Donating Your Great Aunt’s Winnie the Pooh Collection

It seems like the hobby of collecting may have become a memory of days gone by.  It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s New York Mills home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Trading Cards or a Pooh collection.

New York Mills baby-boomers loved collecting things.  The trend these days is to be a minimalist.

So when you’re ready to downscale or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or Pooh collection?

Selling Pooh Items

You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Items online.  Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, thinking up enticing 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 $30 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 Collectibles

You can give it to a place like a New York Mills thrift store.  They will take it.  However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandmother’s treasured collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents.  The plush could become a dog toy.

You could donate any plush to a New York Mills 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 Grandmother 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 Great Aunt’s Pooh Collection to the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection & Make It Part of History

Over the years I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept Pooh Items. 

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 New York Mills  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 collectibles as THEIR collection in my database.

When someone donates Pooh 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 items.  You can put a price tag on a stuffie or book but you can’t put a value on happiness.

By donating Pooh Bear Collectibles to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays grouped and the memories are still there too.  In fact, if the owner wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from New York Mills to WI. 

If you have collectibles of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Mom’s Winnie the Pooh Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.

Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633

Deb@MostPooh.com