It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Puckershire place and not find Hummels, Books or a Pooh collection.
Puckershire baby-boomers loved collecting items. The inclination today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes where do you go with their Hummels, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collection online. Some of the problems you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up inviting 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 $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.
You can give it to a place like a Puckershire Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s well cared-for collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Puckershire 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 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Bear Collection.
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 Puckershire 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Winnie the 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or statue but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Winnie the 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 Puckershire to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633