My collection of Jellycats is worth £2,000 – exact detail helped me spot rare one I bought for £20 that’s now worth £200

WHEN Emily McLean got her first Jellycat back in 2013, aged 11, she could never have imagined it would grow into a £2,000 collection just 12 years later.

The 23-year-old, who works as a marketing executive, lives in London with her partner.

Emily McLean, 23, has been collecting Jellycats since she was 11 years old and her collection is now worth £2,000

She told The Sun: “My first Jellycat was a burgundy ‘Bashful bunny’ which I got when I started high school. The Jellycat label had a message saying her name was Emily – we felt it was meant to be.”

Over the years, the Jellycat fan has devoted a lot of time to her hobby and added dozens more of these popular plushies.

In total, she now has around 45 of these cuddly characters.

The quirky-yet-charming toys come in all shapes and sizes including animals, insects, balls, vegetables, and cakes.

‘Jellies’, as they are known, have gained huge momentum online.

One of the latest releases, a shamrock plush, was launched on TikTok on March 17.

Within a matter of days it received more than two million likes.

Emily reckons that, to date, she has spent around £1,500 on her collection.

However she believes her collection is now worth about £2,000.

“Since getting that first bunny, each new addition has marked a special moment in my life,” she said.

“There’s a story attached to every Jellycat that I own.”

Her collection is quite eclectic.

“It includes a croissant which I got to mark the fact I burned pastries on my first day at a new job at a coffee shop in Wapping, east London, when I was 19,” said Emily.

“Then there’s a sausage dog which was given to me by my best friend on my 21st birthday.”

The avid collector added: “I’ve also got cherries which my partner gave me to celebrate releasing my first song on Spotify.

“There’s also an aloe plant to mark us buying our first flat together.”

Aside from these, Emily’s collection is made up of around 10 bunnies and more than 20 ‘Amuseables’ [toys that are now not in stock].

She added: “I even have a Highland cow as a nod to my family home in Scotland.”

In recent years, Jellycats have become more and more sought after.

A new survey by saving platform Raisin UK found that more than half a million 16-24-year-olds are collecting Jellycats, ranking the plush teddies alongside rare coins and jewellery as top collectables.

TikTok is also fuelling the craze with over 32 million views for #Jellycat in one week alone earlier this year.

Morrisons recently launched a Jellycat dupe range for a fraction of the price of the real thing.

Jellycats can often come with quite a hefty price tag, starting at around £15, but often much higher.

You can pay a lot more for a rarer model, with prices sometimes running into the hundreds.

A host of Facebook pages are dedicated to buying and selling rare models.

The ones no longer being produced will net the biggest sums.

“I love that Jellycats are finally getting the recognition they deserve,” said Emily.

“But it’s definitely becoming harder to find the rare ones. You have to hunt really hard in charity shops to come up trumps.”

Emily’s favourite places to look include charity shops in Hampstead Heath in north-west London, and St Andrews in Scotland.

“I also love looking when I’m abroad in places such as Nantes, France, to see if anyone is selling toys I’d struggle to find in London,” she said.

On one occasion, the plushie fan was lucky to find a pile of ‘retired’ Amuseables in a local charity shop costing £15.

“I’ve seen some of these reselling online with a £50-plus price tag,” she said.

“My Emily bunny character is currently being advertised by a seller on eBay for more than £200.”

While it is possible to buy Jellycats online, you need to tread very carefully.

Emily said: “Spotting fakes online is a total nightmare.”

Read more here about how to spot the signs that your Jellycat is not a real one.

Also be careful as fake websites can often look almost identical to the official Jellycat website.

In addition to the plushies, there are now also a raft of ‘Jellycat experiences’ on offer across the world. These often take place in luxury department stores.

“There are some great things to go along to, such as the ‘Jellycat Fish and Chips Experience’ at Selfridges in London,” said Emily.

“But at times, it can be a real battle trying to get hold of experience tickets.”

Given her attachment to the toys, Emily says she has no plans to sell her collection.

“I would love to hopefully have children in the future and pass my collection on to them,” she said.

“My love of Jellycats grew from one special day, more than a decade ago, when mum and I went shopping together. I hope that tradition can continue.”

Emily added: “I reckon that in 25 years’ time, my collection will be worth maybe three times its current value.

“For me, collecting these plushies isn’t just a hobby, it’s almost like an investment.”

Could your collection act as a kind of savings account?

For a growing band of collectors, Jellycats are no longer just toys.

Kevin Mountford, savings expert and co-founder of Raisin UK, said: “They’ve become coveted collectables – and even alternative investments – for some Gen Zs.

“It’s fascinating to see how a simple plush toy brand has captured the hearts, and wallets, of so many young adults.”

This phenomenon is not new, as we’ve seen it before with the likes of Pokemon cards.

Kevin said: “We are seeing more and more adults embrace hobbies typically aimed at younger audiences. Nostalgia-driven collecting is booming and Jellycats are leading the pack.”

Those with a haul of these plushies could be sitting on a goldmine.

In fact, some collectors are now viewing their Jellycat collections almost like a savings account.

Kevin added: “Rare designs and retired editions are already reselling for hundreds of pounds, turning soft toys into soft assets. For many, building their collection feels like a fun, nostalgic way to tuck money away.”