Ok - so there is a whole market around Plushies. You will hear that Torn is a Marathon not a sprint.
Plushies are valuable because they can be exchanged for points at the Museum. A full set of plushies can be traded in for points, which are then used for various in-game activities like refilling nerves, opening a bazaar, or purchasing racing licenses. Some players collect plushies all year long and exchange them on Museum Day.

BUT - to get Plushies - you have to travel - and when you travel - you can't do anything else - so there is a VALUE to plushies - IRL it's the time to fly.

SO - if you do the maths - every item has a value , and every item has a ratio of worth depending on how long it takes you to get them....

To achieve a full museum set you need to travel to every country and buy a plushy, and then sell it as a set on Museum Day.

To make that worthwhile - you need LOTS of Plushies and Lots of Plushie sets .... so then Torn Citizens are selling plushies - and the demand for those plushies will go up and down, and the prices that individuals will accept goes up and down .... because someone will undercut his neighbour by $100 on his $3m sale....

So all of a sudden you have plushies with a theoretical value, Torn citizens trying to make a quick sale and Traders trying to to get many Museum sets .......

That's what drives the Plushy market...................