This Photo of a Divorcing Couple Dividing Their Beanie Babies in Court is So 90s, So Sad

by Howie Decker @HowardTheDeck on February 5, 2015

in Nerd Culture

Below is a photo of Frances and Harold Mountain, divorcing in 1999, using their day in court to fairly divide their “assets”. Their mutual Beanie Baby collection has been shamelessly strewn about the courtroom floor as they divvy up their fortune. More details of the 1999 case are here, including which Beanie Baby was picked first in the saddest draft of all time (it was Maple the Bear).

OK check it out, but no judging (see what I did there?):

Actually, the woman in the back row seems to be craning her neck with that “If no one wants Smoochy the Frog, I’d be willing to take it off your hands” look, but for the other five attendees this has to still rank as the most uncomfortable moment of their lives.

Don’t feel bad for the attorney, his rate was likely $250/hour, meaning he could buy that entire Beanie Baby collection today for about 15 minutes of work in 1999.

Justin February 6, 2015 at 9:16 am

“Don’t feel bad for the attorney, his rate was likely $250/hour, meaning he could buy that entire Beanie Baby collection today for about 15 minutes of work in 1999”

Are you kidding me? You clearly have absolutely no idea how popular beanie babies were in the 90s. The highly coveted ones sold for hundreds of dollars reugularly. That collection could have easily been worth a few thousand dollars.

That being said, sometimes there’s more important things than money. Like making sure you get that bitch’s favorite beanie baby.

Howie Decker @HowardTheDeck February 6, 2015 at 9:23 am

The key words in your comment: how popular they “were” and how much they “sold” for. I’m very aware, my first ebay transaction in 1997 involved paying way too much for a Beanie Baby, as my then girlfriend/now wife and I were collectors. We held on to our large collection until we moved in 2009, at which point we sold all 100+ for about $100 total.

jimmycurry01 December 5, 2015 at 3:46 pm

Howie Decker, you need to reread that article carefully and pay attention to what it actually says.

Howie Decker @HowardTheDeck December 5, 2015 at 3:58 pm

I wrote the article.

Brie December 5, 2015 at 6:28 pm

Bahahahahaha! Best.

cbmg368 December 7, 2015 at 4:42 am

You, my friend, need to re-read the article and notice that the sentence states that the attorney could but those beanie babies TODAY for what her made in 15 minutes the the 90’s. Also, never a good idea to tell the author of the article that they need to re-read the article to understand what was said. =)

boomshakalaka December 5, 2015 at 1:52 am

If you try actually reading the sentence you will note that it states he could buy the entire collection TODAY (in 2015) for what he got paid working 15 minutes THEN in 1999 ($62.50). What the toys were worth in the 90s is completely irrelevant.
TODAY, each individiual item in the collection would go for 50 cents to 1 dollar apiece, at best. Therefore, the assertion that $62.50 would buy the pictured collection TODAY is most certainly accurate. In fact, he could probably by the entire collection seen in the picture twice over for that price.

Heather December 5, 2015 at 2:15 am

Thanks, boomshakalaka. Wanted to point that out as well. Let’s work on our reading comprehension, shall we, Justin?

Patrick February 19, 2015 at 10:18 am

those things piss me off,the only one I bought was baldy the eagle because I collected eagle stuff so naturaly I want the beanie baby in my collection.I bought it right before they tanked at 50.00 in carmel,ca.My girlfriend has a large collection too,we use them as dog toys now.

James December 5, 2015 at 4:35 pm

Owned hahaha

Blue December 7, 2015 at 10:08 pm

he is holding a peanut the elephant and that can sell for more than 900 dollars in 2015. BAM!!!!

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