From Tickle Me Elmo to Squinkies: Top 10 Toy Crazes

The success of Beanie Babies seems staggering when one considers that the toys were just small, plush animal beanbags with cute names like Spot the Dog or Peanut the Elephant. But by 1995, children were clamoring to snag variations of the original toys. In a symbol of the status they gained in society, collectors posted online photos of their personal stockpiles. Highly coveted Beanie Babies, which could sell for up to $2,000, were eventually "retired" to keep demand — and interest — sky-high. The craze only intensified when McDonald's got on board in 1997, distributing Teenie Beanie Babies in its Happy Meals. The fad finally petered out in 1999, and in 2008 Ty's release of Beanie Babies 2.0 floundered.

See the 10 best business deals of 2009.