It seems like the art of collecting may have become a memory of yesterday. It used to be that you couldn’t visit someone’s Kremlin house and not find Precious Moments, Paper Weights or a Winnie the Pooh collection.
Kremlin baby-boomers were obsessed collecting things. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to cut back or sadly when a collector relative dies where do you go with their Comic Books, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear collectibles?
You could try to sell the Pooh Bear Collectibles online. Some of the difficulties you might face when selling online include: setting up a payment account, creating appealing 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. Mom may have paid $100 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 Kremlin Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Grandma’s well cared-for items being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Kremlin kids 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.
Over the years I have been approached 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 Kremlin 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 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 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 collection. You can put a price tag on a stuffed animal or jacket but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear 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 Kremlin to Wisconsin.
If you have a collection of Winnie the Pooh items to donate, feel free to message me and we can coordinate adding your Grandma’s Pooh Items to history and the Pooh Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633