It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s White Hall home and not find Stamps and Coins, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.
White Hall baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things. The craze these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes away where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or Winnie the Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out inviting 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. Mother may have paid $50 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 White Hall Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a White Hall kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Mother 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 contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Items.
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 White Hall collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items 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 collectibles 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 relatives. 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 poster but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from White Hall to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633