It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s New Raymer house and not find Comic Books, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
New Raymer baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The craze today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Precious Moments, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up 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. 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 lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a New Raymer Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s much-loved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a New Raymer 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.
Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear 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 New Raymer 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 items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh 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 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a mug or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh Collectibles 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 collectibles when traveling from New Raymer 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 Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633