It seems like the art of collecting may have become an activity of days gone by. It used to be that you couldn’t go into someone’s Dunjee Park residence and not find Art, Cookie Jars or a Pooh collection.
Dunjee Park baby-boomers took seriously collecting stuff. The movement today is to be a minimalist.
So when you’re ready to scale back or sadly when a collector relative passes what do you do with their Stamps and Coins, Paper Weights or Pooh Bear collectibles?
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, thinking up inviting listing descriptions, figuring out 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. Grandmother 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 Dunjee Park Goodwill. They will take it. However, some people struggle with the thought of their Mom’s much-loved collectibles being separated and sold for .99 cents. The plush could become a dog toy.
You could donate any plush to a Dunjee Park 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 approached by family members and asked if they can donate and if I will take Pooh Bear Items.
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 Dunjee Park 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 donated collection along with mine. I consider their collection as THEIR collection in my database.
When someone donates Pooh 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 collectibles. You can put a price tag on a plush or jewelry but you can’t put a value on happiness.
By donating Pooh Bear Items to the Guinness World Record Pooh Collection the collection stays together and the memories are still there too. In fact, if the collector wants, they can even visit their collection when traveling from Dunjee Park to WI.
If you have collectibles of Pooh Bear items to donate, feel free to email me and we can coordinate adding your Great Aunt’s Pooh Bear Collectibles to history and the Pooh Bear Museum.
Deb Hoffmann - 414-708-0633