It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Reece City house and not find Stamps and Coins, Books or a Pooh Bear collection.
Reece City baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things. The trend these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Hummels, Paper Weights or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up appealing listing descriptions, figuring out postage, packaging materials and weighing each item, answering question messages from potential buyers, handling returns on damaged items, etc.
Also, figuring out pricing can be challenging. Great Aunt 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 significant amount of time.
You can give it to a place like a Reece City Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s treasured collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Reece City children’s 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 emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Collection.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Reece City collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collection becomes part of history vs. being sold for a buck at a rummage sale. I let them know I will showcase their donated collection along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear Collectibles 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 received 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 items. You can put a price tag on a mug or book but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Reece City to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633