Care Bear Wiki
Care Bear Wiki
Let's Get Caring!
1,417
pages
in: Merchandise Images

Mavericks

View source

Mavericks are prototype or factory error bears, often very rare. They are not official characters. Their colors, belly badges, etc. vary heavily.

Some bears may be considered Mavericks by collectors, like the original I Love You Bear and Prize Bear. The most common Mavericks are tag error Mavericks.

Below is a collection of various discovered Mavericks. NOTICE: Before adding Mavericks to the galleries, please insure they aren't bootlegs, customs, or Butterick patterns! If you're unsure if one is bootleg or not, look through its photos for the official Care Bears red tush heart, and check photos of the tags. Prototypes frequently have "SAMPLE ONLY" or "NOT FOR RESALE" tush tags, or non-standard eyes.

1980s[]

Sun with Rainbow Belly Badge[]

Prototype, tag reads "Love Bear".

"Sunflower Bear"[]

Normally made on a Birthday Bear base, belly badge had a frilly pink circle around a smiling sun or sunflower with a leaf.

Sun with Cloud Belly Badge[]

Prototype, tag reads "Love Bear".

"Astro Bear"/"Astro Boy Bear"[]

Made on a Birthday Bear base. Belly badge features Astro Boy.

"Champion Bear"[]

Not to be confused with Champ Bear.

Featured a belly badge of a front-facing plane in a circle with text reading "WINNER CHAMPION". Made on a Tenderheart Bear base.

UK Heart Belly Badge[]

Made on a Birthday Bear base.

Red and Green Heart Belly Badge[]

Described as prototypes of Take Care Bear.

Other Color Hearts Belly Badge[]

Simple heart belly badges akin to Tenderheart Bear's, but not in red. Normally round noses.

Jeweled Heart Belly Badge[]

Glitter Heart Belly Badge[]

Flower & Bee Belly Badge[]

Comes in several variants.

A pink variant, made on a Cheer Bear base, was given to a collector by a former warehouse/factory employee, and described as a Cheer Bear prototype.

Ribbon Belly Badge[]

Logo Belly Badge[]

Blank Bellies[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Incorrect Belly Badges[]

Prototypes[]

Tag Errors[]

Miscolored Belly Badges[]

Different thread coloration occurs when the embroidery pattern of a belly badge is accidentally done in reverse, with the under colors being placed on top. Might occur the most in Birthday Bear and Good Luck Bear.

Other Mavericks[]

1990s[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Prototypes[]

2000s[]

"Cloud Nine Bear"[]

A prototype bear similar in appearance to Take Care Bear, with a purple cloud with the number 9 in it.

Canada 25th Anniversary Silver Tenderheart[]

Not to be confused with True North Bear.

A variant of 25th Anniversary Tenderheart where the belly badge is instead a heart-shaped Canadian flag.

Grumpy-Colored Bedtime[]

A relatively common Maverick where instead of the normal sky blue fur used for Bedtime Bear, Grumpy Bear's duller light blue color fur was used.

Blank Bellies[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Incorrect Belly Badges[]

Prototypes[]

Tag Errors[]

Box Errors[]

Other Mavericks[]

Adventures in Care-a-Lot[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Prototypes[]

In 2025, artist Opal Unicorn would share some of her prototypes designed for Play Along's 2007 Care Bears releases (although she would incorrectly state them to be from Hasbro, who did the 2012 toys). Their heads and eyes are notably larger than the final products and they utilize a soft, woolly fabric similar to needle felting material. Their Belly Badges appear to be flat plastic, not embroidered like final design, the surrounding belly not appearing to be furred either. Their paws are shorter with less defined hands, and point a bit more outwards.

Tag Errors[]

Other Mavericks[]

Welcome to Care-a-Lot + Mid-2010s[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Incorrect Belly Badges[]

Prototypes[]

Box Errors[]

Other Mavericks[]

Unlock the Magic + 2020s[]

Upside Down Belly Badges[]

Incorrect Belly Badges[]

Grumpy Mouth[]

Half-Lashes True Friend Bear[]

A possible production batch error that occurred in True Friend Bears that were produced in the UK. Only has eyelashes on the right eye. Seen very frequently in preorders from G3 Toys, Five Little Diamonds, Amazon UK, and other UK retailers. More recent UK releases no longer have this defect.

Prototypes[]

Tag Errors[]

Box Errors[]

Other Mavericks[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.