Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s White Bear Lake house and not find Stamps and Coins, Trading Cards or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

White Bear Lake baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting stuff.  The trend today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes away what do you do with their Art, Vinyl Records or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing enticing 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.  Grandma 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.

Donate Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a White Bear Lake Goodwill.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a White Bear Lake 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 Mom 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 absolutely!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the White Bear Lake  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 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 purchased 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 jewelry 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 White Bear Lake to Wisconsin. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com