Many children and adults enjoy collections, and indeed some collectable items can become very valuable if looked after properly. When decorating a childs room, teddy bears can make a lovely feature across a wall on a floating shelf.
One of the more popular items is collectable bears. There are so many brands available nowadays including traditional bears like Steiff or more modern ones such as Tatty Teddy, Merrythought, Forever Friends and Beanie Babies. There are many places to buy collectable bears such as physical auctions, eBay, car boot sales, local papers and even specialist dealers.
With such an abundance of places to buy from and with prices sometimes being very high, it’s important to be sure you are buying the genuine article, and that you’re paying a reasonable price for the quality of the item. You’ll also likely want to know, if what you’re buying is a modern bear, that it will be collectable or valuable in the future.
If a bear is limited edition, it will usually become collectible in the future. Many limited edition bears even have the number stamped on the label. When buying modern bears, make sure you choose one with a fully intact and uncreased label. It is essential that you keep the label attached if you want to retain the bear’s full value in the future and you can buy or make plastic tag protectors which ensure it stays intact.
Buying vintage bears is more difficult, and serious collectors are advised to do their research before spending money.
For example there are books and internet sites with pictures so you can know how to recognise genuine Steiff buttons and materials. Fake bears are increasingly abundant and are usually made of inferior materials, it is worth taking the time to learn to identify and avoid them. Learning to recognise genuine vintage bears is also a great way to spot bargains at car boot sales.