2ND GEN
The complete analysis of 2nd Generation plush hang tags
2a.1
The 2a version of 2nd generation tag is quickly identified by the small font used for the name.
All 2a tags are paired with open heart tush tags.
1) 2a.1 is the first run of the second generation hang tag, much of the font has been carried over from the 1st generation hang tag.
The left inside and back of the tag maintained times new roman from the “My Name Is” & “Care Instructions.
The italicized “Surface Washable” has carried over to “to, from, with love“.
The name and style number also maintain times new roman font however the name is no longer in all CAPS and the names are now trade marked with “TM”.
The underline for the name is now used for the lines to write who this is to and from.
2) With no certainty of the order which the next 2 tags were released, the 2a.1Go tag, on the back, has the word giving capitalized and an o is missing in “Oakbr ok”
3) 2a.1G edited “Oakbr ok” back to “Oakbrook” while maintaining capital “Giving”. This tag is more bolded overall which would seem to suggest it was the last run of these three.
2a.1 Summary
2a.1 typically has a slightly darker hue of red.
Plush introduced in the 1990 catalog were all introduced with TYWL tags and these three 2a.1 tags can are found on these plush without any alteration in the design of the plush.
As these 1990 catalog plush transition to 2a.2, their designs begin to change.
There does not seem to be any particular scarcity of these tag versions and can all be generalized as 2a.1
2a.2
4) 2a.2G maintains the “Giving” capitalized, however, the font on the inside left of the tag has now been changed to Arial.
Also, the name and style number are now italicized.
Finally, the back of the tag, 2a.1 notes the abbreviation IL now spells out Illinois and adds “U.S.A.”
5) 2a.2GTM maintains capital “Giving” however the “TM” is now in a much larger font.
The 2a.2G and 2a.2GTM seem to correspond to special versions of plush surviving the transition from the 1990-1991 catalog.
Examples include cats with stitched toes, Flocked nosed dogs, each tag version corresponds to a light and dark single sided tongue, the sitting bear series featuring smiles, standing bears with a new style of leather nose, plush that did retire are produced with this tag just before retiring usually featuring a smile stitched mouth.
6) 2a.2 has now removed the capitalized G in “Giving” and the TM is now a small-sized font.
Plush with this tag have bows that are cut with a hot wire at one angle in a “/” or “slash” shape.
The following run of tag “2b” is associated with bows cut with a hot wire after folding the ribbon in half longways to produce a “V” or “ducktail” shape end.
The remainder of 2nd generation tags are quickly recognized by the larger font on the name. There are some changes in the recommended age of 3 and 5 as well as the notation “Handmad in Korea”
The back of the 2a.2 without the word giving capitalized as Giving are indistinguishable from 2b tags.
2b
2b is divided into 3b, 5b, 5w, and 3w as it transitions from production years 1991-1994.
The 3 or 5 indicates the age recommendation noted on the back and the b or w indicates the brown or white stitching used on the left and right border of the cloth tush tag.
Each of these 4 versions translates to different paper hang tags, the ages are noted on the back of the hangtag and only white-edged tags have “Made in Korea” printed in a horizontal line of text just above the line “For ages 3/5 and up”.
7) The 2b 3b tag is associated with a tush tag that states “FOR AGES 3 AND UP” and the tush tag has a brown stitched edge. This tag sometimes has the earlier “open heart” tush tag
8) The 2b 3b corrected tag appears to be found on plush that do not have PVC pellets and polyester filling only. During approximately 1992 Ty changed the age recommendation for all plush containing PVC pellets to “AGES 5 AND UP” and it seems all tags were accidentally printed with “5” but then corrected by rubbing the 5 off and stamping 3 in its place. The plush appears to have had their tush tags removed and resewn with the corrected age.
the UK redback tags during this time were not corrected but do have their tush tag removed and resewn with the corrected age.
9) The 2b 5b tag appears during approximately 1992 when Ty changed the age recommendation for all plush containing PVC pellets to “AGES 5 AND UP”
10) The 2b 3b Korea sticker tag appears during approximately the transition of 1992 -1993.
Plush with polyester filling without PVC pellets appear with ages 3 and plush with PVC pellets appear with ages 5 with this same sticker.
11) The 2b 5b Korea sticker tag appears during approximately the transition of 1992 -1993.
Plush with polyester filling without PVC pellets appear with ages 3 and plush with PVC pellets appear with ages 5 with this same sticker.
12) The 2b 3b verticle Korea tag appears during approximately the transition of 1992 -1993.
Plush with polyester filling without PVC pellets appear with ages 3 and plush with PVC pellets appear with ages 5 with this same sticker.
13) The 2b 5b Korea sticker tag appears during approximately the transition of 1992 -1993.
Plush with polyester filling without PVC pellets appear with ages 3 and plush with PVC pellets appear with ages 5 with this same sticker.
14) The 2b 5w tag now states “Handmade in Korea” on a horizontal line at the bottom of the tag. These appear approximately during late 1993
Plush with polyester filling without PVC pellets appear with ages 3 and plush with PVC pellets appear with ages 5 with this same sticker.
15) 3w corrected tag
This tag caught in the transition has had a 3 sticker placed over the 5.
17) The 2b 3w.1 tag now states “Handmade in Korea” on a horizontal line at the bottom of the tag. These appear approximately during late 1993 to early 1994.
I believe around this time the restriction of plush with PVC pellets switched back from ages 5 to 3 so both types of plush are found with this tag.
16) The 2b 3w.2 tag features a very similar tag to 3w.1 but it appears it was reconstructed with a similar font that changes the spacing of the wording so that the word giving aligns further left on the tag, the registered symbol has a new appearance also.
These updates are identical to the back of the first run of the 3rd generation tag.
This will be the final version of the second generation tag. These appear approximately in late 1994 featuring the plush to debut in the 1995 catalog.
Plush released in the UK feature either a “Red back” tag or a sticker added to a US issued tag.
18) 2a.2G Redback – although difficult to confirm, it appears the first redback tag was the compliment to the 2a.2G
The back of the tag is noticeably different from later versions of the redback tag, among many differences “TY INC.” is in all capital letters.
The back of all other redbacks only differs in age recommendation.
This tag belongs to a Harris with a plastic nose as seen in the 1990 catalog.
19) 2a.2GTM Redback
The reverse on this tag has new resized font and “Ty Inc.” is no longer capitalized.
20) 2a.2GTM Redback
21) 2b – 3b Redback
23) 2b – 5b/5w Redback
22) 2b – 3b UK sticker
24) 2b – 5b UK sticker
25) 3w UK cluster tag
26) 3w German cluster tag 1
27) 3w German cluster tag 2
