Octopus Plush Appraisal

Inky the Octopus Beanie Baby

This is a vintage 'Inky' the Octopus Beanie Baby, part of 'The Beanie Babies™ Collection' manufactured by Ty Inc. The item is a plush toy primarily made of a soft, short-pile polyester fabric, presenting a light pink or coral color throughout its body. It features a spherical head with two large, white, round eyes with black pupils, made of plastic and securely affixed. Below the eyes, a simple black stitched smile is visible, and a small, pointed protrusion suggests a nose or snout. The octopus design includes eight distinct tentacles, which appear to be stuffed and are of the same pink fabric as the body, suggesting a consistent construction. The Beanie Baby has two heart-shaped hang tags attached. The left tag provides manufacturing details including 'Ty Inc. Oakbrook IL, U.S.A.', 'Ty UK Ltd. Fareham, Hants P015 5TX', 'Ty Deutschland 90008 Nürnberg', and 'Handmade in China'. The right tag identifies its name as 'Inky™ style 4028' and a 'DATE OF BIRTH: 11-29-94'. It also contains a short poem: 'Inky's head is big and round / As he swims he makes no sound / If you need a hand, don't hesitate / Inky can help because he has eight!' and a 'Visit our web page!!! http://www.ty.com'. There is also a small red and white tush tag visible, indicating 'The Beanie Babies'. The overall condition appears to be good with no obvious signs of significant wear, tearing, or discoloration visible in the provided image. The tags are largely intact and legible, which is crucial for collectors. The plush material retains its fluffiness, indicating minimal handling or good preservation. This item belongs to the early to mid-1990s Beanie Baby craze, making its estimated age around 28-30 years old based on the birth date. The consistent stitching and soft texture indicate a standard quality for mass-produced collectible plush toys of its era.