Donating Your Mom’s Pooh Collectibles

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Sanger house and not find Art, Vinyl Records or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Sanger baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things.  The inclination today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collection?

Selling Pooh Collectibles

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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.  Grandma may have paid $30 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Sanger Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Sanger kids place.  However, many places only accept 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. 

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

Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Winnie the Pooh Items. 

My answer is yes!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the Sanger  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 items along with mine.  I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh 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 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 stuffed animal or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Sanger to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com