It seems like the love of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Eagle Village place and not find Comic Books, Books or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Eagle Village baby-boomers loved collecting stuff. The trend today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Books or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out enticing listing descriptions, locating postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, dealing with returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Mother may have paid $60 for an item but the online going rate is only $2.79. You need to ask yourself the question “is my time worth just a few dollars”? Online selling can take a lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Eagle Village Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s adored items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Eagle Village kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mom really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Items.
My answer is absolutely! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Eagle Village collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collectibles becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated items along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear Items I think it makes people feel better which I am happy for. Letting go of “things” can be hard for a collector and owners and even sometimes for family members. As much as we don’t want to be labeled as “materialistic” – things we buy and collect can have sentimental attachments and it’s those feelings that we are attached to probably more than the items. People remember where they were when they purchased an item, who they were with or even where in their life cycle they were. They don’t want those memories to vanish with the collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffie or toy but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Eagle Village to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633