Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Items

It seems like the love of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Nickerson home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Books or a Pooh collection.

Nickerson baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The movement today is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Salt and Pepper Shakers, Vinyl Records or Pooh collectibles?

Selling Winnie the Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online.  Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing inviting listing descriptions, figuring out 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.  Grandmother may have paid $40 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 lot of time.

Donate Winnie the Pooh Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a Nickerson thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s beloved items being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a Nickerson kids 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 Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Items. 

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 Nickerson  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 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 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 mug or pair of socks but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Collectibles 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 Nickerson to WI. 

If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com