Background Info:

Series 1 cards were a hit with Beanie Baby collectors everywhere! These cards came out in early November 1998. They came in packs, boxes, or cases. Some cards sold (and still are) selling for hundreds of dollars!

Different Colors:

There are 4 different colors in series 1. They are red, blue, silver, and gold. The red is the most common, while gold is the hardest to find. Note that the common cards, slider cards, and puzzle cards do not come in different colors.

The Different Cards:

There are 4 main types of cards. They are Original 9 Cards, Retired Cards, Birthday/Rookie Cards, and Common Cards. As the name says, common cards are the easiest to find, while the Original 9 cards are the hardest.
Included in every pack of cards is a puzzle card and a checklist. In every box, you will find 1 slider card.

                                        Autographed Cards:

People are extremely lucky if they happen to get an autographed card. Ty Warner signed 1 of each card, in each color. That makes a total of 296 autographed cards in series 1. The autograph is written with a gold paint pen. Beside the signature is the number 1/1, which indicates that this card is number 1 out of 1 made.

 
                                        Original 9 Cards:

These cards feature the Original 9 Beanies. They are unique because they are clear. Each Original 9 card has a number which is printed vertically on the front. The Original 9 symbol (check the picture of the Splash card) determines what color the card is. There are 9 Original 9 cards.

 
                                        Retired Cards:

These cards feature a retired beanie. On the left of these cards is a gold strip with the beanie's name. Each Retired card has an embossed "Retired" symbol with the beanie's retiremnet date. This symbol determines the color of the card. Each Retired card with a gold "Retired" symbol has a number written vertically on the left hand side of the card. There are 15 Retired cards.

Birthday/Rookie Cards:

On these cards, the beanie's name determines the color of the card. Red cards have a gradient to gold (see the pictures above), and blue cards have a gradient to silver. Silver and gold cards have no gradient. All cards that feature a 1997-1998 beanie have the words "ROOKIE" in a blue box, as you can see in the picture of the Fortune card. There are 25 Birthday/Rookie cards.

                                        Common Cards:

Each common card has an embossed picture of the beanie and its name. On the back of the card, you can find information about the beanie, such as its birthday and issue date. There are also fun facts about the animal the beanie represents. 100 common cards are in series 1.

                                        Puzzle Cards:

In each pack you will find one puzzle card. There are 8 different puzzle cards in series 1. They are: "Winter Beanie Wonderland", "Born to be Wild", "Tropical Heat Wave", "Star Spangled Beanies", "The Original Nine", "The Faces of Teddy", and "It's a Dog's Life". There is also one unnamed puzzle that features dogs on one side and wildlife beanies on the other.

Slider Cards:

In each box of cards you will find one slider card. There are 8 different slider cards in series 1. At first the beanies featured are in black and white, but when you pull on a special tab at the bottom of the card, the picture appears in color.