It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Chadron residence and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Snowglobes or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Chadron baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff. The movement these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Hummels, Cookie Jars or Pooh items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up 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. Great Aunt 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.
You can give it to a place like a Chadron Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s much-loved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Chadron kids place. However, many places only accept 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.
Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Winnie the Pooh Items.
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 Chadron 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 items along with mine. I consider their items 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a plush or jacket 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 owner wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Chadron to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Pooh items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633