Donating Your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the love of collecting may have become an activity of the past.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Spring Gap house and not find Hummels, Vinyl Records or a Pooh Bear collection.

Spring Gap baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The trend today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Comic Books, Books or Pooh collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing 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.  Mother may have paid $50 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 Collection

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

You could donate any plush to a Spring Gap 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 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. 

Donate Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept 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 Spring Gap  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 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 plush or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Spring Gap to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com