It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Kent County place and not find Hummels, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Kent County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Precious Moments, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out appealing listing descriptions, locating 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 $100 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 Kent County thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s beloved collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Kent County kids 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Collection.
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 Kent County collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collectibles 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 collection 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jacket 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 collectibles when traveling from Kent County to WI.
If you have collectibles 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