"Beans!" June, 1999 issue features the winners of the Puffkin coloring contest. The winners (page 25 & 26) had some really creative ideas! Page 22 explains some of the Snowball/Tasha problems with nose colors and which is more valuable. A "did you know" fact about Smiley is in the "BUSYbeans" section on page 28 as well as a "which Puffkin doesn't belong" game that is lots of fun! Page 53 has a picture and small article about Swibco's new plush line. Except for being a bit generous in listing BGF Shelly at @$60+ the price guide is pretty accurate and up to date as well.
The making of a Puffkin is featured
in the April/May, 1999 edition of "Beanie
Mania" . In the "Other Beans" section you will find a detailed article
explaining (and showing sketches!) of how Puffkins are designed and created! It's a very
interesting article and worth getting the magazine for. They even mention the hottest new
Puffkin collectible - those darling magnets. Be sure to check this one out!
I still don't understand why they have common current Puffkins listed
in the price guide as being valued at $8-$10 - but otherwise the price guide is pretty
good - just a bit generous on a few of the retireds like Toby who should be listed at @$10
but is listed at $20-$25.
The May, 1999 edition of "Mary Beth's Beanie World Monthly"
features my daughter!
OK, OK, it has other stuff too - but I'm a
proud mommy of the cute little redhead holding a whole bunch of Puffkin bears pictured on
page 86 of this issue! If you've got a cute pic of kids with their Puffkins - be sure to
send it in to a magazine - they are always looking for cute pictures. When I sent the pic
of my daughter I also explained to them about Black Nose Snowball being a bit more
expensive then they had listed in earlier editions. Now they have him listed very
conservatively for $135.00 so that is better. They also include a price guide for the
retired Keychains which is very nice.
On page 211 they have featured the new Puffkins: Danny, Scooter and
Freddy in the "Bean Bag Bonanza" section. They quote a Swibco representative who
says almost the whole staff at Swibco has a say in the final design selection for
Puffkins.
In many places of the May, 1999
issue of "Beans!" magazine Puffkins
are featured. Page 10 refers to "Black Nose Snowball" as being the #10 "Top
Beanbag" in April. Page 45 shows Honey representing Puffkins on a "Beanbag
Collecting" timeline. Honey sits at the May, 1997 place on the timeline - marking the
spot when the "Original 13" were born! For the first time ever that I've seen -
a secondary market dealer featuring Puffkins in a large color advertisement! Facing the ad
is another ad for "The BEAN family Pocket Guide, 1999 Values and Trends". It
claims to be a complete, pocket-sized guide for all kinds of beanbag animals - and they
mention it includes Puffkins (not associated with any manufacturer officially) so this
would be an "unofficial guide". They give a phone number of 1-800-334-7165
if you have an interest.
As usual they have an excellent "current trading price guide". They still list the Halloween's at current retail price though. There is also good information about the Beanbag Drive for charity - Make a Difference Day listed also.
Beckett Hot Toys Magazine for March, 1999 features a super article on pages 16-18 written by Nikole Gill, founder of The Puffkin Collector's Club. It's entitled "The Puffkins'll Get Ya" and she does a wonderful job giving the history of Puffkins, the heart shaped swingtag, retireds and what's coming up. Great job Nikole!
In the February, 1999 issue they had a letter to the editor asking about why Omar was so hard to find in the stores. The editor mentions that Omar is one of the three most popular Puffkins of 1998 (according to Nikole Gill) and that Lancaster and Lucky were the most popular in 1997! There is also a "spotlight"article on page 10 about Nikole's personal collecting history and her relationship with Swibco.
A little bit of "old news" - but still interesting.... the November, 1998 issue of Gift Beat magazine (a trade journal for retailers of Gift items) has a national chart that highlights the Top 10 product lines in a variety of categories including collectibles, candles, steady sellers, fragrances, etc. Puffkins were rated #5 on the "REORDERS" chart. This would be a good sign that Puffkins are consistent sellers for Gift shops and specialty stores.
(Thanks to my Puffkin Friend Joan for faxing me a copy of these stories!)
Very little about Puffkins appears in the March, 1999 edition of "Mary Beth's Beanie World Monthly" . Well,
I take that back, Swibco did a very nice "tear out" supplement about our lovable
creatures - but the page done by the magazine was just a re-make of last months - even
using the same pictures! (At least they mentioned the January retirements). Another page
was a secondary market value guide that featured pictures of the Halloween set. I would
have thought with the money Swibco obviously spent on the nice full page ad and the
supplement - the magazine could have at least made an attempt to show some fondness for
the creatures! Well, I can say that they finally "unretired" Percy who was
incorrectly listed for awhile on the price guide as retired, they started noting the
difference between the Limited Edition Puffkins and the regular Puffkins and listing their
retirement dates and, they do have a Keychain price guide. I would like to know where they
can find black nose Snowball for $100.00 though!
Not featured on the cover - but made reference to in many places
of the February, 1999 issue of "Beans!" magazine,
are our beloved Puffkins. Perhaps it had something to do with Paul Schoensee, regional
sales manager of Swibco sending the editor a box of Puffkins with one of almost every
Puffkin made. Or, maybe it's just because Puffkins have gotten so popular that the Beans!
Editor's Top 10 Beanbags list for February has Black Nose Snowball as the #5 most sought
after beanbag collectible toy for the month! Whatever the reason, this magazine seems to
know Puffkins. On page 47 there is a "reader's poll" that listed Armour, Gus and
Snowball as the Beans! readers' favorite Puffkins. The editor listed her favorite as
Dottie (because of her cuteness). I was impressed with this mags Puffkin "Collector's
Guide & Current Trading Prices" listing because it identified the differences of
the Bright Green Feet variation of Lily and Shelly from the regular Dark Green Feet
Puffkins. It lists current Puffkins at a reasonable $6 price. I was disappointed to see
that they hadn't yet identified the Limited Edition Halloween and Christmas Puffkins as
"retired". Maybe they'll catch that - and the new January retirees in their next
issue. Also a little strange to me was the listing of "Spike" valued at $10 (the
same as they had listed retired Shadow). I'm not sure why they chose for Spike (a current
Puffkin) to have a premium price. All in all I was impressed with this magazine. They even
had the name of a Puffkin featured in their crossword puzzle!
Hugs and Kisses are featured on the February/March, 1999 edition
of "Beanie Mania" cover! Check page 80
of the magazine for a good article: "Puff...Puff...Puffkins". At the end of the
article they mention "In the next issue of Beanie Mania look for a story on the life
of a Puffkin - from drawing board to store shelf". Now that sounds like fun!! On page
136 they have a "Puffkin Pricing Guide". I find it interesting that most of the
price guides do not indicate that it is only Leap Year Lily's that go for the premium
price and Bright Green Feet Shelly's that are worth more. It can be very confusing to a
new collector. I've written to the magazines asking for them to make a note of this.
Another interesting fact is that Beanie Mania's article states that Puffkins retail at
$5.98 and yet in their pricing guide all current Puffkins are valued at $8 to $10!
These new beautiful Puffkin bears (Hugs - white Bear,
Kisses - Red Bear) are featured on the February, 1999 edition of "Mary Beth's Beanie World Monthly" magazines
inside pull-out cover! These special Valentine Bears are not a limited edition and will be
available year-round according to the Swibco web site. Check page 79 of the magazine for a
good article: "Swibco expands line of lovable Puffkins" that includes a Puffkins
checklist in the order of their release. (Note that January's announced new releases are
listed as "February, 1999" and the retirements of Elly, Cinder, Shelly and Max
are not noted. Also, the Christmas Puffkins are not noted as "retired"). In the
Puffkins price guide they have Percy incorrectly listed as retired. The four newest
Puffkins that were announced on January 1, 1999: Squawk, Happy, Shaggs and Lenny are on
both sides of a pullout poster in the same issue.
If you know of Puffkins "in the
news" - please alert me to it so I can let everyone know. I don't take subscriptions
to all these magazines, so I depend on my Puffkin Friends to let me know!
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