It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Mott house and not find Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Mott baby-boomers loved collecting things. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative dies what do you do with their Art, Trading Cards or Pooh collectibles?
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 attractive 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. Great Aunt 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.
You can give it to a place like a Mott thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Mott kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Great Aunt really took care of the plush and displayed them. Some people have a hard time with a plush collectible becoming a plush child toy.
Many times I have been contacted 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 Mott 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Collectibles 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the Pooh 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 collection when traveling from Mott to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Mother’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633