It seems like the interest of collecting may have become an activity of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Beaver residence and not find Stamps and Coins, Cookie Jars or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Beaver baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The craze these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector family member dies what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Winnie the Pooh Collection online. Some of the issues you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out attractive 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 $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 plenty of time.
You can give it to a place like a Beaver thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Great Aunt’s adored collection being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Beaver 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 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 contacted by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will accept 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 Beaver collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their collection 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 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 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 received 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 toy 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 collector wants, they can even visit their items when traveling from Beaver to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to call me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633