It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of the past. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Mineral County place and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Pooh Bear collection.
Mineral County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The movement these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away where do you go with their Art, Vinyl Records or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, writing inviting 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 $50 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 Mineral County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s treasured items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Mineral County kids place. However, many places only want items that are new, in the original boxes and are 5 years old or newer. Plus, your Grandma 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take 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 Mineral County 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 donation of collectibles along with mine. I consider their items as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh Bear 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 toy 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 collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Mineral County to Wisconsin.
If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to call 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
Hawthorne | Mina | Schurz |
Walker Lake |