Working a few days a week at a toy store, I think I can shed some light on the subject. People think these things will have some collectable value. Right now, they do. It's a simple matter of supply and demand. Ty, Inc. (The company that makes them) deliberately limits the production number on all the pieces, and sometimes reduces them drastically (examples: Princess, Britania, Maple, Erin, Peace, Valentino)
Now, If the company buys the things directly from Ty they pay 2.50 USD a piece in bunches of 12. I have been around my area (New York 'burb) and I have gotten quotes as high as $350.00 for one bear (Princess). Having my contact (my employer) I got her for 5 bucks, and I don't plan on selling her. Of course, actually leaving the building was a problem and I had to draw a pocket knife on a guy who was giving me a hard time.
Why are the prices *so* high? Because people will pay them. I've been offered $100 for Valentino (valentine's bear) and several hundred for the 'foreign' ones (Britania/Maple). The reason people will pay such high prices is either a devotion to their collections or the hope that it will someday mature in value beyond the prices they are paying. When will it all end? When people lose their will to pay three (four?) figures for a colored and shaped hackey sack. Until then, they will always be at outrageous prices. And it's a shame, too. Because the company's objective was to make cute little things that a kid could buy with his allowance money.
BTW, Monique if you're still in the UK, send some of those precious brown bears my way? ;)
Cackling madly,
Dan