Fans Scramble for Rare Olympic Mascot Plush Toys

Tina and Milo, the popular mascots of Italy's Winter Games, are nearly impossible to find at official shops.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Spectators at the Winter Olympics in Milan have fallen in love with the plush toy versions of the event's mascots, Tina and Milo, but the dolls have been sold out everywhere, leading to a black market of sorts as people try to track them down by any means necessary, including meeting gift shop clerks in back alleys with cash in hand.

Why it matters

The high demand and scarcity of the Tina and Milo plush toys highlights the growing popularity and collectability of Olympic mascot merchandise, which has become a major revenue stream for host cities. The difficulty in obtaining the dolls also speaks to the challenges of meeting consumer demand for hot-ticket items at large sporting events.

The details

The stuffed Tina and Milo dolls, representing the Winter Games and Paralympics mascots respectively, range in price from 18 to 58 euros ($21 to $69) at official Olympic shops. However, the toys have been sold out at these authorized retailers as well as the online store, leading some desperate fans to seek out black market deals with gift shop clerks, who are offering to sell the dolls under the table for cash.

  • The Winter Olympics are currently taking place in Milan, Italy.

The players

Tina

The white stoat mascot of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Milo

The brown stoat mascot of the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan, Italy.

Reed Alvarado

A 33-year-old spectator who traveled from Los Angeles to watch the Winter Olympics and try to obtain the popular Tina and Milo plush toys.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Come back at 4 p.m. Bring cash.”

— Gift shop clerk

“I can't find them anywhere in Milan.”

— Reed Alvarado, Spectator (The New York Times)

“There's a cuteness factor to them. They almost have a Pokémon quality.”

— Reed Alvarado, Spectator (The New York Times)

What’s next

The Olympic organizing committee has stated they are working to increase production and distribution of the Tina and Milo plush toys to meet the high demand from fans.

The takeaway

The scarcity of the Tina and Milo plush toys at the Winter Olympics highlights the growing collectability and commercial value of official mascot merchandise at major sporting events. This demand creates challenges for organizers to satisfy fans, but also opportunities to drive additional revenue through these popular souvenirs.