Donating Your Mom’s Pooh Collection

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Buffington place and not find Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Buffington baby-boomers loved collecting items.  The inclination these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Hummels, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out enticing 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 $90 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 Items

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

You could donate any plush to a Buffington 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 Grandma 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 Mom’s Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

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

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

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

When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Buffington to Wisconsin. 

If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com