How do I find out the prices of the bearstones? Send an email and request a listing of all the bearstones that are on the Website. This master list has every bearstone that I have available, its edition and listing price. The * on the list indicates that the bearstone may not be MIB. A hold behind an edition of a bearstone indicates that it is in process of being sold. The price list is near the Current Value Guide price or below. I do this so that I don't have to update the list prices all the time. Once you have found a bearstone that you are interested in just email and ask for a quote on the selling price, its condition (almost always MIB) and current availability (sometimes there may be a deal being progressed on bearstones that you are interested in). You may email right here.Back to Questions
Are these prices firm? No and Yes! The prices on the master list are set at the Current Value Guide or below. Most of the time the prices are letting you know where the bearstone is in the current market, but not the actual selling price. The selling price is dependent on the usual costs of having the bearstone on hand, current market and condition of the bearstone. Sometimes the CVG and the current market are very close. In this case (usually near the end of the year and a little after, before the new CVGs are released) the selling price will be close to firm. Prices on Specials are always firm!Back to Questions
Are the bearstones and stuff MIB? YES! YES! YES! The bearstones and stuff that I sell are always MIB, unless denoted by * or expressly stated upon inquiry or stated on the list itself. I take pride in the condition of the bearstones (and stuff) that I offer for sale. This is one of things that you will always find here--quality mint bearstones! In fact, I guarantee all of my bearstones. If you are ever disatisfied with any bearstone you receive, just let me know and return it. I will give you a full refund plus the cost of shipping it back! I inspect all of the bearstones that I receive, whether from a store or from another party. I use a bright halogen light and a magnifying glass. If I find anything at all wrong I generally ship it back to where it came from. If I am in question as to the nature of some part of the stone I compare it to others (we have almost every bearstone issued displayed here at home). If it is a production error it is considered mint. If it is determined that the questionable part of the stone is not production I will generally return it and not allow it for sale. Sometimes it is a production error, but if it differs from most others in the line I will let you know and not consider it mint.Back to Questions
What does MIB mean? MIB is an acronym (stands for) Mint-In-Box. This means that the bearstone itself is in perfect (as perfect as production allows) condition from issue. It is also means that the bearstone has the original box and the original card.Back to Questions
How do I buy the bearstones? Just send your money and see what you get! No! No! No! Start with an inquiry by email. Ask for the whole listing or specific bearstones (with editions) and availability. I will respond with the information that you requested and perhaps a price quote on a specific bearstone. If you want to proceed reply with acceptance of price or offer along with your shipping address. I ask for the shipping address to confirm your intent to purchase. If I do not receive the shipping address with continued correspondence I assume that you are just seeking information. If you do include the shipping address with your correspondence I assume your intent to purchase and will not negotiate with another party over your negotiations. Where negotiations are being conducted I usually indicate this by -hold on the Webpage or master price list. Once negotiations are completed and both parties appear to be satisfied with the terms I will reply with an address to send the remittance and place an absolute hold on the chosen bearstone(s). This is usually indicated by (hold) on the Webpage or master price list. If you do not want to proceed I would appreciate your letting me know. This allows me to offer the bearstone to another party without any mix-ups in communication, which can and do occur from time to time. Now is when you send the remittance. I accept Money Orders, Cashiers Checks and personal checks. Money Orders and Cashiers Checks authorize immediate shipment. Personal checks require a 7-10 day holding period for the check to clear. Upon receipt of remittance I will notify you of receipt. Upon shipment I will notify you of the exact date of shipment. I ship through the US Postal Service priority mail and I insure all shipments for at least the value of the purchase price. Insurance is required to protect both parties.Back to Questions
Are you a store? NO! I am not a store. I have no association with any retail store. I am a private collector and dealer of Boyds Bearstones.Back To Questions
Where do I send the money?
Send the remittance to the name and address provided in the email communications at the end of the negotiations.Back to Questions
Do you take checks?
Yes. Personal checks are acceptable. However, personal checks will hold shipping 7-10 days for the check to clear.Back to Questions
How can I trust you?
In reality, you don't know me or how I do business. However, I can provide references upon request. For the record, to date (1-4-99) I have sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 bearstones and purchased approximately 500 just in the past year. I have never lost a bearstone and have only had one returned! The reason this one bearstone was returned was because the party already had the bearstone in question and received a full refund, no questions asked. All of my bearstones are guaranteed. If for any reason you are not satisfied I will upon request provide a full refund and under most circumstances pay for the shipping. All bearstones are as stated!! If they are not mint, I will tell you. If they have a defect, I will tell you exactly its nature. My goal is to have only excellent MIB bearstones. Some that I have now are not MIB, which is my fault for not having inspected them closely enough. And you may find that my prices are slightly higher than some. It is because you are paying for a guaranteed quality bearstone. And actually, I am honest! I treat visitors to my Website like I would like to be treated!Back to Questions
How often do you update your site?
I update the site as often as I can if there are significant changes to be made. Time is sometimes a problem, but I try to stay current with new arrivals and sales.Back to Questions
What if my bearstone arrives damaged?
First, let me make this very clear (shades of Nixon), all bearstones and other items are shipped priority mail/insured. I insure the shipment for at least the actual purchase price of the bearstone(s). This protects both of the parties for all circumstances incured for the shipment from here to there. Second, your money is protected from the purchase of insurance. If there is ever a necessity to file a claim for insurance, I will file the claim. And once the claim is filed and you have satisfied your part of the claim I will immmediately refund your covered amount plus the cost of shipping. Other than filing the claim and the time that this takes, you do not have to wait to receive a refund if that is your desire. Now, what to do.Notify me immediately!! Keep the shipping box and contents that are damaged!! You will need the box and damaged goods to substantiate the claim. (I will have to trust you with this. I will not file false claims). When you notify me include all the details of the damage and/or circumstances. I need this information to file the initial claim. Once I file the claim I will notify you and ask you to watch for a mailing from the Post Office, which is the claim itself. You must fill out your portion and take the claim and goods (shipment, including box) to the Post Office for inspection. It probably is a good idea to call first to find the time that the claims person is available and exactly the procedure in your location. When you have completed this aspect of the claims procedure email me so that I can get your money back to you or provide whatever recompense that we agree upon.Back to Questions
What if I get a bearstone I already have?
Email me and we will make arrangements to have the bearstone returned for a full refund.Back to Questions.
Do you give discounts?
The discounts that I give are those that are advertised in the SPECIALS, which you can go to now by clicking on SPECIALS. Remember, I will negotiate prices and will consider any reasonable offer. I do set my prices a little high so that I do not have to update the list all the time to reflect the current market. (There are a couple of other reasons that the prices may seem to be high. Click here to read these reasons.) In the case of larger orders I try to do a little better on the price and with parties that are return patrons I also try to do a little better.Back to Questions.
Are you a man or a woman?
It is a mystery!! And let me ask you, "Why are you asking?"Back to Questions.
I sent for your list of prices. They seemed high. Why?
Because they are a little higher than others that you may see. There are two main reasons for this: First, the quality of bearstones that I sell, which in turn comes from the price I have to pay to make sure that I have absolutely Mint-In-Box bearstones; and Secondly, I list a price that will indicate the current value guide and the top open market value. This gives you an idea of the possible value of the bearstone and I do not have to update the list all the time to reflect current market value. This does not mean that all prices will go down on inquiry, because it does depend on what I have to pay for the bearstone plus some overhead (ad costs, server costs, etc). Back to Questions.
Where do you get all of these bearstones?
We have acquired and acquire these bearstones just about anywhere bearstones are bought and sold. We have traveled thousands of miles, written hundreds of emails and called many, many places looking for bearstones.Back to Questions.
Do you have a layaway program?
No, we do not! Though some parties have assumed that we do. Which, for the record, brings us to a request. If you have confirmed a bearstone for purchase and something occurs (flood, meteorite...) and you cannot purchase the bearstone. Let me know, so that I can take the hold off and offer it to someone else. I try not to let more than 10 days go by before emailing and asking if the transaction is still good, but I do not like to do that.Back to Questions.
What happens when two or more people want the same bearstone?
If you read the answer to the question about How do I buy the bearstones? (You can click on the question to read the answer) then you will notice that the inclusion of the shipping address to confirm intent is important. The first party to include the shipping address in their communication secures first rights to the bearstone(s) in question. If two parties or more are interested in the same bearstone(s) and include the shipping address first rights are determined by date and time of the receipt of email in my email box. Back to Questions.
How are the bearstones shipped?
I ship via US Post Office, priority mail/insured. If you mean, how are they packed, then this is how it is done--cardboard box, foam peanuts, sometimes bubble wrap and sealed. Actually, it is whatever it takes to protect the bearstone from damage in the shipping process. We have shipped hundreds of bearstones and have yet (knock on wood) had one arrive damaged. Back to Questions.
Are the bearstones insured?
Yes! The bearstones are insured, at minimum, for the amount of the purchase price. Back to Questions.
What if you don't have a bearstone that I want? So go someplace else!! No, not really. Actually, you can email me and ask if I can find it for you. If you want me to do this for you, you would need to provide specific information--style number, edition range, price range, etc. Another good thing to do is to check back from time to time to check the listings.Back to Questions.
Do you buy bearstones?
How do you think I got all of the ones I have listed? Sorry, just had to say that! It is a good question. Yes I do. However, do not accept less than Mint-In-Box bearstones! I try not to pay too much for them, because as you know I resell them. If I pay too much, then I cannot offer them at a reasonable price. Let me know what you have and I will consider them, but be warned if there is a defect that isn't from production I will return and expect a full refund. Back to Questions.
My grandmother has arthritis. What should I do?
Buy 50 bearstones and hope for the best! Where did this come from? Back to Questions.
Do you offer consignment of bearstones?
No I do not! I have found that the price of the bearstones becomes much higher if this service is offered. That is not to say that there are not some good buys even under consignment, but generally you are paying for this service and I am endeavoring to keep my final selling price down! Back to Questions.
Do you send "cookies"?
Absolutely not! Any cookies around here I eat! We do not monitor nor collect any information from any visitor to our Website. If we ever do, it will be posted and explained in its entirety. Back to Questions.
Do you sell lists of visitors to your site?
Never at anytime do we use any list, email or communication for any other purpose than to conduct the business of this Website. You might want to read the The Policy/Privacy Statement. Back to Questions.
What is QVC?
QVC is a shopping network that airs on cable TV. It is important to because they sell Boyds stuff. With regard to bearstones, sometimes they introduce new bearstones (in assorted editions, as available) and sometimes they sell new bearstones as Premier Editions. Premier Editions are only found on QVC and they are an edition precedent to 1st edition. If an edition has 3600 pieces, they will sell a PE of 3600 pieces. Be careful purchasing bearstones here because they only say "Premier Edition" if it is really a PE and if they do not state this you are buying an assorted edition (maybe as high as 7E). Back to Questions.
What is POG?
POG is an acronym for Parade of Gifts, which is a syndicated business that distributes products to subscribers of their service. You would be interested in this because in 1998 Boyds started contracting with POG to issue Exclusive Bearstones. The exclusive bearstones are denoted with Parade of Gifts written on the understamp and when it is listed usually it is denoted #POGxxxx for the style number. Retail dealers are the only stores that carry POG bearstones and they usually advertise that they are a POG Dealer. Back to Questions.
What is GCC?
GCC is an acronym for Gift Creation Concepts, which is a syndicated business that distributes products to subscribers of their service. You would be interested in this because Boyds contracts with GCC to issue Early Introductory Issue and Exclusive Issue bearstones. The understamp of both of these is denoted with Gift Creation Concepts and Introductory Issue 19xx or Exclusive Issue 19xx. Style number on the understamp may be #xxxxGCC or just the style number. When one these is listed the style # is usually #GCCxxxx followed by Exclusive or Early Introductory Issue 19xx. Retail dealers are the only stores that carry GCC bearstones and they usually advertise that they are a GCC Dealer. Back to Questions.
What is YARDP?
YARDP is an acronym for I don't know! You're A Really Dumb Person! It's a guess. Back to Questions.
What is in the Newsletter?
Writing! Okay. It is an email publication by the owners of Boyds Bearstones Secondary Marketplace that disseminates information, humor, links to special information & pictures (not accessible from the Website), shopping hints, care hints, retirements, new issues, some advertisement, some specials (only available to subscribers) and just about anything pertinent to Bearstones. And the good part is that it is FREE (who would pay for it anyway) and it comes directly to your email box! Back to Questions.
Why should I subscribe to the Newsletter?
You should subscribe to the Newsletter for all of the things just listed in the above answer. Try it out! If you don't like it, then unsubscribe (see below)! Back to Questions.
How do I unsubscribe to the Newsletter?
I don't know why you would want to, but if you must know--At the bottom of the Newsletter is a link to the list service and explanation of how to unsubscribe or you may email forbears@kdsi.net. Back to Questions.
What size shoe do you wear?
This one is as good as the one about a man or woman! I can tell you this my pumps and men's basketball shoes are the same size!! Or, or how about the size is just so they fit my feet! Back to Questions.
Why don't you list the bearstones separately?
I have thought about this, but decided that with the exception of the special categories like Limited Edition, the continuous numeric listing was the easiest to understand and the easiest to find the particular bearstone one is looking for on the page. I will think about an icon for retired. Any ideas? Back to Questions.
Why don't you put the prices on your bearstones?
You may want to read the answer about seemingly high prices by clicking here. Updating the site is enough without having to update prices all the time. I like to negotiate prices and as stated in the earlier answer, the list price reflects the value of the current market. The listing of the prices onsite undermines giving information about value and the negotiation process. Changing markets are prevalent! Some change dramatically overnight from announcements of retiring, RS issues, Sudden Death Retirements, etc. Some prices fluxuate downward as well. Back to Questions.
What is my bearstone worth?
I assume here that you are meaning dollars and cents. There are several publications that are around that give values on bearstones. These are called Current Value Guides (CVG). The values in CVG are used primarily for insurance purposes. I can't think of anyone who would pay over $200 for a Grenville the Santa bear (#2030) 25E, though that is the CVG price. You should insure it for this amount! The actual worth on the open market depends on the condition of the bearstone (MIB?), if it has the right box and the right card, the edition (i.e. 1E or 15E) of the bearstone, whether it is retiring soon, if it is an exclusive, early introduction, Premier Edition, Limited Edition, variation of the original (RS or GRS) same style, variation of paw print, variation of actual style (i.e. smooth or rough texture), the number of pieces in an edition (Pageant Series has 7200 per edition and regular issues have 3600) and the availability of the bearstone. If you email forbears@kdsi.net I will give you my opinion of the open market value of your bearstone. Back to Questions.
Where do I send a question that I have?
At the top or bottom of this page there is an email link to ask a question. We do not allow profanity, vulgarity or the rest of that stuff, because all of our pages and newsletter are safe for all ages to look at and read! Back to Questions.
Have A Beary Good Day!!
Do You Have A Question? Or A Comment? Just Email Us!! forbears@kdsi.net
Specials
