Tag Generation is the series of hang tags that have been put on TY's Beanie Babies. There have been now six different generations.

Most major publications only list 5 generations of Hang Tags. All true and keen eyed collectors however, notice the new difference in the Hang Tags since the October 1998 releases. If you have any doubts, see the images below, or better yet have a look at your own collection!

Special note, we are the only page currently that has noticed this difference. Other pages and poublications should take note and list this. It is inaccurate to represent the field of collecting beanies if you do not have all the data correct. To not list this variation is just one more thing insulting the collector's intelligence.

The first generation tag was used until 1994. It was a single tag with just the beanie's name and style number.

The second generation tag was used from late 1994 til the middle of 1995. It had the beanie's name and style number and looked simular to the first on the front. It also was the first to use the folded book style tag with the "to" and "from".

The third generation tag was issued in the middle of 1995 through early 1996. It is simular to the second generation. It was shaped more like the current tag we know now. The TY letters on the front were fatter than the other 2 generations. It also included the registered trademark for Germany and England inside the tag.

The fourth generation tag was used from early 1996 to fall of 1997. It had the addition of a gold star that had "Original Beanie Baby" on the front of the tag. This was the first time TY included a poem.

The fifth generation tag was released in fall of 1997 andused until summer of 1998. It was only lightly different. The birthdate is written out instead of abbreviated by number. The style number is no longer printed inside. It was changed to be included as the last four digits of the UPC code on the back of the hang tag.

Also to note there are some Hang Tags with Surface Wash mis-spelled on the back of the tags. It's spelled "Suface Wash". We included an image of this in the pictures below.

The sixth generation tag was released in the summer of 1998. The only difference is narrower type style and slightly altered spacing on the front star as well as inside the tag.

Also of note, this is the first time there is a slight variation on a tag Generation. You could almost even say there's a seventh generation tag, but we think that as small of a difference this is, it doesn't call to be called a new generation.

The European address is listed on the first groupings that went out with the Fareham address. Later it was changed to the Gasport address. There also was reports of a mis-spelling of Gasport on some tags. It was spelled "Gosport".

As of yet, there's no reports of the mis-spelled tags being worth anymore than the correct version. Only a Pastel Peace seems to show any difference in price of the Fareham or Gasport tag. The Fareham shows 10% higher in value.