It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Franklin Park place and not find Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or a Pooh collection.
Franklin Park baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff. The movement these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or Winnie the Pooh collectibles?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the hurdles you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out inviting listing descriptions, locating 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. Grandma may have paid $40 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 Franklin Park Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s well cared-for collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Franklin Park kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandmother 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 Pooh 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 Franklin Park 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 Winnie the 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 family members. 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 pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear 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 Franklin Park to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633