His Beanie Baby animal friends, Seamore the seal and Manny the manatee go for less. Peking the panda can fetch hundreds of dollars in Los Angeles, Houston or New York. Copyright protection will be an important part of the trade agenda during President Bill Clinton's visit to China this week.
Avid collectors swap price information on the Internet.
There are even Beanie Baby auctions. To keep the craze going, Ty Inc must keep a tight lock on supply. Which is why China, where Beanie Babies are made, is such a problem. Beanie Babies are snapped up by the bagful at Beijing's outdoor tourist markets. The loveable toys spill from boxes laid out openly on the streets.