Q My childhood teddy bear is, I am told, a Steiff and valuable. What determines the price?
A Some Steiff teddy bears sell for thousands of dollars but many things influence the price. A real Steiff should have a button in the ear that says Steiff. The high priced bears are old and have mohair fabric in a rare color. White, lavender, black or red is best. Older bears are stuffed with straw, kapok, excelsior or sawdust not polyester. Any nylon or plastic part suggests a newer bear, lower price. Very large and very small bears are expensive. ”Well-loved” (tattered) bears used to be okay, but now collectors want toys in almost perfect condition.