It seems like the pastime of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Oneida County residence and not find Precious Moments, Books or a Pooh collection.
Oneida County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector relative passes away what do you do with their Hummels, Trading Cards or Pooh Bear items?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Items online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out 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 $90 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 Oneida County Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mother’s cherished collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Oneida 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 Mom 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 Pooh Bear Collectibles.
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 Oneida 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 donated collection along with mine. I consider their collection 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 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or figurine but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays entact and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collectibles when traveling from Oneida County to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to contact me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Winnie the Pooh Collection to history and the Winnie the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633