Black Friday belongs to the Cows!
The Cow Squishmallows have really been popular of late. A lot of you are wondering just how much that Connor Cow Squishmallow you have may be worth. Some simply like the different faces and others just love Cows! Rarity is a hard thing to define in todays world. There's a lot of would be players that simply buy a huge number of items to corner the market. Some simply make a choice going down an Isle to pick one up on sale in a little store mid-America. Unfortunately, Squishmallows don't exactly come in a "collector" type package. When you think about Coins, there's ratings, circulation, current condition, and how they're currently presented. So if you're in the long-term collection game. You might think to take extra precautions to keep your Squishmallow in Pristine condition.
Keep your Cow Squishmallow Original
I want to say if you found your Squishmallow on a shelf, give it a very good once over. It may have been put through several hands, cuddles, and squishes before you purchased it. Below is Armie, notice how the horn have that shiny sheen, the fur isn't compacted or stained, there's no rips or tears. What you can't see and is really important is the tags. Without proper tags, you can't know when the Squishmallow you're holding was actually made or what it's Squishdate is. Also important, Originality! It doesn't hurt to have the actual Store tag or connected marketing material. This makes it more authentic. Although a good pirate can make a fake look exceptionally real, if you have all the tags in place and can show a matching receipt, it's additional proof. Don't worry about what you actually paid for it, it's a collectible now, so if you're the only one selling, you can set a price!
Squishmallow Official Kellytoy Plush Farm Squad
Squishy Soft Plush Toy Animals (Armie Highland Cow, 16 Inch)
Keep your Cow Squishmallow Clean
This one is going to hurt! To keep it Clean mean's "No Touching!", playing, cuddling, or other contact. Even if you're hands are clean, what you cleaned your hands with can be left on the Squishmallow. You can bet as we get more sophisticated and our tools become more refined, devices in the future will be able to look at any collectible and possibly be able to detect things like chemicals, cosmetics, DNA (skin/hair), and the actual production date (Carbon dating). The more use an item has, the further it falls from it's Original state. So, you have to really consider placing your Cow Squishmallow in a clear display box, or in a plastic/shrink-wrapping to keep contaminates away. Space will always be at a premium and some items may not become collectible for many years to come. But, when that day does happen, you can be reassured that when you list your Cow Squishmallow in Pristine, Collectible Condition with all tags and receipt, you'll command the highest price.
What makes a Cow Squishmallow Collectible
If you think about locking a door and throwing away the key, you'll be close to what makes a Collectible. In certain instances, it's usually the mistakes, limited productions, and numbered series that creates a true Collectible. You may wonder why Big Companies don't limit all their productions. Well, it's simple, they don't make products that make collectors rich, they just make products to sell and make money! And they usually make more of the popular, in-demand products than the ones that sit on the shelf for months. Any store has limited shelf area and they want to keep products moving. So if something is taking up space, but not selling, they remove it. Behind the scenes, these may be returned to the distributor, but in most cases, the store is stuck with them. So, they may place them on Sale, or wholesale them to a resale outlet just to recoup their cost. AND they don't order more. So the factory stops making them. This is where they possibly throw away the key! They don't make that model anymore and won't.
In other cases, they may also simply be members of "rare" Squads that only get produced once. With each new year having a new batch of Squishmallows. So in this case, both the Squad and Squishdate become important. As well as what was mentioned above in keeping them clean and in original condition.
Size can also play a factor, usually the bigger the better. Below, Baratelli a 16" Frog Squishmallow should command a higher price than the 8". But if the 16" was used as your cuddle-muffin for years, don't expect any collector to really want to buy it after it's been through the washer/dry cycle a few hundred times.
Squishmallows Official Kellytoy 16 Inch Soft Plush
Squishy Toy Animals (Baratelli Frog)
The Highest/Rarest and Most Expensive Squishmallows?
There's several lists out there that you can find, but that's more for simply research. What you may be looking for is the "next" or "next year's" most valuable Squishmallow. But don't just run out and buy 20 Cow Squishmallows because they're on sale. This is where a real Crystalball would come in handy! What you might actually be looking for is the "Ugliest" Cow or the "worst" frog that's going to be discontinued! That means they're throwing out the key and if you save a few, keep them new, someone in 2028 might be writing about how the Dead Squad 8" Connor is worth hundreds of thousands because, who knows, that teal thread they used isn't available anymore!
Here's a few FAQ questions about Cow Squishmallows that might Answer your Question!
What should I do with my new Squishmallow?
To play, or not to play, that is the question! Already it may be too late!!! But don't worry, you still have options. It depends on what you actually want from your new Squishmallow. Many hours of cuddles, games, conversations, and imaginary playworlds may be your intention. Maybe your Squishmallow is how you want to invest your money instead of cash you'll only spend or put in a can or between the mattresses. First and foremost, if you're still living at home, don't let your Mom or Dad access your collection! They're two of the worst opponents for long-term storage and care of your collectibles. Keep this in mind if you move out! You may have thousands of dollars worth of collectibles, but in one Garage Sale, all that is sold for $1 each!
How should I store my new Squishmallow?
You have several options here. Several companies now specialize in clear display cases. But these are a bit expensive and you may only actually need a few of them. Take your new Squishmallow, pose it to it's best display, take pictures, then remove it and place it in a zipper lockable bag with a silica dry packet. The display case pictures will allow you to list all your Squishmallows, then when one sells, you ship it in the display case, and then buy a few more cases when you need to.
If you plan to store several, meaning in the hundreds, or close to it, you may want to think about vacuum packs. These allow you to remove the air inside the bag which reduces the overall size. Keep in mind that by removing the air, you're actually compressing your Squishmallow. The Jury's out on whether extreme storage in compressed form will damage the shape of your Squishmallow.
Invest in a few of the plastic storage cases you can place under your bed. Label your zipper lock bags with any information you think like date purchased, where, Squishdate, & name. Place your receipt, and the silica pack (to absorb any moisture) and Squishmallow in the bag. The bag should be big enough not to squish or deform your Squishmallow, you just want it to protect it from the environment.
Can I store my Squishmallows in my Attic?
If you've ever spent any time in an attic in July you'd definitely say "NO!". But you may have no choice, it's either the attic or sell them, get rid of them, but get them out of wherever your mother said!
So keeping in mind the extremes your Squishmallows may encounter up there, boiling temperatures in the Summer, Ice cold freezes in the winter, try to protect them as much as you can. Styrofoam or an old ice chest can help regulate temperatures for items stored in them. Lining big cardboard boxes with insulation and then storing your Squishmallows can also help. Each season, you might replace the silica dry pack to keep moisture at bay. But overall, Squishmallows like A/C as much as humans do!
My Squishmallow has a stain, what should I do?
This may, sadly, reduce your Squishmallow condition to a lower than pristine or collectible category. Anything you do to remove the stain will ultimately affect the overall quality of it. If nothing else, you may diffuse the stain to a larger area making it obvious you tried to clean it. Dry cleaning usually involves using chemicals, so now you're dealing with those being introduced to both the inside and outside materials on the Squishmallow.
Using a steam cleaner may rescue you. It'll be hard to say, but if you're backed against a wall, the steam should heat up both the stain and fabric. The suction should remove both leaving a clean surface. But that may be just as noticeable and you also run the risk of injecting steam further into the Squishmallow than you can vacuum out. This may or may not result in a musty smell from the Squishmallow when/if mildew or mold grow from the resulting internal moisture. You may also try to use silica dry packets here, they may help to absorb it.
In Conclusion:
So, what does this mean for you as a collector? It means that if you want to get your hands on some of these products, you need to act fast and do a little research! Find local stores that may be having a sale or have them as clearance items so they can move on to the next big thing. Watch for seasonal items going on sale after the season! Buy Valentines Squishmallows in March, but try to buy a full Squad when you can! A complete Squad including a very rare Squishmallow may give you an incredible ROI! Keep an eye out for limited productions, mistakes, and numbered series–these are often the items that turn into true Collectibles. And don't forget to tell your friends what you're collecting; the more people who know about them, the more people will know who has them for sale! Happy collecting!
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