If it was Jasper, that stuffed animal would not have survived all those years. It would've been ripped to shreds by the time it was brought back. This had to be fairly recent.
Not true my grandmother has stuffed animals that are 30 news old or more and still look brand new. If it was out of the weather and not in a road ditch somewhere it could be just fine. Besides I still think Murrble is like there Barney. Could have been millions of them. Why everyone is so hellbent on tying it to panel 102 is beyond me. Besides Jenny already said it was a boy and thats a girl thats got Murrble in a bear hug is it's obviously not her.