby is a stuffed animal, made by Ty Warner Inc, later renamed as Ty Inc. in late 1993.
Ty stopped producing the product in 1999; but demand led them to reconsider.
In 2000, a Beanie Baby named "The Beginning" was introduced to remind people of Beanie Babies' comeback. (Wikipedia)



---The Product---

8 inch tall white short fur bear. His fur is covered in small three leaf clovers or shamrocks.
His snout, inside his ears, pads of his hands and feet have plain geeen fur.
He has a lime green ribbon around his neck.
Mine has black beady eyes and an embroidered black nose.
The bear's head is conventionalLy padded as is his chest but the rest of its body is filled with beans/pellets which make it sort of floppy.
More like a conventional bear than the tedDy bear sort of beanies - this one has a small little stub of a tail.
---Beanie Bear Information---
Birthday 03/17/01
Style Number 4503
Introduced 12/27/01
Retired (05/24/02)
---Poem
--A bit o' good luck I will bring--
--If you believe in such a thing--
--Fortune will follow everywhere--
--As long as you have friends that care!--



---Variations---

This is often classed as being for St Patrick's Day and there are others who are mostly green, beige or yellow but just have a clover leaf on their chest..
Ty have brought out 15 items connencted with St Patrick's Day and there is a little dog called Blarne-E and a teddy type bear beanie called O'Fortune in this same fabric.



---Cost---

As this bear is one of the 'retired' beanies the cost is hard to determine.
Currently it can be picked up for between £2.25 and £7.
I only buy mine when they are either in a job lot of are around £1-2.



---Tags---

An integral part for collectors was to keep the tags of these stuffed animals in immaculate condition.
There were two tags - one was the 'swing tag' - a heart shaped cardboard tag attached to its ear and a fabric 'tush tag' sewn into its base somewhere.
You were able to buy plastic heart shaped transparent covers for the 'swing tags' to stop them getting scuffed and damaged.



---My Opinion---

This little bear is made in a sitting position and has more of a snout - so actually looks more of a natural sort of bear than the conventional Beanie Bears which have more of an appearance of a teddy.
The green of the clover leaves and his snout is quite vivid and I had him as part of a job lot.
I was quite pleased with him as I love ivy and collect ivy china so he has been in my dresser along with them - his clover leaves at a distance looking similar to my ivy stuff - well to me anyway.
The bear has a cute little face and sits down nicely and doesn't seem to 'flop' as much as the teddy versions.
Ty brought out a lot of St Patrck/Irish items for the Irish market in the USA - I also have a dark green teddy with just a white clover leaf embroidered on its chest - called Erin.
Would also make a nice 'gook luck' gift for someone.



---Would I Recommend?---

Yes definitely.



---Star Rating---

5 stars.



---Website---

http://world.ty.com