Princess Diana’s Beanie Baby Could Be Worth a Fortune Nearly 30 Years After Her Death — Here’s How Much

If you ever collected a Princess Diana Beanie Baby, it might be time to get it out of storage.

Nearly 30 years after the princess died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, one of the most iconic toys made in her honor is fetching a hefty price.

The highly sought-after plush, aptly named Princess the Bear, was a special-edition stuffed animal released by Ty Inc. in the months after Diana’s death at 36. Sold in December 1997 for roughly $5 to $7 each, per Vanity Fair, the toy was also sold for a good cause, with proceeds benefiting the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

The royal purple bear, adorned simply with a white rose — a symbol of the princess’ status as “England’s Rose” — quickly became a “must-have” and, in the years to come, a collector’s item, with almost every ’90s kid rushing to their local Hallmark store to nab one of their own, keeping the toy in a box to preserve it amid rumblings over its supposed resale value. Over the years, millennials have made memes about the bear, even joking that the toy was meant to pay for their college tuition.

While the value of the toy has fluctuated over the years, those saving it to pay for college may not have been wrong, with antiques appraiser Lori Verderame telling People that the Beanie Baby could be worth up to five figures today, though each bear’s value depends highly on the condition it’s in.

“They’re all different,” Verdame told the outlet. “Every single one of them has a nuance that would make them different.”

Everything from the stuffing to the version of the toy owned makes a difference, with the initial batch reportedly made with PVC pellets, while later versions were made with polyethylene pellets.

Even its country of origin can determine its value, Verdame claims.

“There’s a very long laundry list,” she added, noting that a negative factor can be countered by a positive one. “It’s kind of like a big algebra problem. The collectors made it this complex.”

The Princess Diana plush is also not as rare as it was believed to be in the months following its release, with the company ultimately increasing its production amid high demand for the toy.

Verderame said she comes across hundreds of Princess Diana Beanie Babies every week and believes that “millions” were made.

The toy is currently listed on eBay from $1.50 to $1 million, with Verderame telling People that a mint-condition bear could bring in “five figures, easily.”

“Some could be worth into the thousands. I’ve seen many of them that are more than thousands of dollars,” she said, noting that even a knockoff could hold some value.

“There are many of those as well,” Versdame added. “A lot of the fakes are good … You can search for them and find very valuable ones.”

The increase in the toy’s price tag came after a surge in value for the Princess Diana plush following the 25th anniversary of her death in 2022, and has gone up over time, with Verdame noting that the value fluctuates depending on the toy’s condition and the milestones the royal family is celebrating.

As for what she suggests to get the most from the collector’s item, Verdame said, “Make sure the tag’s attached. It’s gotta be attached.”