Donating Your Great Aunt’s Pooh Collectibles

It seems like the interest of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday.  It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Tonopah home and not find Art, Books or a Winnie the Pooh collection.

Tonopah baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff.  The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to scale down or sadly when a collector family member passes what do you do with their Art, Cookie Jars or Pooh Bear collectibles?

Selling Pooh Collection

You could try to sell the Pooh Items online.  Some of the problems 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.  Grandma may have paid $80 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.

Donate Pooh Bear Items

You can give it to a place like a Tonopah Salvation Army.  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 Tonopah children’s 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. 

Donate Your Grandmother’s Pooh Items to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Many times I have been contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Collection. 

My answer is yes!  I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”. 

If I am talking to the Tonopah  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 collection along with mine.  I consider their items 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 family members.  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 stuffie or pair of socks 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 relative wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Tonopah to WI. 

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

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com