Donating Your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

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 Dowell home and not find Art, Vinyl Records or a Pooh collection.

Dowell baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The trend these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member dies where do you go with their Hummels, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Pooh Bear Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing appealing 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.  Mom 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 significant amount of time.

Donate Pooh Bear Collection

You can give it to a place like a Dowell Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s treasured collection being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Dowell 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 Great Aunt 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 Mother’s Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

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

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 Dowell  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 Winnie the 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or pair of socks 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 collection when traveling from Dowell to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com