Donating Your Mother’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Afton residence and not find Hummels, Trading Cards or a Pooh Bear collection.

Afton baby-boomers really enjoyed collecting things.  The trend these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Comic Books, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear items?

Selling Pooh Bear Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating appealing 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.  Mom may have paid $80 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 Bear Collection

You can give it to a place like a Afton 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 Afton 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 Mother 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 Pooh Bear Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Collection. 

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 Afton  collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection.  Their items 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 collection 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 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 plush or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Afton to WI. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com