Dakin Toys Dream Pets

Q I found a toy frog playing a bongo drum at a house sale. The body is made of velveteen and felt and is about 8 1/2 inches tall. There are wires in the frog’s legs. The tag on his pants says ”Dream Pets, R. Dakin & Co., San Francisco, Calif., Prod. Of Japan, All New Material, Wood Byproducts.” How old is it and what is it worth?

A R. Dakin was an import company founded by Richard Dakin and his son, Roger, in 1955. Dakin got the first Dream Pets when they were used as packing material in a shipment of toy trains imported from Japan in 1957. Dakin quickly ordered more of the little animals. Originally there were 24 different animals, but eventually over 2,000 different Dream Pets were made. The toys came with a hang tag that included the name of the pet, its birth year, and other information. They were a fad by the 1960s and rarities sold for as much as $100. Your frog was called Calypso Joe. Dakin made Dream Pets until the late 1970s. The company was bought by Applause in 1995. Applause reissued the first 24 Dream Pet animals in 2004. They were stuffed with polyvinyl chloride. Collectors look for the original Dream Pets, which were stuffed with sawdust. Big Lots bought the names ”Dream Pets” and ”Dakin” in 2011. Most Dream Pets sell online now for about $5.