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Sanrio

Hello Kitty

Also known as: Kitty White, ハローキティ

The world's most famous white cat was born at Sanrio in 1974. Items from her early years can be recognised by a few details in the drawing, and they are worth far more than the reissues.

In Japan right now

Hello Kitty listings spotted this morning by the radar, not checked by hand. Photos by the sellers.

At a glance

Created by
Sanrio, in 1974
First item
A vinyl coin purse, in 1975
Full name
Kitty White, born on 1 November
Family
Her parents George and Mary, and her twin sister Mimmy

Her story

Hello Kitty was born at Sanrio in 1974. Her very first item, a small vinyl coin purse released in Japan in 1975, was one of the best sellers of the year.

Her official story makes her a little English girl, Kitty White, who lives in the suburbs of London with her parents and her twin sister Mimmy. The red bow on her left ear has become her signature.

Why we fall for the early items

Items from the 70s have a simpler, more naive drawing that makes them irresistible. They were often made in small runs, and many have never left Japan.

The reissue trap

Sanrio regularly brings back retro designs, sometimes very faithfully. Careful: the year printed next to © SANRIO is not necessarily the year the item was made, it may be the date of the drawing. Trust the item as a whole instead: the materials, the wear, the original packaging.

Tips for dating an item

  1. The early years, 1974 to 1976Kitty is drawn sitting, in profile, in blue dungarees with no T-shirt underneath.
  2. Late 1970sThe first drawings of Kitty standing appear.
  3. From 1980A new lead designer at Sanrio. Styles and outfits become much more varied through the 80s.

Things to collect

  • Vinyl coin purses and small pouches
  • Metal pencil cases and tins
  • Stationery and stickers
  • Tableware, cups and lunch boxes
  • Plush toys and soft vinyl figures

Price guide

The price guide grows with every find: it will appear here once I have enough comparable listings.

Current finds

  • Auction endedOrange cover of an “えにっき” notebook showing two Hello Kittys cycling among sunflowers.

    Sanrio · 70s-80s

    Hello Kitty, “えにっき” picture diary, never used (70s-80s)

    In Japan, during the summer holidays, schoolchildren keep an “えにっき”, a diary where you draw your day before writing about it. This one was never used: its pages are still waiting for the memories of a summer in the 70s or 80s. On the cover, Hello Kitty rides her bike among the sunflowers, and the original price, ¥180, is still printed on it. The auction starts very low: it may climb, but pieces like this usually stay affordable.

    Toy line
    Hello Kitty
    Condition
    Never used, old shop stock, complete
    Listing price
    ¥864 · about €5
  • Rectangular metal pencil case decorated with Hello Kitty, photographed by the seller.

    Sanrio · 1988

    Hello Kitty, a metal pencil case made in Japan (1988)

    That little click of a metal pencil case opening in class… This one went back to school with Japanese pupils at the end of the 80s. It proudly bears “©1976,1988 SANRIO” and “MADE IN JAPAN”: there is no doubt about its age. It measures 22 × 6.5 × 2.5 cm, perfect for your favourite pencils or for pride of place on a shelf. The listing mentions light wear: look closely at the corners and the hinge, where the paint goes first.

    Toy line
    Hello Kitty
    Condition
    Good condition, light wear, complete
    Listing price
    ¥5,555 · about €31

Guide updated on 26 September 2026.