It seems like the love of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t walk into someone’s Coal County home and not find Salt and Pepper Shakers, Books or a Pooh collection.
Coal County baby-boomers were obsessed collecting stuff. The tendency these days is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to downsize or sadly when a collector family member passes away where do you go with their Hummels, Vinyl Records or Pooh collection?
You could try to sell the Pooh Collectibles online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, figuring out 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. 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 a lot of time.
You can give it to a place like a Coal County thrift store. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s much-loved items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Coal County 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.
Many times I have been emailed by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Collectibles.
My answer is with great excitement! I am always honored and humbled to – in my words – “to take care of their collection”.
If I am talking to the Coal County collector and owner I let them know which numbers their items will be in the Guinness World Record Largest Pooh Collection. Their items 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 Winnie the 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 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 items. You can put a price tag on a T-Shirt or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh 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 collection when traveling from Coal County to WI.
If you have a collection of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to reach out to me and we can coordinate adding your Grandmother’s Pooh Collection to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633
Centrahoma | Coalgate | Lehigh |
Phillips | Tupelo |