AN ULTRA-rare cuddly toy has sold for a whopping £640 after a fierce bidding war broke out on eBay.
Racking up 40 bids, this fluffy companion became pretty popular on the auction site selling for far more than its retail value.
Jellycats have soared in popularity recently, with collectibles selling for hundreds of pounds[/caption]
The cuddly toys sell online for around £30 to £40 a pop[/caption]
This Bashful Imogen Jellycat Bunny is being sold for a whopping £640 on eBay[/caption]
If you’ve got the Bashful Imogen Jellycat Bunny in your cupboard, it’s a special edition toy which could get you a fair bit of cash.
Released in 2011, the pale pink bunny has curly hair with long floppy ears and is revered as one of the cutest of the Jellycats.
The tiny toy has now attracted a big bit of attention online.
Production for Bashful Imogen stopped in 2015, according to The Jelly Collector, leading to a spike in demand for the rabbit.
The listing, posted on December 10, has received 40 bids since it was first put on the website.
With tens of fluffy toy fanatics fighting to get hold of bunny, the price has soared up to an astonishing £640.
Jellycat pieces range from around £25 to £40 so even to reach the hundred-mark is impressive.
The toys have sky-rocketed in popularity recently and are often produced in limited quantities, meaning some are classified as “rare toys.”
With very few Jellycats in each range, the cuddly toy becomes somewhat exclusive, and is highly sought after.
As a rule of thumb, the rarer the toy, the higher its value.
Toy expert and self-proclaimed Toycologist Peter Jenkins has kept tabs on which Jellycats are selling for the most money.
He said: “The Bashful Kara Bunny, a limited release in 2012, has become one of the hardest to find.
“This has taken the floppy-eared cutey to values of £500 and above.”
These fluffy friends have become so desirable to toy-lovers that clips of them have accumulated billions of views on TikTok.
Videos titled “Jellycat Collection Tour,” “Unboxing New Jellycats” and “Jellycat Haul” have taken social media by storm,
Peter added: “There are so many Jellycat forums and social media sites.
“Keep an eye on prices on eBay but, when it comes to selling, make sure you wait for eBay to be in free sale mode or their commission will eat into your hard-earned gains.”
Peter suggested to invest in seasonal Jellycats as often these are limited editions.
He described them as the modern-day Steiff bears – in which a vintage one can sell for thousands.
Jellycats to keep your eye on
PETER shared the Jellycats to buy now that could increase in price:
Snowdragon
Peter said that the biggest in the Jellycat range, priced at £100, isn’t of mass appeal because of the cost, but it is in contention to increase in value.
“The production runs will be vastly lower than many others in the range. Keep its tag and packaging and store it away for a decent return.”
Sandcastle
“This is one of the more complicated pieces in the Jellycat range, hence its current price of £45,” said Peter.
“The intricate nature and detailing make it a contender for retirement sooner than many others, so it’s well worth a punt.
Bartholomew Bear backpack
This one isn’t cheap, at £55, but Peter said it is worth a punt to stash away ahead of a probable value increase.
“This is a move away from the core Jellycat range and is unlikely to come back into production next year.”
Fish and chips
This special set was created for a social media campaign and it boosted Jellycat interactions online, so Peter said the range will retire soon – and soar in value.
“Anyone lucky enough to have bought items from Jellycat’s Fish and Chips launch this year should keep them safe, dry and out of play’s way,” Peter said.
