Toy OTD: Dakin Dream Pets: Mimi Octopus #16, Flying Tiger #6 (2004)

This line of plushes began in the late fifties and ran for over twenty-five years, spawning thousands of different characters. Some of them were revived as inexpensive replicas a few years ago, and I love them! Simple designs with appealing colors and shapes - here's a couple of them, along with an excerpt from cuddlycollectibles.com:

The year was 1957. R. Dakin & Company began importing electric trains. The early trains were packed with six small (quirky) velveteen stuffed critters whose intended use was to cradle the trains on the long journey. Unexpectedly, these sawdust-filled funsters created more excitement than the trains they were intended to protect. R. Dakin's packing material, Dream Pets - the Original Stuffed Toy - were about to become a cultural icon adored by everyone around the world. As popularity and demand for Dream Pets grew over time, so did the Dream Pet community. By the mid-seventies, there were over 2000 different Dream Pets born, to fulfill the fantasies and capture the imagination of millions. Dream Pets were a phenomenon for over a quarter of a century. Today R. Dakin & Co. is very proud to welcome Dream Pets back into the world and into your hearts.

These sold for about $8-$10 in 2004, but I don't think they sold all that well. They were quickly remaindered for just a few dollars each, so if you run across any these days, they'll probably still be pretty cheap. As you might expect, cuddlycollectibles.com has both of these for sale - and plenty of the others - for $9.99 + shipping each. Not rock-bottom dollar, but they haven't risen in price, either - a great design value!