It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Panola house and not find Comic Books, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Panola baby-boomers took seriously collecting things. The craze these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online. Some of the hurdles 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. Mom 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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Panola Salvation Army. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s cherished items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Panola 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.
Over the years I have been contacted 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 Panola 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 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 collectibles. 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 Items 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 Panola to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Items to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633