Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Oppelo residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Snowglobes or a Pooh collection.

Oppelo baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The craze these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?

Selling Pooh Bear Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating inviting listing descriptions, figuring out 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 $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 plenty of time.

Donate Pooh Collection

You can give it to a place like a Oppelo Salvation Army.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s adored collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Oppelo children’s place.  However, many places only accept items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer.  Plus, your Grandma really took care of the plush and displayed them.  Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy. 

Donate Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collection. 

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 Oppelo  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 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 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 collectibles.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Winnie the Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Oppelo to Wisconsin. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com