Zoologists put Beanie Babies in the same phylum as grues because of body hair and occasionally aggressive behavior. During their heyday, Beanie Babies could be purchased for $5-7 from many common retailers, including card shops and supermarkets. Currently, they are available for $5-7 from antique shops, some reputable crack dealers, the local flea market, or eBay (the world's flea market). Beanie Baby investors can see that this is a year-to-year capital appreciation of zero percent. That is a low return, which is why so many investors try to "make it up on volume."